Planting my 80 gallon - co2 question

[chaz]

Hi, I am new here, and have a question about planting my tank:

I have an 80 galon freshwater thats been going on for about 4 years. I am
trying some plants but have never been real successful.

I have a twin tube floro light with plant bulbs.

If I was going to install a co2 system without breaking the bank, which one
would you suggest? I recall making one from a soda bottle years ago but it
didnt seem to make a diffference.

I am not opposed to DIY at all.

I have also seen a product called carbo plus, but dont know enough about the
"science" to know if it's snake oil or not.

Thanks

chaz

[netDenizen]

chaz wrote:
> Hi, I am new here, and have a question about planting my tank:
>
> I have an 80 galon freshwater thats been going on for about 4 years. I am
> trying some plants but have never been real successful.
>
> I have a twin tube floro light with plant bulbs.
>
> If I was going to install a co2 system without breaking the bank, which one
> would you suggest? I recall making one from a soda bottle years ago but it
> didnt seem to make a diffference.
>
> I am not opposed to DIY at all.
>
> I have also seen a product called carbo plus, but dont know enough about the
> "science" to know if it's snake oil or not.
>
> Thanks
>
> chaz
>
>
>

There's good plant information on the krib website:
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/ .

Two fluorescent tubes would be 80 watts maximum, unless you have
something special. General wisdom is, to use 1.5 or more watts per
gallon of light; I have 5 tubes (200 watts) on a 90 gallon and it works
quite well. No CO2 yet - bought a carbo-plus but took it back after
googling groups on this item.

Besides adding more light, you'll want to plant LOTS of cheap bunch
plants etc at first. You'll also likely want to dose potassium nitrate,
available from hydroponics stores and now also the aquarium store. Big
Al's stores in Canada carry a N-P-K liquid that seems promising - but
I'm still using home-brew. Please also see the krib for fertilizer
information.

Good luck! Plants make the aquarium more like a real aquatic world, imo.

[chaz]

"netDenizen" > wrote in message
...
> chaz wrote:
>> Hi, I am new here, and have a question about planting my tank:
>>
>> I have an 80 galon freshwater thats been going on for about 4 years. I am
>> trying some plants but have never been real successful.
>>
>> I have a twin tube floro light with plant bulbs.
>>
>> If I was going to install a co2 system without breaking the bank, which
>> one
>> would you suggest? I recall making one from a soda bottle years ago but
>> it
>> didnt seem to make a diffference.
>>
>> I am not opposed to DIY at all.
>>
>> I have also seen a product called carbo plus, but dont know enough about
>> the
>> "science" to know if it's snake oil or not.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> chaz
>>
>>
>>
>
> There's good plant information on the krib website:
> http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/ .
>
> Two fluorescent tubes would be 80 watts maximum, unless you have something
> special. General wisdom is, to use 1.5 or more watts per gallon of light;
> I have 5 tubes (200 watts) on a 90 gallon and it works quite well. No CO2
> yet - bought a carbo-plus but took it back after googling groups on this
> item.
>
> Besides adding more light, you'll want to plant LOTS of cheap bunch plants
> etc at first. You'll also likely want to dose potassium nitrate, available
> from hydroponics stores and now also the aquarium store. Big Al's stores
> in Canada carry a N-P-K liquid that seems promising - but I'm still using
> home-brew. Please also see the krib for fertilizer information.
>
> Good luck! Plants make the aquarium more like a real aquatic world, imo.


I am looking at a new light, please see these specs

*********two 65W bulb 12000K DAYLIGHT & two 65W actinic BULB a total of 260W
**********

What do you think? I would replace my existing hood since I dont want to
take up my accesss point.

chaz

[netDenizen]

chaz wrote:

>
> I am looking at a new light, please see these specs
>
> *********two 65W bulb 12000K DAYLIGHT & two 65W actinic BULB a total of 260W
> **********
>
> What do you think? I would replace my existing hood since I dont want to
> take up my accesss point.
>
> chaz
>
>

That sounds like a marine reef lighting setup not directly suitable for
freshwater plants, and expensive. My setup is a plywood home-made hood
with hardware store fixtures and Grolux WS plant tubes plus full-sun
type tubes - also from hw store. I have glass under the hood but suppose
it's not that safe...

[Larry Blanchard]

netDenizen wrote:

> chaz wrote:
>>
>> I am looking at a new light, please see these specs
>>
>> *********two 65W bulb 12000K DAYLIGHT & two 65W actinic BULB a total
>> of 260W **********
>>
>> What do you think? I would replace my existing hood since I dont want
>> to take up my accesss point.
>>
>> That sounds like a marine reef lighting setup not directly suitable
> for freshwater plants, and expensive. My setup is a plywood home-made
> hood with hardware store fixtures and Grolux WS plant tubes plus
> full-sun type tubes - also from hw store. I have glass under the hood
> but suppose it's not that safe...

There's also the alternative of the compact fluorescents with a built in
ballast. For example, AllGlass makes a 10 watt one designed to fit in
incandescent hoods. Walmart sells a knockoff for under $5. Put 10 of
them in a homemade hood and you've got 100 watts for around $100,
including sockets, wire, and switch. For a few more bucks you could
add some moonlight LEDs.

BTW, aluminum flashing makes reasonable reflector material.

--
It's turtles, all the way down