Perhaps it's because I don't have any background that it might seem to me
like you are rushing into CO2. Have you had planted tanks before such
that you know you need/want CO2? Most of my planted tanks do not have
CO2 and it means that I don't have to prune quite as often ;~). My CO2
tanks keep my pH low which is fine for the fish I have in there. I don't
have any plants which require CO2 to do well, and having over 100
aquariums, mostly planted, I'd be willing to wager that there isn't
anyone here with a bigger selection (I manage a fish store). Light still
seems to be the first constraint. CO2 injection with poor light doesn't
get you much further than if you didn't have CO2.
Have you measured your kH yet? The value of an automated injector
monitoring your pH would depend on whether your pH was likely to change
much, which would depend on your kH.
Having used flourite and gravel, I don't think I'd spend the extra for
flourite again. There are too many more important growth factors ahead
of whether your gravel is stone or fractured clay. jmo
I guess it depends on your level of expertise, your objective and how
quickly you want to get there.
--
www.NetMax.tk
"Sarah" wrote in message
om...
I'm trying to follow your advice! Actually, I'm looking into as many
possiblities as possible. Right now my tank is sitting empty in my
room. I've rushed into tanks before but I want to research this one
and start out right. (Plus I'm still looking for a place to find
flourite at a decent price).
I will probably go with one or two of the DIY CO2 injectors for now
but I figured I'd look at what my options are as far as the more
elaborate CO2 injectors on the market. In the long run, isn't it
better to have an automated pressurized system that will keep track of
pH?
"NetMax" wrote in message
m...
LOL, you don't sound like you are following any advice in this
thread,
but as long as you are still learning and we are giving you ideas,
then
it's all good ;~) Your phone book should have listings. Many
industries
use CO2 so it's readily available, but prices will vary.
Before installing the CO2, it would be instructive to know what your
gH
and kH levels are. I don't think CO2 injection would do much to my
tap
water when it's at 35dgH 16dkH, and if you are at 3dgH 2dkH then you
might be pearling your plants and looking for a way to periodically
turn
off the CO2, so like so many aquaria questions, the answer is 'it
depends'.
--
www.NetMax.tk
"Sarah" wrote in message
om...
I've found several vendors on Ebay that will sell me a CO2
regulator,
a pH meter, some funky black thing whose name I forget to regulate
bubbles. The bundle comes out to about $250. I'll willing to
spend
that money. My question is - where do I get CO2 tanks. I'm an
EMT, I
know where to get O2. But where does an aquarist get CO2?
Also, my water has a high pH (about 7.6-7.8). I know adding CO2
lowers pH which would be good for the tank. I'm now sure what my
gH
and Kh are. Would using a peat layer underneath my gravel be
beneficial?
Sarah
(Giancarlo Podio) wrote in message
om...
Sounds like you actually have a 75 gallon rather than a 55. Four
55w
CFs would give you a nice amount of light, but very close to too
much
for a non-pressurized CO2 setup. I would aim slightly lower if
you
plan to use DIY CO2. But still, if you have the patience to keep
up
with them, a couple DIY CO2 bottles will work for you. I wouldn't
waste any money on off-the-shelf DIY CO2, they are no better than
regular DIY yeast/sugar mixes, save the money for a pressurized
setup.
As for the lighting, again probably a little too long, I'd start
with
10-12 hours and see how things go, you may find yourself reducing
it
if you run into any problems. Filter wise, the 2217 is what I use
on
both 55 and 90 gallon tanks so I know that will work very well
for
you. The 2028 is just as good, pretty much the same size, a
little
bigger media storage I believe but very much the same. The HOB
you
can
throw out the window, it's only going to reduce your CO2 levels
and
it's not needed as any one of the other filters you have is more
than
sufficient. A good size fish load may also help maintain higher
CO2
levels, but obviously don't go overboard. As for the substrate,
flourite/gravel mix works well, I'd add a handfull of peat moss
to
the
lowest layer along with 5-6 crushed Flourish Tabs. Then cap it
all
with 3-4 inches of flourite/gravel mix. I don't think you'll be
able
to maintain such a steep slope for too long (4" in back, 1/2-3/4"
in
front) plus that could cause nutrients to come out of the lower
layers
of the substrate. I'd go with 4" in the back and 3" in front, all
the
same gravel/flourite mix in case you decide you want some
foreground
plants in the future.
Here's some basic info regarding DIY CO2 setups:
http://www.gpodio.com/diy_co2.asp
Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio