Pressurized CO2?

[kelseylynn]

I've been maintaining my 20 gallon planted tank with no carbon other than the occasional dose of Excel. Plant growth has been underwhelming so I'm finally considering setting up a CO2 system. I'm not interested in doing the fermentation thing, I'd rather just jump right into pressurized CO2. However, I have very limited space around my aquarium and I'm not at all sure what to get or how much I should expect to spend. I'm trying to do some research on my own but it's like learning another language and I'm feeling a bit lost. What in particular do I need, and can I find it in a complete set for a reasonable price or should I expect to go running all over town getting different pieces? Is there anything I can get that doesn't involve massive canisters?

[jvision]

You can get paintball canisters and a special regulator. I bought one of these about 12yrs ago - I believe the brand was Sera, and I bought it at Nature's Corner. I don't know if they have any left over, tho. You could give them a call.

Otherwise, I'm not sure where you'd get the regulator - I imagine welding shops would have something that'd work.

[timbruun]

Your best bet is to just pick a complete kit off here or other local sites. You won't need a huge CO2 tank either with only a 20 gallon. A 5 pound cylinder would be plenty and would last quite a while. If you want you could get bigger and it would just last longer. Once you have CO2 you things will take off with enough light and ferts.

[kelseylynn]

Where in Calgary can I get paintball canisters? Do they last as long as a 5 pound cylinder?

[fishclubgirl]

Kelseylynn, I understand where you're coming from. I sold the first CO2 system I got "new in the box" as it seemed to be in another language. However I really wanted to see if CO2 made a difference, so I got one of the very basic Nutrafin systems with the fermentation. Figured that the fermentation was all premeasured and nothing I could screw up. So far I have not blown up my apartment(cross fingers) and now run 5 of these systems and mix my own fermentation materials. They are all 10-20 gallon tanks too. However there's many other factors than CO2 that affect plant growth too i.e. light, substrate, plants choices, fertilisation, etc. So perhaps tell us more about your tank as there may be a more cost effective way of getting your plants growing.

[kelseylynn]

The tank has 3 wpg and the substrate is a mix of flourite and regular aquarium gravel. Right now I've got some Echinodorus 'rose', anubias, some sort of crypt, and java fern. I had a lily for a few months but it has started disintegrating, and any stem plants I buy tend to fall apart after a few weeks. All the research I've been doing says that with the amount of light I have, I really should be running some CO2. I don't mind investing in a good system because it's my only tank and I'd really like it to be lush and healthy, rather than just an algae farm. DIY CO2 makes me nervous because I'm not sure how to get the mixture right, but it never occurred to me to try a prepackaged fermentation system. Are they expensive?

[jvision]

The Nutrafin systems are really easy - fill the canister to a certain line with sugar; add water to another line; add your 2 packets of stuff; send line into tank.

I'm not a fan of the bubble ladder, but prefer to add the CO2 to the INTAKE of a powerhead. This disperses the CO2 as a fine mist throughout the tank.