# those of u that have planted tanks did you make your own co2 systems



## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

is this all i need to start my plant tank and a good light right what do you guys think thanks

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...=2004&Nty=1


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

you wil need at least 1.5 wpg of light. I think that set up cost too much also. Shop around. You will also need some ferts. Are you using sand or gravel.


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

ryanimpreza said:


> you wil need at least 1.5 wpg of light. I think that set up cost too much also. Shop around. You will also need some ferts. Are you using sand or gravel.


what is ferts and yup im using sand and im getin this light http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=15690

what co2 systems do you have and where did you get it at thanks and do you have pics of your plant tank


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

getin dachopuh said:


> you wil need at least 1.5 wpg of light. I think that set up cost too much also. Shop around. You will also need some ferts. Are you using sand or gravel.


what is ferts and yup im using sand and im getin this light http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=15690

what co2 systems do you have and where did you get it at thanks and do you have pics of your plant tank
[/quote]
fertilizers.....I have no pics at this time.....I have a JBJ regulator and you can see the defuser that i use on my page. There is a little pics of my tank on the page. how many watts is your light and how big is your tank.. Do you have plants yet. If so what kind.

i wouldn't use sand.. It compacts to tight causing the plants not to root right also there is 0 nutrition in sand for the plant. If you have the money I would get this. I have 180 gallon tank so it would cost me $$$$$$$$$$$$$ so I used sand with this. It works fine.........https://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~substrates_calcium_reactor_media_freshwater_gravel_seachem_caribsea_eco-complete.html


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

ryanimpreza said:


> you wil need at least 1.5 wpg of light. I think that set up cost too much also. Shop around. You will also need some ferts. Are you using sand or gravel.


what is ferts and yup im using sand and im getin this light http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=15690

what co2 systems do you have and where did you get it at thanks and do you have pics of your plant tank
[/quote]
fertilizers.....I have no pics at this time.....I have a JBJ regulator and you can see the defuser that i use on my page. There is a little pics of my tank on the page. how many watts is your light and how big is your tank.. Do you have plants yet. If so what kind.

i wouldn't use sand.. It compacts to tight causing the plants not to root right also there is 0 nutrition in sand for the plant. If you have the money I would get this. I have 180 gallon tank so it would cost me $$$$$$$$$$$$$ so I used sand with this. It works fine.........https://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~substrates_calcium_reactor_media_freshwater_gravel_seachem_caribsea_eco-complete.html
[/quote]

my tank is a 150g tall the light is 36" (4 - 96 watts) 3 Lunar Lights 
and i have some plants that i got from petsmart i dont know the names but they dont grow they just stay the same they get brown on the tips and arent very green i guess they are dieing slowly the light i have now came with the tank its about 4' dont know what kind


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

ryanimpreza said:


> you wil need at least 1.5 wpg of light. I think that set up cost too much also. Shop around. You will also need some ferts. Are you using sand or gravel.


what is ferts and yup im using sand and im getin this light http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=15690

what co2 systems do you have and where did you get it at thanks and do you have pics of your plant tank
[/quote]
fertilizers.....I have no pics at this time.....I have a JBJ regulator and you can see the defuser that i use on my page. There is a little pics of my tank on the page. how many watts is your light and how big is your tank.. Do you have plants yet. If so what kind.

i wouldn't use sand.. It compacts to tight causing the plants not to root right also there is 0 nutrition in sand for the plant. If you have the money I would get this. I have 180 gallon tank so it would cost me $$$$$$$$$$$$$ so I used sand with this. It works fine.........https://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~substrates_calcium_reactor_media_freshwater_gravel_seachem_caribsea_eco-complete.html
[/quote]

o yeah your link not workin and that light i sad i dont got it yet shopin around


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

I hope you haven't moved forward yet. 
the CO2 system you can have for much cheaper. If you are simply looking to add CO2 to the tank you can go with the semi automatic system that DR fosterssmith sells. I personally wouldn't bother with a PH controller unless I had a specific need to control the PH at a desired level. a simple drop checker can show you when you have enough CO2 in the tank.

I bought a regulator off ebay for 80 bucks. A CO2 tank from someone locally and a timer to turn it on and off. Get some decent polyurethane tubing as silicone is the worst possible tubing you can use for CO2. As far as diffusion you can go with a Rinox diffuser or get a reactor. depending on the size tank you are using. there are actually tons of other was to accomplish diffusion it is really up to what works best for you. 
Myself i have a nano diffuser under the intake of my XP1 the diffuser gets the CO2 into the tank as small bubbles and the XP sucks them up and shoots them thru the tank.

oh yeah nothing wrong with the fixture you linked. But you will most likely want to swap the bulb with one that is in the 5000-10,000K range. 
Another good source for lighting is AH supply. they sell retrofit kits as well as hoods to mount their kits. Their reflectors are some of the best you can get.


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

BlackSunshine said:


> I hope you haven't moved forward yet.
> the CO2 system you can have for much cheaper. If you are simply looking to add CO2 to the tank you can go with the semi automatic system that DR fosterssmith sells. I personally wouldn't bother with a PH controller unless I had a specific need to control the PH at a desired level. a simple drop checker can show you when you have enough CO2 in the tank.
> 
> I bought a regulator off ebay for 80 bucks. A CO2 tank from someone locally and a timer to turn it on and off. Get some decent polyurethane tubing as silicone is the worst possible tubing you can use for CO2. As far as diffusion you can go with a Rinox diffuser or get a reactor. depending on the size tank you are using. there are actually tons of other was to accomplish diffusion it is really up to what works best for you.
> ...


thanks bro and no i havent bought any of that stuff yet but i will keep what you said in mind o and i have a 60lb co2 tank that i used to us for filling my paint ball co2 tanks that should work right you got a link to that light thanks a lot


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

getin dachopuh said:


> I hope you haven't moved forward yet.
> the CO2 system you can have for much cheaper. If you are simply looking to add CO2 to the tank you can go with the semi automatic system that DR fosterssmith sells. I personally wouldn't bother with a PH controller unless I had a specific need to control the PH at a desired level. a simple drop checker can show you when you have enough CO2 in the tank.
> 
> I bought a regulator off ebay for 80 bucks. A CO2 tank from someone locally and a timer to turn it on and off. Get some decent polyurethane tubing as silicone is the worst possible tubing you can use for CO2. As far as diffusion you can go with a Rinox diffuser or get a reactor. depending on the size tank you are using. there are actually tons of other was to accomplish diffusion it is really up to what works best for you.
> ...


thanks bro and no i havent bought any of that stuff yet but i will keep what you said in mind o and i have a 60lb co2 tank that i used to us for filling my paint ball co2 tanks that should work right you got a link to that light thanks a lot
[/quote]

Yeah AHsupply.com

and yeah that 60lb tank will last a long time and work fine if you have the space for it. I've only got a 5lb tank on my 20 and thats been going for months.


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

so would this work a tube going straight into the tank letting out co2 thats all it really is right or is there way more to it i hope the pic i made helps i was bored thanks


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

well basically. But you want something to diffuse it when it gets to the tank because if you just have raw bubbles shooting into the tank you will be wasting a lot of CO2. you will also wanna have a bubble counter inline so you can measure how much you are putting in as well as a check valve so you don't get water siphoning back into the regulator and ruining the solenoid.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

i would buy a diffuser becasue when the bubble floats it barly releases any co2 compared to even those cheap diffusers that will keep the bubbles under water longer so they can more fully disolve


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## Uncle Rico (Sep 4, 2005)

BlackSunshine said:


> well basically. But you want something to diffuse it when it gets to the tank because if you just have raw bubbles shooting into the tank you will be wasting a lot of CO2. you will also wanna have a bubble counter inline so you can measure how much you are putting in as well as a check valve so you don't get water siphoning back into the regulator and ruining the solenoid.


What is the solenoid? Do you need to be able to measure the existing CO2 in the tank or is just measuring the rate of CO2 input enough?


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

The solenoid is what turns the co2 supply on in the morning and off at night. Your needle valve is what regulates how many BPS of co2 go into the tank. and for that you would want a decent quality one to prevent end of tank dump. (when a CO2 cannister gets low/almost empty there is a surge of pressure as the liquid turns to gas. This results in a mass of CO2 getting out at low pressure and cheap needle valves cannot regulate this. thus dumping large amounts of CO2 into the tank and potentially killing your fish.)


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