# Do I need C02 injection?



## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

Hey guys ,

I got some more plants and was wondering if I needed supplemental C02 through injection or a power head?? I currently have 2 HOB power filters ( ac110 & a power filter that came with the tank kit) so im thinking that's enough surface agitation? I am using daytime lights 6500k and using API's root tabs in sand.

any help would be appreciated as I am new to plants... heres a current pic of my tank. thanks guys!


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

Whats your wattage per gallon? Anything over 1.5 and co2 is recommended


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

well the wattage on the lights are 15 watts ( i have 2 of them ) but on the hood it says 19 watts and the tank is a 55, im assuming I go by the wattage on the lights right?


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## jmax611 (Aug 6, 2006)

maknwar said:


> you'll do fine without co2 with those plants. Nothing wrong with your setup, just set back and watch them grow.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

No CO2 needed for that setup (it would be wasted anyways with the HOB filters). Some Fluorish Excel would be more than sufficient. Your plants may suffer with that low of lighting, but see how they do...you can always upgrade later (a 48" 56w Coralife Freshwater T-5 fixture would be perfect).


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

Hey thanks BioTeach,

So if I up grade my lights, wouldnt I need to upgrade to C02 injection as well? Trigga told me that if i have more than 1.5 watts/ gallon i would need the supplemental C02, and you said that the HOB's would make the C02 be a waste?? how? thanks again for the 411


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

ok so i call the LFS and they say that the coralife set up doesnt last that long , about a year maybe then it breaks. and of course he tries to get me to spend more money. So he recommends these LED lights and says they will last waaaaaay longer.

So my friends I need some advice... LED? Coralife T-5 set up? or just keep what I have now?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I have never heard a bad thing about coralife T5 fixtures. The bulb might last a year, and thats pretty good, but the fixture will last longer than you will want them. With HOB filters, the surface agitation causes you to lose a lot of the co2. It can be done but you will waste a bunch of co2. You would have to bump up the light quite a bit to need co2 at this point which would defeat the purpose of having the low light plants in there. Get some Flourish Excel, dose accordingly and watch them grow. Test your tank to see how much nitrates you have and add some if you are below 5 ppm.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

ju5tin95 said:


> ok so i call the LFS and they say that the coralife set up doesnt last that long , about a year maybe then it breaks. and of course he tries to get me to spend more money. So he recommends these LED lights and says they will last waaaaaay longer.
> 
> So my friends I need some advice... LED? Coralife T-5 set up? or just keep what I have now?


maknwar covered the CO2 bit...that T-5 fixture will be fine with just Fluorish Excel since you are basically at 1wpg. That guy at the LFS is smoking crack. Those are normal output T-5 fixtures, so those bulbs can last up to 2 years. Just curious, what LED fixture is he trying to sell you, because the only ones I've seen that can grow plants are way too powerful and expensive...more along the lines of metal halide fixtures.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I would like to see a LED light that can grow plants. Got the name of it? Nothing right now is better than T5 lighting. They do have T2 lighting, but I hear its expensive.


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## SeedlessOne (Nov 21, 2006)

I dont care what anyone says...LED lighting is still really not quite there. Its getting closer but still not worth it IMO. Yeah sure it can grow plants but there are still better light sources. I do believe in the future LEDs are going to be huge!!!


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

maknwar said:


> I would like to see a LED light that can grow plants. Got the name of it? Nothing right now is better than T5 lighting. They do have T2 lighting, but I hear its expensive.


Solaris

The original version was designed for slatwater reef setups. Be sure to click on the links to the left to see what all this bad boy can do...of course it costs enough to pay for several T-5 fixtures.


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