Getting back into aquariums

[Tom Barr]

That said above, non CO2 is a method I would also encourage, but the ADA look, it's really a CO2 bias, so I chose to sway you that way. It is good/best, to learn to use both CO2 and non CO2 methods.
I have examples of both and why I chose the aquariums etc.

I also do have an ADA tank, stand etc, almost the entire set up, but without CO2.
All emergent growth plants and high current and rare plecos, cherry shrimps.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Retrogamer82]

I think I fell into the same type of group of folks you are in some years back.
I was not too much into the techie part, nor wanted to get into unfamilar ground etc.

I think most enter the hobby with some intimidation, much like newbie Reefer's. Initially it seems overwhelming.
Many wish they could just fast forward and get to the parts they want, a nice planted or reef tank.

But the path is easier if you learn a few things, I promise they are not painful, not nearly as costly as you might think and rationalize, nor that complex.

The "how" is rather easy and straight forward. The "why" is a much more tricky question.

Based on your goals stated in the posts here, I'd say Tug gave you good advice, 2 x 24W T5's lighting in a lot of light for a planted tank. More than enough to grow any plant and any aquascape you might have in mind.

Adding sediment ferts is a good idea, however, spending a load on light and doing work for the sediment will not pay off without CO2. For growth, health and general variety and vigor, adding CO2 gas really makes this hobby what it is today for most of the people on line.

It is a rare day indeed if you ever see me telling someone to add MORE light to improve growth of plants.
I will suggest adding more CO2/add CO2 gas to improve growth virtually all the time, I sound like nag

Low/moderate light => non limiting CO2 and nutrients(sediment and the water column).
This makes a good routine for most goals that maybe 60-70% of the newbies have when they come into the hobby.

Light , CO2 and nutrients, plants need all 3 to do well, not just light, or light + nutrients, and CO2 is most often ignored and avoided. Why? Because folks do not add CO2 for their gardens, house plants, and many have seen plants growing without CO2 enrichment and folks on line will also say you do not "need" it, which is partially true, but that really depends on your goal.

Light drives all growth, algae growth also.
So more light= more plant growth and more algae growth.

Light is really the most stable of 3 parts, CO2 is the most ephemeral, it changes minute by minute.
Nutrients, change over days and weeks.

Light also drives => CO2 demand, which is limiting to plants, but not algae.
By adding CO2 gas, we enrich the system for plants and remove this strong limiting factor, this = about 10-20X, or 1000-2000% more growth, that's huge.

With this amoiunt of growth, well, now you have add "waste" to keep up with the hungry plants.'
Fish add a little, but you still need to top off the ferts 2-3x a week.

This is not hard, but chemical names are not hard to deal with either.
Add a 1/4 teaspoon of this 2-3x a week etc.
5 mls of that 2-3x a week.

Etc, this becomes easy as pie after a couple of weeks.
We use base chemicals like KNO3, KH2PO4 etc, instead of name brands.

Most name brands are water, with a tiny little amount of fertilizer in them and cost 10-20$ for a bottle that might last a month, whereas a dry powder ordered on line for 3$lb might last 2 years.

So the little bit of chem you learn will go a long way.
Sediment rich in N and P will also help a great deal should you forget to dose or if you leave for VACATION.
It forms a redundant back up, always a good thing.

Moderate to low light controls the rates of growth, so you do not have to spend as much time managing the rampant growth of aquatic weeds. This also means less CO2 demand, so you have more wiggle room dosign that which will be the bigger issue tweaking, nutrients are by and large very easy to manage.

Acrylic tanks are nice, they scratch easily, so you must be careful when cleaning them.
Glass tanks can be had fairly reasonable for a rimless design, 100-150$ range.
Custom Acrylic will be more, say 100-200$.

You'll need about 3/8" for a nice rimless design.
Glass can be thinner.

I was very much like yourself years ago, so do not feel intimidated by CO2 gas, learn and teach yourself the basics there, and with nutrients, stick to lower light.
Leave the more advanced high light to folks with more time and experience etc that want to spend more time gardening/trimming and dealing with more management. They burn out over time anyway, they all do. Then go back to lower light and easier to care for systems.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Tom,

Thanks for this post. I've been sitting on an empty 40B setup for a few months now doing my "research" (Mostly through TPT and now here). I have learned a lot and have a pretty good idea of what I want to do thanks to many who have posted journals and like you, freely offered up their experience and advice. This last post, even though it just touched at the overall basics, kind of brought all the more scrambled, advanced pieces together in my head. You are the man.

I just realized this post might not make much sense... but it does to me, and as you always say, thats all that matters. Thanks again.

[Tom Barr]

No need to explain if the thoughts are conveyed? haha I can tell what many are thinking pretty much after doing this for 14 years on line helping folks.

Let me know which way you want to go with the CO2 thing.

You can also do a small 5 gallon nano for a few $ and go the other way and see, sort of a pilot test.
I did this with a 20 gal and a 55 gallon tank when I started getting into plants.
I did the yeast thing etc, but...........I'll tell you this, I would have done so much better, faster etc, if I'd bit the bullet and gotten a gas tank system from the start.

I did for a client and then waited a few years to get around to it myself.

Here's a nano non CO2 no water changes etc for a year:



Another tank that's non CO2 and no water changes:


My start of the ADA non CO2:


So you can go that way and do a nice job.

Gas is great but it's a tool to increase the rates of growth and so you can pick any species, it can also kill all your fish, give it lots of respect, more than anyone else says.
Hard to say until you master both so you can chose which you like more.

I like them both differently, but equally.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[tab8715]

I guess I could start with a non-c02 and move over if I wanted too.

What's the minimum I'd be spending on a c02 system. How complicated is a DIY one?

[shoggoth43]

If by DIY you mean yeast methods, it's not overly complex. Usually a 2 litre bottle with water, some amount of sugar and a packet of yeast. Some add other things as well as the sugar, others use more exotic yeasts. The downside is that the output is not stable and tends to taper off within several days or a couple of weeks so you need to swap bottles out on a regular basis.

For compressed CO2 there's a sticky on the regulators that you might want to check as it can save you significant cash.

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread...age-Regulators

Or you can just buy the premium stuff from SuMo or Rexx Grigg and know that it was put together properly.

The regulator is where you would want to concentrate your money. Tanks are reasonably cheap as is the refill.

Distribution of CO2 regardless of source is a whole other topic, but you're on the right site for that discussion too.

-
S

I guess I could start with a non-c02 and move over if I wanted too.

What's the minimum I'd be spending on a c02 system. How complicated is a DIY one?