[Steve Pituch]

Dear Oakraid,

Looks good!

Why don't you give us all your parameters..... we may be able to contribute something that will help keep the tank looking good, and maybe even better. Longevity is the key.

Steve Pituch

 

[Steve Pituch]

Yes, CO2 would get the pH down. If you got the pH down to 6.8, with your KH=4, you would have 19 ppm CO2 which is good.

Then the only thing you will need are your nutrients: NO3, PO4, K, Fe, and traces.

Steve Pituch

 

[Steve Pituch]

At 3.4 Watts/gal you will need a source of carbon and water column fertilizer.

If you went down to 2 watts/gal you might be able to get by with co2 from decomposing fishfood by slightly overfeeding your fish. But you need to conserve co2 with a glass top, minimal water changes, minimum agitation of the water. This is sort of what Diana Walstad does but she uses a soil substrate instead of adding fertilizer to the water column. You can't do it both ways. What you might want to do is buy Walstad's book. You shouldn't have any questions on her low-tech approach after reading it.

3.4 W/g without co2 and fertilizers is asking for algae and poor growing plants.

Why don't you try DIY CO2 - it costs nothing to start a yeast culture.

Steve Pituch

 

[Steve Pituch]

I think some of us here have been successful with 2 bottles for a 75 gal tank. I think if you get the champagne yeast and do a bottle every other week and stagger them you should aways have one fresh bottle. Since I don't do DIY CO2 I can't vouch for it, but I think 2 bottles staggered weekly works well.

The link you gave doesn't work. What you need is a plain single stage two gage regulator, and a (MNV-4K2 Clippard needle valve for about $11).

You can get the needle valve directly from clippard. Try co2 gas and welding suppliers for a regulator for about $60 maybe. They will probably lend you a used 20# tank for free if you keep going back to them for co2.

Steve