Love Plant, CO2, Bubblecounter

[Suzie Q]

On the planted tank forum, everyone is talking about a bubble counter and CO2...I know I will have to have this stuff when I get my 120g if I have live plants...or will the large amount of fish I plan on having...not planning on overloading the tank!...be enough CO2 for the live plants?(starting out with java moss and fern for now). So far, I am guessing that it is for HIGH light plants, and the JM/JF does not need it.

OK, I am going cheap and making all the tubing and stuff my self (DYI instructions on internet). I know what the CO2 is, and what it is for, and why you need it. The bubble counter is what I am really having a hard time understanding...I know that it helps measure the ppm in the tank, but I don't understand how it works, and do you really need one? Is the bubble counter to measure how much CO2 is going into the tank?...do you actually have to count bubbles to get it set correctly? There are also horror stories of toooo much CO2 in the tank and it killing the fish! I have seen store bought ones that go inside the tank, and a DYI that is under the tank stand. Please help.

Thanks,
Lori

[carlrs]

I do have strong opinion here as I think these devices are pushed too much and are not easy to operate properly but my more advances aquarists (reminds me of the hype behind Protein Skimmers in marine tanks that is also over blown).
I prefer the Flouramat by Sanders (which we will be carrying eventually), this uses a CO2 aerosol canister and is MUCH simpler and more reliable to use.
www.aqua-sander.de/produkte/floramat.en.html

Another point about the type I recommend and the DYI and others is that for them to work properly you need to add 4 + watts per gallon. One more note is that these units can lower your Redox to very poor levels if not installed and monitored properly. I have a good link about measuring your CO2 output with these in this article.
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

Not to trash what your heard in this plant forum, but I have visited a few as a lurker, and they tend to be over zealous with these and not very open minded to more simple products such as the Flouramat.

Basically the 'big three' for healthy plant growth is; lights, ferts such as nitrates, and bio availbe carbon. The last is where there is the over zealous pushing of CO2 generators comes in, I have also found good results with Sea Chem's Flourish Excel, as the key is 'bio available carbon, and that is just what that product is.
americanaquariumproducts.com/Seachem.html

Carl

[Suzie Q]

I feel overwhelmed with the aquarium (lots to learn). I may not have live plants...it almost seems more trouble that what they are worth....

What exactly is redox? I know it is not good if it drops, and I know it is some sort of reaction, but I am so confused! I may just start out really simple with nothing living but fish, and add plants later. I still have to get the UV sterilizer (will that have an effect on the plants?...seems like I read that somewhere).

[carlrs]

Do not feel overwhelmed by this, just start off slow with simple plants (I have some notes about them in my Basic Aquarium Principles article). I think these CO2 systems can be overwheming for someone new to this, they do work, but take a lot of patience and adjustments.
Here is the kH article:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

As for Redox Potential, this is Reduction and Oxidation properties of ANY water, -300 mV is best. In the most basic terms it is the ability of a substance to give away or add free electrons. Maintaining proper electrolytes and UV sterilization helps with this, so does just good ole water changes.

I have a very indepth article about this here (really worth reading)
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html

As for the UV Sterilizer, there is absolutly nothing this will do to harm your plants, this is just one of the aquarium hobby rumors with no facts to back it up.

Carl