How Much Co2 Do Planted Aquariums Need?

A well-maintained fish tank is a thing of beauty, and a planted tank perhaps even more so. It can add character and life to a room, all while bringing a piece of nature into your home. Planted tanks provide an authentic and natural look, allowing you to replicate a more realistic environment for your fish. Even though it isn’t too difficult to keep freshwater planted aquariums looking nice with the proper lighting and basic nutritional fertilizers, if you want yours to really thrive and add texture, then adding carbon dioxide is a must.

Does a Planted Tank Need CO2?

Carbon is the building block of life, and like all living things, plants require it to live and grow. Most plants extract the carbon they need from carbon dioxide, which is readily available in the air at several hundred parts per million (ppm). In an underwater garden, the plants that are fully submerged will have to satisfy their carbon needs from the CO2 that is dissolved in the water, which contains only a few ppm. 

As we mentioned, CO2 is naturally dissolved into the water from the air around it, but water can only hold so much. Aquatic plants effectively limit their own growth by using up the available carbon faster than it’s replenished. While natural CO2 concentrations are enough to keep 60 to 70 percent of aquatic plants alive, if you want to boost their growth, or if you’re having difficulty with algae growth, you’ll want to consider giving your tank extra CO2. It’s been proven that by adding CO2, algae decreases considerably because the “Macro Algae” (plants) competes with the “Micro Algae” (the icky stuff you don’t want in your tank). Just looking at two of the same tanks, one with CO2 and the other without, is a night and day difference!

What’s an Ideal CO2 Level for a Planted Tank?

Adding CO2 to your tank is important for growing bigger, more vibrant plants, but too much CO2 can be toxic to your fish. Dissolving CO2 in water makes it slightly more acidic, and if the level gets too high, you’re putting your fish in danger. It’s crucial to know the right amount of CO2 for both happy plants and healthy fish. Keep your tank’s CO2 levels https://www.canadianmeds4u.com/ somewhere between 15 and 30 ppm. Since it can be dangerous for fish to go over 30 ppm CO2, it’s better to aim for no more than 25 ppm. This is easier than it sounds. Using a simple in-tank color monitor or checking that the pH isn’t lower than 6.2 is all you really need to do.

How Will I Know How Much CO2 Is in My Tank?

Carbon dioxide levels cannot be measured directly in a home aquarium, so pH and KH (carbonate hardness) must be measured instead. CO2 levels can then be calculated from the relationship between those values.

How to Add CO2 to Your Aquarium

There are a variety of options pharmacy online for increasing the CO2 levels in your aquarium, ranging from our many excellent pressurized CO2 systems to alternative DIY yeast and sugar reactors, which can be fun to play with but are definitely not a long-term solution. CO2 systems are truly worth the initial costs in acquiring them. Yearly it comes to pennies a day.

If you have additional questions about adding CO2 or you need any CO2 supplies (https://www.aquaticwarehouse.com/freshwater-plant-accessories/co2-products) or other freshwater aquarium supplies, reach out to Aquatic Warehouse today. Stop by our store in Kearny Mesa, or give one of our experts a call at 858-467-9297.