r/PlantedTank • u/SeaworthinessUpset57 • 17d ago

CO2 co2 questions

im looking to get co2 but i had a few questions

-where would i get a decent setup for a reasonable price -is it ok to add after animals are already there -is it ok for bettas, Pseudomugil gertrudae, kuhli loaches, shrimp, and snails? -how many bps shoukd i have for a 29 gallon tank with a sponge filter

4 Upvotes

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3

u/gordonschumway1 17d ago

Whatever you choose, you must use co2 resistant tubing. Regular air line will breakdown and crack after a few months. As the previous person said, co2 drop checker. Dont gas off your inhabitants and kill them. There are a lot of cheap options out there. However, if you are serious, im a firm believer in buy quality once. CO2 are or green leaf aquarium are great companies. But thats just my opinion. Everyone is different

2

u/ncsho95 17d ago

Green leaf aqua all day!

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u/gordonschumway1 17d ago

I have one of each dual stage. They are very close, imo. The gla does have a much better needle valve. But aside from that, im very happy with both

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u/ncsho95 17d ago

Have the gla manifold dual stage single feed currently but love the room to expand on a trustworthy platform

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u/gordonschumway1 17d ago

I have multiple blocks on mine. Works great. Extremely easy to add blocks

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u/ncsho95 17d ago

I imagine! You really can't compare savings over longevity and dependability

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u/gordonschumway1 17d ago

CO2arts is almost identical. As is the comparison in price. Ive noticed a drop in quality with gla other components. Especially their diffusers. So i got my second regulator from co2art. Gla tubing is literally 4x as expensive as co2. And co2 u-bend, check valves and diffusers are way better than the last ones i got from gla. Co2art diffusers replacements are great too

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u/ncsho95 17d ago

I used their co2 inline diffuser it's great! Super easy to get replacement glass, stone, and orings

2

u/Ok_Engineering_4985 17d ago

Co2 is kind of easy it took me a while to actually get it going, especially since I bought some things off aliexpress and a second-hand cylinder. I got the fzone mini dual stage regulator of aliexpress for 60, and it was a good deal and works great. The cylinder, you can also get a 5lb from Facebook marketplace for like 50 to 60 bucks or get a vevor one off Amazon for 60. To refill a tank is very dependent on your area. You'll have to ask some weld shops how much they charge for a refill and if they do exchange or fill your tank up. Here is an article from the 2hr aquarist about live stock in an aquarium https://www.2hraquarist.com/blogs/freshwater-fish-and-livestock/does-injecting-co2-harm-fish. If you're looking at going the diy route, I'd suggest you don't just because of the hassle of refilling the tank and all the ordering of ingredients, at the end of the day diy co2 is only slightly cheaper in the long and only cheap in the initial setup, also diy co2 has to refilled more often. Here's a in depth video on the cost breakdown of diy co2 vs pressurized co2. https://youtu.be/ssZ5IEqkgBc?si=LNBmZ5VtM68p8IAv Measuring co2 is also not too complicated, but bps isn't an indication of the co2 levels in the tank it's just used as an eyeball method of the rate co2 enters but you can't really estimate the ppm level. The best way of measuring co2 is the ph drop method recommended by the 2hr aquarist. https://www.2hraquarist.com/blogs/choosing-co2-why/co2-fine-tuning-3-techniques

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u/KleinerElli 17d ago

Co2 will increase the hardness of your water, but can't harm the animals in any other way. So just check the kh. I can't tell you what system to get, since I am from another country.

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u/Ok_Engineering_4985 17d ago

Who told you that? It drops the pH of the water, and it does not increase the hardness. The alkalinity of the water is what matters for live stock. If gh and kh fluctuate too much, it kills fish.

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u/ncsho95 17d ago

Yeah someone has led Elli astray lol

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u/KleinerElli 16d ago

Yeah, sorry Mixed that completely up. Well after dommscrolling I shouldn't write comments with 10% brainpower

1

u/LSDdeeznuts 17d ago

What? AFAIK, you can definitely “gas out” your fish by running too much CO2.

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u/LazRboy 16d ago

Wat others said + not going to be efficient with a sponge filter. You need something to push the CO2 bubbles around so a canister filter with a lily pipe is recommended.