Questions about Co2 addition in a planted ABN colony tank

[pleconut]

I have some questions (and big concerns) re the addition of liquid Co2 in my ABN colony tank. I set up a larger tank today, it has quite a few plants and I want to have some degree of success with the plants. I have some concerns re the use of the Co2 though as some time ago I planted up a tank ,added a liquid Co2 product, but then in the coming days after I lost some plecos even though I'd deliberately underdosed so as to not put fish at risk. Im not sure this was the cause of the losses. But I still have a lot of regrets. The ABN tank has a few small tetras, not dithers per se, but it did actually seem to encourage the male not to kick eggs, which he did previously. Seems possible that he ate the fry though. Is the use of a liquid Co2 llikely to be a risk if I was to use it? I would also be raising ABN fry in this tank. When success finally comes.

[TwoTankAmin]

It had nothing to do with a decent co2 additive and pressurized co2 is also fine.

In a 45 gal. community planted tanks into which I dosed Flourish Excel weekly I had about 700 bn fry born over about 9 years. Also born in that tank were panda cory, angelfish, lf rosy barb, zebra danio, and many swordtails.

In my high light, pressurized co2 added 50 gal. I had farlowellas spawn. I kept a big bn in it a while but they are not kind to delicate ground cover plants and I moved it elsewhere. I have been adding Excel to all my planted tanks for well over a decade and fish also spawn in those tanks.

My point is neither co2 nor a decent co2 additive used properly should bother fish or inverts. It is more likely that something else got your bn.

[pleconut]

Thanks TTA it's a 4 ft x 1 ft x 1 ft.
I'm not sure what that would be in US gallons have to look it up as I'm in the UK. They are actually quite well behaved, and not plant munchers but I don't have soft leaved ground level plants. Will try the seachem flourish excel.

[TwoTankAmin]

When using Excel, despite what you might read on some sites, dose it according to the directions and do not overdose it. Excel, and most dechlors are reducing agents. This means they will remove oxygen from the water. Never overdose them together. I added mine when I added ferts in several additions when refilling the tank. I never used Excel in my co2 added tank.

[pleconut]

Thanks again would always dose anything according to directions. Probably significantly less as I have quite a lot of decor displacing water. Not large amounts of plants either in the tank but more will be added. The product. I used before was dosed according to how many plants, with the more plants more of it could be used, but I still underdosed. Even though I had quite a lot of plants. I also have very small amounts of peat pellets in a HOB filter and use Indian almond leaves i may increase both very gradually depending on PH levels, I'm not keen on the use of products that are not natural PH adjusters. Am I right in thinking Co2 addition can altér PH how much variation could there be regarding use of peat etc over a twenty four hour period?

[Embee]

If you use something like this:
http://www.co2supermarket.co.uk/complet ... -p315.html
The dropchecker gives you an easy to read "meter", where you can spot if you are adding too much co2

you could easily add a timer watch, thus ensuring you only add co2 when the light is on. According to the photosynthesis the plants will use this, and provide oxygen.

I am using somthing like this for my own tank, but my ABN fry are hovering up along the upper edge of the tank - this could indicate too little oxygen in the water, though I am not sure, and are lacking the means to measure the oxygen level in the water.

[pleconut]

Thank you I will check out the link what I do know regarding the fry is when newly hatched they do need good oxygen supply, which is why dad continues to fan in the few after fry first hatch, or in the case of artificial raising eg when eggs are kicked out of the cave is keeping fry in a egg tumbler/ breeding net airstones is recommended. Seeing as your fry are past this stage I shouldn't think it would be a major concern in your case.