Re: [APD] CO2 systems

["Liz Wilhite" <satirica at gmail_com>]

On 7/3/06, bob alston <bobalston9 at yahoo_com> wrote:
>
> What I wish I knew about co2?
>
> I guess the big one was told to me but I didn't
> understand:  Get the
> largest co2 tank you can fit!!!
>
> A co2 fill of a 10# tank is often almost the same if
> not actually the
> same cost as for a 5 pound tank.  So measure carefully
> if you are going
> to place it under your tank and get at least a 10#
> tank if you can.


Let's see, I pay about $7 - $8 for 5 pounds of CO2. It lasts about 6 months
on a 55 g.  I don't have problems hiding the tank, which is butt ugly.  I
can get 10 pounds for $9 and the tank is still butt ugly but I have no place
to hide it. Measure very carefully and think about what you want to look at.

I bought a pH meter and used it to regulate CO2.  You don't need to use one
although they can be comforting because you have a very good idea what is
going on in the tank.  About 6 months later it wasn't even comforting --
just bright green plastic in the way..

Having done a bunch of methods for adding CO2 to the tank, the cheapest
thing I've done works the best -- a fine airstone such as a rena (I have a
large one) or one of the very fine ones now sold by Foster & Smith. These
are short to I have a T in the CO2 line and use 2 of them.  I do not worry
about having maximum plant growth, just maximum plant (and fish) health.  I
found that doing the gyrations necessary to get "mist" in my tank made
resulted in adding ugly equipment into the tank and made the tank look
"foggy".



-- 
> Liz
> http://pottedliz.home.comcast.net
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