Re: Understanding CO2 fertilization

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Understanding CO2 fertilization
From: Edziu Iskra <edziu at gate_cybernex.net>
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 11:14:41 -0500 (EST)
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.93.961205203812.10584B-100000 at gate_cybernex.net>

OK, I understand the carbon cycle, in general.  And I understand that
green plants, during photosynthesis, bring down the CO2 levels in a tank,
and that the CO2 levels come back up during the night, when the green
plants continue to respire but cease to photosynthesize.  My question is
this:  what is the fluctuation in CO2 levels relative to the natural level
of CO2 in well-aerated freshwater?

That is, does the CO2 level get depressed during daylight hours, and
replenished at night, or does the CO2 get super-saturated at night from
fish/plant respiration, and get consumed by the plants in the day?  Or
both?

The point of my question is to understand the effect of CO2 fertilization:
is the goal of fertilization to maintain the daylight CO2 levels up to
their natural state (that is, to avoid depression), or is the point to
keep the water super-saturated with CO2 at all times?  Will heavy
aerations in an external filter keep the CO2 levels from getting
depressed, or is CO2 fertilization the only method that's really
effective?

                                       --  Edziu

Reference(s):

Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V2 #361

From: Edziu Iskra <edziu at gate_cybernex.net>