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Re: [APD] Protein skimming and plants



> The interesting question is in a non-CO2 tank, does a skimmer dissolve 
> enough CO2 to avoid decalification?

> Louis Lin
> TickQuest inc    www.tickquest.com

Easy enough to try it, see for yourself.
All it  would do is be a large aeration unit. 

This seems to work in some planted tanks, such as with marine plants, all
of which use bicarbonate, and with tanks with low light or easy faster
growing weeds.
Plants will grow faster and better with CO2 at lower light and at higher
light, but the results might be acceptable to some folks at lower lighting
and non CO2 methods.
Non CO2 tanks can do fine without aeration to that end...........some to
high level with skill and more pateince than many have with CO2 high growth
plant tanks.

I'm not sure why decalification is "bad or a problem" for a non CO2 tank,
is it?
Is it hard to measure and resolve if it is?

GH/KH kits are easy to use and the rate of removal is relatively slow.
I use Onyx, it's CaCO3 and traces. That adds some bicarb and Ca, so that
issues is not large for this substrate in a non CO2 tank.  

You can also add SeaChem Equilibrium  and a little baking soda to a non CO2
tank to significantly help the growth of the tank. I've added PO4 ansd NO3
in small amounts also with excellent results.

Many of the plants folks say cannot be grown in non CO2 tanks actually do
well, albeit very slowly, if you add a few things(3-4) every 1 to 3 weeks.
The improvements take time, the effects are more subtle, but they are
certainly there.

Just a pinch for small tanks and tad more for larger ones. If you are
growing and pruning more, then add more. Watch the plant's responses, there
is no rush, things happen slower, a few leaves are not looking good, have
some holes etc, add a little KNO3. About 1/4 teaspoon per 100 gallons obnce
every week if growth is good, about once every 2-3 weeks if there's a
higher fish load.

If you forget to dose, it's not the end of the world. It's a non CO2 tank.
Things happen slowly.
You can also increase feeding, but this is harder to trace and is generally
heavier in N than P, so increasing the feeding can be done with a little P
and SeaChem EQ(Has Mn, Fe, Ca, Mg, SO4 and => K+). I've not had to add any
baking soda with onyx.

One thing about this non CO2 method, it's easy, slow and still very low
tech and if you forget to do something, it's okay.
If you wish to stick with the fish food only dosing, that's fine too and
has good results, but this will allow folks to tweak the non CO2 method
more with little effort(dosing once every 1 to 3 weeks 2-4 things etc) for
a large gain.

Do not believe me, try it and see.

Regards, 
Tom Barr

 
 


 


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