Live Plants System Idea

Question

I was lookin at this thing on petsmart called....

Hagen Plant Grow Natural System with CO2

So i but in to aquatic ferns or something like that a week ago or so, and i have betta bulbs in there for awhile, one is rly starting to grow. Should i get this thing? And could i use it to grow the bulbs? I do have the right lights for the tank and im not getting good results, i just wanna know if this would be a good idea to get?

Answer 1

I used it and it sucked, as most CO2 products on the shelf have been on the shelves for a long time and past their expirations.

A home made CO2 is just water, sugar and baking soda. BUT, you have to calculate tank size as well as how much CO2 is added to the tank.

Java Fern is the normally sold fern in pet stores, any old ferns google their name to check if truelly aquatic. Bulbs do not need CO2.

("'\(o.o)/"')

Answer 2

Really, you could make the same thing with a 2L bottle some sugar, water, and YEAST (using baking soda will just leave you with wet sugar and baking soda in a bottle).  Using the recipe here http://www.fishlesscycling.com/articles/... I got fairly decent results for the cost (about $5).  A liquid carbon source like Flourish Excel would be a more effective, but more expensive option.  "Good results" need to be tailored to the occasion.  In no way should you expect Java Ferns to grow quickly-- these are naturally slow growers, as are most dark green plants.  If only one or two bulbs sprouted, this is also not a fault of CO2, but poor quality bulbs.  Unless the plants look abnormally stunted, or are normally fast-growing, but have slowed recently, it's more likely the plants aren't getting enough of something else (iron, potassium, magnesium, nitrogen, etc.).  A well rounded fertilizer like Flourish would likely be more beneficial than a cheap CO2 system, in your case.

Answer 3

What size is your tank?

What output are your bulbs giving you?

How many watts per gallon?

20W over a 30 Gallon tank = less than 1 Watt per gallon = not enough.

60W over a 30 gallon tank = perfect

Unless your spectrum is not right, then you can add all the watts you want. But nothing is ever going to grow.

CO2 will be the last step for you after you get the correct lighting.

CO2 manipulates growth yes, but without the "sun" the plants will never ever grow. They will wither away into nothing.

Also, save yourself the money of this costly equipment if you only have a small tank you can easily use a DIY yeast bottle and a diffuser to achieve the same results

Use that money to purchase proper lighting, first.

You asked, I told you.

It's my advice, take it or leave it.

What to do next will be a different question and I dont want to go too far off topic.

Yes, I was going to say too as the one before me said. Java ferns grow slow, lol. You can have perfect conditions and they will never. ever grow  fast. They like to take their time, but I think the wait is worth it dont you? For those wonderful green leaves.