co2 and discus

[aztecdiscus]

Hi I got a 180 g planted tank without co2,I was thinking in put one because some of my plants are diying and some others don't grow but some people told me that co2 will droop my ph and it will affect my discus,,,,,,,,if any of ya got any idea please reply thanks

[Apistomaster]

High lighting and Co2 is Ok for Discus. I would point out that it is best to also assure that the dissolved O2 is kept high. During the day, when plants are net O2 producers, this is usually not a problem but at night, plants become net CO2 producers and require high dissolved oxygen as do the fish.

One of the least understood aspects about the use of CO2 is the need to always maintain high dissolved O2 levels. People tend to attempt to conserve on CO2 consumption by minimizing water movement and aeration, not realizing that the DO is the limiting factor for optimum plant growth. I can't emphasize how important the maintenance of high DO levels is for optimum plant growth and if this means "wasting" some CO2 to provide the high DO levels then it is still a fair trade off. Plants will grow better and the fish will not suffer. CO2 is an important nutrient. However, the most important limiting factor for plant growth is the DO level. Failure to provide good water circulation and aeration will impede plant growth and cause fish to suffocate at night in heavily planted tanks.

This is explained in detail in Christel Kasselmann's book, Aquarium Plants, Krieger Publishing Company, 2003. ISBN # 1-57524-091-2. Price ~$75.

[Jstuver]

My CO2 is hooked up with my lights so when my lights go off the CO2 goes off that way I don't have to worry about the fish sufficating at night. It works great and my tank looks awesome.

[calihawker]

My c02 is setup with a ph contoller so it turns on and off all day. I maintain a small amount of surface agitation throughout the day and then have a power head at the surface that comes on at night. I go through a lot of c02 since the tank is so big but plants and fish are healthy and happy.