Reply With Quotedid you see the fine print, lasts for only 1 month in a 60l tank..... and it costs $25.90!
hi,
have anyone tried this tropica plant growth system 60? thinking of buying this since it is affordable
any reviews please ?
link below shows the product
http://freshnmarine.com.sg/estore/pr...oducts_id=3885
did you see the fine print, lasts for only 1 month in a 60l tank..... and it costs $25.90!
hi bro erwinx, $25.90 is just the start up set and my tank is 40L only. the refills is 3 bottle for $42 so thats $13.50 per month i think cheaper then buying the Co2 cylinder plus solenoid everything $200 already haha.Originally Posted by erwinx
refills link
http://freshnmarine.com.sg/estore/pr...oducts_id=3886
just trying to find anyone here used this before cause cant find any reviews online either
This one is equavalent to a manual regulator, so about $100+ can get already.
This system will definitely not be cheap in the long run. Most of us understand when you are reluctant to spend so much on a proper CO2 system initially, we have been there before. Let me break down my experience with you. I bought a similar cheaper system from ISTA. I did not see any significant improvement in the growth of my plants. So I decided to purchase a second hand 3L CO2 tank (half-filled) with solenoid here on AQ. The total price that I paid initially was the same as you would have paid for this system if you had been using it for three months. And I could use this half-filled CO2 for almost three months at one bubble per second for six hours. So if you work out the maths, it is definitely cheaper in the long run to own a proper CO2 system.
Agree with inrewind, i also tried out the ISTA version (which is the same as the Tropica version) and over the course of a month of testing in my spare plant grow-out tank, the drop checker didn't move past dark green (which means although there is some Co2 in the water, its still way below optimal Co2 levels). Just based on measuring the height of the stem plants growth every week, they didn't seem to exhibit any noticeably faster growth rate too.
Bell chamber Co2 diffusers like these have very limited contact surface area between the pocket of Co2 in the chamber and water, so the diffusion rate is naturally very slow and rather ineffective. Although abit of Co2 can help plant growth, the effect is so small that its not really worth the effort to keep having to remember to manually pump the gas in everyday. In addition, the bell chamber takes up space in the tank and is quite a big eyesore once algae starts covering it.
On the other-hand, when i stopped using it and switched to dosing Seachem Excel in the same tank, the plants started to show noticeable growth increase on a weekly basis.
Therefore my conclusion is if you are looking to increase plant growth on a budget, use Seachem Excel instead... its cheaper, lasts longer, has noticeable effect on improving plant growth, along with the side-benefit of inhibiting algae too.
As for pressurized Co2 systems, you can get a brand new 2 liter Co2 tank with solenoid regulator, hoses and ceramic diffuser as a full set for around $180+ (example is East Ocean's promo Co2 system package). If you are on a tighter budget, then can keep a lookout for good deals on 2nd hand sets below $100. Solenoid regulator Co2 systems are so far the most cost effective in maintaining optimal Co2 level into a planted tank, as the cost over the course of a year is actually quite low, if you divide by the number of months of usage.
For example, for a brand new solenoid controlled Co2 system set at $180+, the cost spread out over 12 months is just $15 a month (based on my experience using in a 2ft tank, 1bps 8hrs daily), thereafter refill is only around $15-$20 then can use for another 12 months, the cost per month works out to only less than $1.50!
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 14th Feb 2014 at 17:24.
Hi thanks everyone for the feedback and replies.
i guess i will forgo this product and try to look for a proper CO2 system. i have been also been searching for the fluval 88G mini Co2 kit and online reviews say that it is also costly in the long run.
but the initial cost to set up a proper CO2 system is really gonna impair my spending for that month. hahaha
Hi all lao jiaos... i know i am asking a very basic question now. apologies but i search the net and didnt really get a clear answer for this.
Ok i have a overhead filter with an output of 360L/hr and my planted tank is around 9 gallons with flame moss and hairgrass.
i am getting a proper CO2 system soon. so my question is
i have an airpump with an airstone on for 24hrs in my tank. i know that if i were to on this airstone in the day with my CO2 injection then i would lose alot of CO2. But it is said that Airpump is good to be on at night. So in the near future when i add fishes into the tank will they be ok if i off the airpump from like 6am to 5pm? or actually i dont even need the airpump ?
If your light intensity, Co2 injection and nutrients are balanced, the plants will photosynthesize actively and should be able to produce more than enough oxygen during the photoperiod to sustain the tank inhabitants both during the photoperiod and night hours... that's one of the reasons why people look out for their plants "pearling" (tiny oxygen bubbles forming on the plant leaves and floating to the surface), its a sign that the oxygen saturation in the tank water is already >100%.
How much oxygen created by the plants depends on the plant type and density, usually fast growing plants produce more oxygen faster, and slower growing plants produce less oxygen and at a slower rate. Ultimately, you'll have to observe your tank inhabitants over time and monitor their behavior to gauge the best combination of parameters to achieve sufficient oxygenation of the water.
For a planted tank with lots of plants actively pearling, its usually not necessary to run an air pump at night as there should already be more than enough oxygen reserves in the water.
An air pump being auto-scheduled to activate during the night does promote more gas exchange at the water surface and help off-gas excess Co2, many of those with high fauna bio-load or more sensitive fish species practice this method... but note that if the Co2 levels are reduced this way, you might need to compensate for the losses and adjust the system to inject abit more Co2 the next day to bring it back to optimal levels before the photoperiod starts.
Btw, since you are using an overhead filter, is the output a trickle system or rain bar? If so, then there might already be enough surface agitation to promote gas exchange, so an air pump may not be required.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 20th Feb 2014 at 22:38.
Super informative. Thanks for sharing urban
Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk
thanks urban you cleared my doubts instantly bro...
oops sorry not an overhead filter mine is a hangover filter haha mistake do think it is sufficient ?
It'll depend on the filter's flow rate, the outflow ramp design and the water level.
Just observe the water surface and see if there are constant visible ripples/waves which encourage gas exchange and adjust accordingly. Also best to keep a close eye on the fishes and shrimps for a few days after any new Co2 system setup to see if they show any signs of lack of oxygen.
hi thanks urban for the advice yet again haha.. appreciate it. ok i do see constant ripples on the water surface quite mild not very wavy. i'm doing fishless cycling for now maybe for about another month . Will keep a watch on the fishes once i have them.
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