can i stop co2 if i reduce the amt of light?

[jon]

hi all

currently have amazon swords, crypts, e.tenellus in my tank. all grown. can i stop c02 fert totally is i reduce my lights to 72Watts?

jon.

[geoffrey]

No and read this.

[vinz]

IME, yes you can, but you need to maintain ambient CO2. I have a low light, no CO2 tank that has a little algae, growing Blyxa japonica, some crypts, moss, anubias, sagittaria subulata and some un-indentified small echinodorus. No liquid fert, has a JBL base fert. Got a few small barely surviving Elatine triandra. Fauna includes some 10 yamato shrimps, a few otos and about 5 newts.

You will need a thick base fert and low bio-load. Expect the current leaves to die and new growth to be painfully slow and much smaller. For the initial stage, monitor for and remove dead leaves. Expect some algae, but usually they are limited by the low fert in the water.

Read the link provided by Geoff above.

[geoffrey]

What's your tank size? 4 ft?

[PeterGwee]

If you decide to go the low light way, you would need a pretty thick and fertile substrate, low bioload to moderate bioload, low light, no fertilization and no water changes except when doing large prunning jobs after 6-12months..

[vinz]

Hey Peter,

Do you have a tank like that? I'd like to see and hear more about it.

[PeterGwee]

Sorry vinz, personally I don't fancy those type of tank as it really limits the type of plants that can be grown and the plant might not look as nice as those with high light and CO2 as you are already limiting certain nutrients. Juggling those type of tank require some balancing between fish load and feedings<---limited fertilizer for plants so no water changes...(A strong algae crew should be in there to act as a fire fighting team should a fire breakout).

If you really want some personal experience, I think Tom Barr certainly is the person to ask...[]

[jon]

thanks all