Do Low-Light Plants Appreciate DIY CO2?

[admillican08]

So I've been bitten by the planted tank bug, but the problem is that due to the weird shape of my tank (23 gall flatback hex), I've had a helluva time finding good lighting. I shelled out way too much money to put two LED GroBeam500s fixtures over it, which seemed to make it much brigher, but I rented a PAR meter only to find out that I'm still at "low light" at the substrate.

I have a bunch of the standard low-light plants that are doing well: java moss, flame moss, anubias, hornwort, wisteria, lots of crypts, and marsilea minuta. So now I want MORE GROWTH, though, and was aiming towards setting up a DIY CO2 system. But now I'm starting to second-guess that. Will DIY CO2 make a difference with the low-light plants I have? I have read that initially I can even expect it to melt the crypts somewhat, due to the change in parameters.

So will this still be a good thing for my low-lighters in the long run? Has anyone tried DIY CO2 supplementation with low-light plants?

[Judi]

My understanding is that co2 supplementation will help any tank, whether low light or high light.

I'd say try it. It's not like you're out a whole lot of money if it doesn't work out.

[Jim Miller]

From my reading plants are somewhat adaptable in obtaining their nutrients. In nature things are seldom perfect or reliable so they have to adapt or expire too easily. In the case of carbon they can extract it from the soil but it requires that they expend energy to do so that comes at the expense of other activities like growth. Making it easy for them by providing carbon (CO2) to their foliage lets them spend that energy elsewhere.

They don't necessarily react to the increase of available carbon immediately as it takes time for them to reorganize their enzymes, etc. So don't expect them to react like Two-y from Little Shop of Horrors!

Jim

edit: OK, now I've got "Feed Me Seymour" stuck in my head...

[krisw]

Yes, CO2 injection will benefits any planted aquarium, regardless of light level. In low light, you can expect faster growth, less brittle stems, more plant mass, etc...

[150EH]

I'd agree CO2 will help no matter what your plant list, some Crypts can even be fast growers in the right conditions, C. wendtii v. 'tropica' grows like a weed in a hight tech tank, but beware of using Excel with some plants like the Cryptocoryne for the most part you will see a lot of melting, IMO high light or good light is always going to be the driving force in growth but you also need to have balance. I think this is a good article for methods of keeping a tank that will give you the best results with the least problems, good luck.

Read here: http://www.angelsplus.com/SuppliesBreeding.htm