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Help me pick my first CO2 unit

Richfell

Seedling
Joined
24 Apr 2009
Messages
10
I have a new tank on the way.

I plan to set it up like my current tank. A layer of tetra plant substrate then gravel. It's planted at the moment , mainly with vallis which is growing like mad. I then added some anubias which, pretty much straight away got covered with beard algae. This has spread a bit to my larger, thicker vallis.

My current tank is a juwel vision 180 with the t5 lighting unit.

I've got a fuval osaka 260 on the way which I plan to plant with more vallis, riccia fluitans and perhaps some hairgrass and maybe another anubias and HC cuba. The Osaka 260 has 2 39w T5 HO lights with reflectors. Will this provide sufficant lighting for these plants??

I'm worried about the beard algae coming back in my new tank.

I was looking at CO2 units in a shop the other day. Quite a range of prices from £100 odd to nearly £250.

So, my questions are:

1. Would a CO2 unit stop the beard algae???
2. For the type of plants I plan on having, would you recommend a CO2 unit?
3. What sort of unit would you go for?????
 
Hiya, i've had an Osaka 260, great tank. I'd recommend doubling your lighting, i did this to great effect. It's a deep tank and the lights are quite far away from the surface of the water, the initial lighting which is already quite minimal is severally diminished by the time it hits the substrate.
I take it you'll be using the supplied Fluval 305? If so then i'd be inclined to add a powerhead in there too.
As for CO2, a fire extinguisher is my method of choice. FE, rhinox 5000, Aquatic Magic regulator and check valve - done!
 
Dan Crawford said:
Hiya, i've had an Osaka 260, great tank. I'd recommend doubling your lighting, i did this to great effect. It's a deep tank and the lights are quite far away from the surface of the water, the initial lighting which is already quite minimal is severally diminished by the time it hits the substrate.
I take it you'll be using the supplied Fluval 305? If so then i'd be inclined to add a powerhead in there too.
As for CO2, a fire extinguisher is my method of choice. FE, rhinox 5000, Aquatic Magic regulator and check valve - done!


Thanks for the reply Dan.

Yes, will be using the 305. I've seen the Hydor Koralia pumps, which one would you recommend I went for??

I've also thought about doubling the lighting (mainly to keep the cat out :lol:) how would I go about that? Can I fit 2 on the bracket that came with it??
 
hi,
i'm no expert, but think the lighting is a little on the low side maybe?.

co2 pretty much needed for riccia and HC cuba i believe.
low co2 and low nitrates i think are main factor causing BBA.

i relatively new to all this and purchased a dennerle comfort co2 system when i was setting up.

big mistake i feel!!
it was about £150 and have since bought 2 more disposable bottles @ £25
the ladder style diffuser just didn't cut it either, (and it was "rated" for upto 300l, i have a 240l)
it took about 4 hours to get the co2 levels up before lights on (good surface agitation tho)

have since bought a 2kg fire extinguisher (£25) from dan (see for sale section)
a wave regulator (£50)
and an aqua medic co2 external reactor 1000 (£60)

i am more than happy with this set up now!

bought two koralia 2's have since replaced one with a second external filter.
apparently the koralia 1's can be noisy, something else to be aware of!
 
baron von bubba said:
hi,
i'm no expert, but think the lighting is a little on the low side maybe?.

co2 pretty much needed for riccia and HC cuba i believe.
low co2 and low nitrates i think are main factor causing BBA.

i relatively new to all this and purchased a dennerle comfort co2 system when i was setting up.

big mistake i feel!!
it was about £150 and have since bought 2 more disposable bottles @ £25
the ladder style diffuser just didn't cut it either, (and it was "rated" for upto 300l, i have a 240l)
it took about 4 hours to get the co2 levels up before lights on (good surface agitation tho)

have since bought a 2kg fire extinguisher (£25) from dan (see for sale section)
a wave regulator (£50)
and an aqua medic co2 external reactor 1000 (£60)

i am more than happy with this set up now!

bought two koralia 2's have since replaced one with a second external filter.
apparently the koralia 1's can be noisy, something else to be aware of!

Thanks for this.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, not too sure I trust myself messing with a fire extinguisher :?.

So your all in one kit wasn't up to much. Are there any out there that are good for a first timer??

Yes, noise will be a factor. The tank will be in the lounge so the quieter the better. I will check out the koralia 2. You think I'd need 2 in the osaka 260??
 
Richfell said:
Thanks for this.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, not too sure I trust myself messing with a fire extinguisher :?.

So your all in one kit wasn't up to much. Are there any out there that are good for a first timer??

Yes, noise will be a factor. The tank will be in the lounge so the quieter the better. I will check out the koralia 2. You think I'd need 2 in the osaka 260??

the FE's are fine, i was initially worried also, but if you buy an "all in one kit" you'll still need to change the regulator on new bottles, so its really no different apart fom a quarter of the price for the CO2!!!!!


the koralia 2's are 2000l/per hour, but the new filter is half that (ehiem pro2 2028, second hand £70) and seems to create much better flow around the tank (using a spray bar) than one of the power heads.
 
baron von bubba said:
Richfell said:
Thanks for this.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, not too sure I trust myself messing with a fire extinguisher :?.

So your all in one kit wasn't up to much. Are there any out there that are good for a first timer??

Yes, noise will be a factor. The tank will be in the lounge so the quieter the better. I will check out the koralia 2. You think I'd need 2 in the osaka 260??

the FE's are fine, i was initially worried also, but if you buy an "all in one kit" you'll still need to change the regulator on new bottles, so its really no different apart fom a quarter of the price for the CO2!!!!!


the koralia 2's are 2000l/per hour, but the new filter is half that (ehiem pro2 2028, second hand £70) and seems to create much better flow around the tank (using a spray bar) than one of the power heads.

Maybe a FE will be the way to go. Just reading the how to guide.

Just looking at a koralia 2 now. There seems to be 2 different ones??

http://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/hyd ... 1298-p.asp

http://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/hyd ... 4265-p.asp

Which one would be best for a tropical tank??
 
The 12V Koralias are designed to be used with a wavemaker controller so its the standard Koralia you want.
 
Piemonster said:
The 12V Koralias are designed to be used with a wavemaker controller so its the standard Koralia you want.

Thanks for that.
 
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