As above really. I understand that some of the plants we grow would die away of we didn't inject it but how do said plants survive in wild. Do certain streams/rivers have a greater co2 concentration or something? Is it because we cycle the same water through our tank for upto a week before putting fresh in where a river has a continuous flow of fresh water?
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Why do we need to inject co2?
- Thread starter jamesb
- Start date
Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
I'm gonna leave this one for clive, but Its to do with organic compounds available in the water.
This should be an interesting read
This should be an interesting read
Polyester
Member
Hi James
Dont know how detailed info you are after, basic explanation here: http://www.aquamazon.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=51&Itemid=93
Dont know how detailed info you are after, basic explanation here: http://www.aquamazon.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=51&Itemid=93
plantbrain
Expert
- Joined
- 2 Aug 2007
- Messages
- 1,938
Well, we do not need to add CO2 gas.
Plants will still grow.
But they grow slower and they compete with each other stronger for CO2 if it's a limiting resource.
In non CO2 tanks, some wimpy plants that are poor competitors, or have higher CO2 demands or need more light before they can start taking up the same amount of CO2.................do not fair well.
To remove this competition.......we add CO2 gas.
Now we can grow pretty much any combo of plants species in the aquarium.
The other big reason is to increase the rate/speed of growth. About 10-20X faster.
"Amphibious" nature over a season is also mentioned and quite correct.
In natural systems, there are plenty that are loaded with CO2, mostly karst limestone fed springs.
I've found a few volcanic springs with rich CO2 as well.
Hat Creek in CA, USA.
A CO2 rich stream with few plants, Santa Ynez River:
Bonita Srpings, Mato Grosso Brasil(do a google search)
Pupu Springs, New Zealand.
More volcanic CO2 rich streams in Lassen's national Park, CA, USA
Florida has hundreds of CO2 rich spring feed systems:
Plants will still grow.
But they grow slower and they compete with each other stronger for CO2 if it's a limiting resource.
In non CO2 tanks, some wimpy plants that are poor competitors, or have higher CO2 demands or need more light before they can start taking up the same amount of CO2.................do not fair well.
To remove this competition.......we add CO2 gas.
Now we can grow pretty much any combo of plants species in the aquarium.
The other big reason is to increase the rate/speed of growth. About 10-20X faster.
"Amphibious" nature over a season is also mentioned and quite correct.
In natural systems, there are plenty that are loaded with CO2, mostly karst limestone fed springs.
I've found a few volcanic springs with rich CO2 as well.
Hat Creek in CA, USA.
A CO2 rich stream with few plants, Santa Ynez River:
Bonita Srpings, Mato Grosso Brasil(do a google search)
Pupu Springs, New Zealand.
More volcanic CO2 rich streams in Lassen's national Park, CA, USA
Florida has hundreds of CO2 rich spring feed systems:
Love the sky blue goggles Tom. I think you should wear those all the time.
If you dive those Florida springs watch out for the gators...
Also to add, gasses don't dissolve as easily in water as they do in air. CO2 has a 10,000 times slower movement in water, so while plants living on the land have easy access to the CO2, plants in water have tremendous obstacles gaining access due to the low gas diffusion rate.
Injection increases the partial pressure of the dissolved CO2 within the water, and this higher pressure forces the gas across the outer cell membranes more easily.
Cheers,
If you dive those Florida springs watch out for the gators...
Also to add, gasses don't dissolve as easily in water as they do in air. CO2 has a 10,000 times slower movement in water, so while plants living on the land have easy access to the CO2, plants in water have tremendous obstacles gaining access due to the low gas diffusion rate.
Injection increases the partial pressure of the dissolved CO2 within the water, and this higher pressure forces the gas across the outer cell membranes more easily.
Cheers,
plantbrain
Expert
- Joined
- 2 Aug 2007
- Messages
- 1,938
ceg4048 said:Love the sky blue goggles Tom. I think you should wear those all the time.
If you dive those Florida springs watch out for the gators...
Also to add, gasses don't dissolve as easily in water as they do in air. CO2 has a 10,000 times slower movement in water, so while plants living on the land have easy access to the CO2, plants in water have tremendous obstacles gaining access due to the low gas diffusion rate.
Injection increases the partial pressure of the dissolved CO2 within the water, and this higher pressure forces the gas across the outer cell membranes more easily.
Cheers,
Neither pic is of me.
I would not mind being 20 years younger though.
