# Best CO2 Source for 180 Litre Planted Tank



## dfinn (2 May 2015)

Hi,

I am thinking of adding a source of CO2 to my current setup which is:


Juwel Rio 180 (180 Litres)
Internal Filter
EI Ferts
Lighting - Standard Juwel 2x T8s 7 7 hours a day
Easy Carbo 5ml/ day
Nutrasoil for plants, sand in front.
Plants are all your typical lower light/ easy plants - Java Fern, Swords, Crypts etc
I am wondering whether I would see any improvement in growth/ improve the range of plants I could successfully grow if I was to add a source of CO2 other than easy carbo. I am quite keen on the SodaStream idea as I'm a bit daunted by using a CO2 fire extinguisher incase it goes wrong.

Any thoughts



Thanks,

Dan


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## Daneland (2 May 2015)

Unless you go for tinny bubbles , you might find this useful 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Easy-Life-C...TF8&qid=1430598554&sr=8-1&keywords=easy+carbo


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## john dory (2 May 2015)

the rio 180 uses 2x45w t5 bulbs
.


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## dfinn (2 May 2015)

Not mine, It's the older model with T8s


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## Daneland (2 May 2015)

john dory said:


> the rio 180 uses 2x45w t5 bulbs
> .


Apparently Juwel does not do facelifting as other Germans do.They all look same from outside but older tanks have T8s instead of T5s


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## ian_m (3 May 2015)

dfinn said:


> a CO2 fire extinguisher incase it goes wrong


How will it go wrong compared to Soda stream ? Both are liquid CO2 at 55bar pressure except one is 2Kg and other 425gr.

If you go gas CO2 you will need to get an external filter as the 600l/hr Juwel internal filter will certainly not be big enough. You are looking at a total filtration rate of 1800l/hr to do a proper high tech tank with sufficient circulation to get the CO2 all around the tank.

Also you can change the lighting unit on Rio 180 to the considerably brighter T5 tubes (£95 Ebay), I did with my Vision 180 and plants certainly grow "better" (pearling etc)
.


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## dfinn (3 May 2015)

Ah right so the pressure of both a soda stream and a FE are the same, so pretty much the same in terms of safety.

So I'd probably be looking like using a couple of something like Eheim Classic 600s to get enough circulation. I may as well use an in-line diffuser and external heater if that's the case.

This is getting expensive....

Dan


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## karla (9 May 2015)

Hi Dan,
I do not think the eheim 600LH Filters will be sufficient for your needs, even if you have two. If you go low tech and possibly supplement with Liquid CO2 you might save yourself a lot of money. Or look at Koralia style pumps for added flow. The nano Koralia is good for 900l/h.


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## dfinn (9 May 2015)

Hi,

Yeh I think I will need a beefier filter. I am currently using easy carbo which is ok but want to try CO2.



I got bored today and remembered I had an old Nutrafin CO2 thing lying around so I adapted it to include a bubble counter (DIY) and am waiting for it to start bubbling. I have a mix of water, sugar and 1/2 tsp yeast in there....let's see what happens. Don't get me wrong I know it won't deliver enough CO2 for my tank but it is in addition to the easy carbo. I think I am going to do for a FE system with inline reactor (one I get an external filter). But this is keeping me interested for now and is a bit of fun.

Dan


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## dfinn (10 May 2015)

It's bubbling away quite nicely now, a little slow at about 1 bubble every 2 - 3 seconds. Hoping once I drink 2 litres of lemonade I can get it bubbling a bit quicker.

What do people tend to do regarding diffusers and drop checkers for DIY CO2. Currently it is just bubbling out of an air stone and the bubbles getting sucked into a little internal filter.

Dan


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## Andy Thurston (10 May 2015)

ian_m said:


> How will it go wrong compared to Soda stream ? Both are liquid CO2 at 55bar pressure except one is 2Kg and other 425gr.
> 
> If you go gas CO2 you will need to get an external filter as the 600l/hr Juwel internal filter will certainly not be big enough. You are looking at a total filtration rate of 1800l/hr to do a proper high tech tank with sufficient circulation to get the CO2 all around the tank.
> 
> ...


just to add to this, lots of sodastream setups have an adapter so the reg will fit the sodastream cylinder this adds an extra joint to the system which is another place it can develop a leak. so technically sodastream is more risky


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