# Is liquid carbon a good enough substitute for a co2 set up?



## mattttam (26 Oct 2015)

Hi all

New to aquascaping and planted tanks, but not new to fish keeping and tanks.

I've got back into aquariums after a hiatus, and in the process of setting up a a couple of nano tanks. I used to keep a large aquarium but I've scaled down after seeing the really great nano tank aquascapes.

One will probably be iwagumi and the other more nature style. My local garden centre had a co2 hobby kit and al kinds of co2 accessories on special offer in the clearance about 5 months ago, so I picked it up aswell as what seemed like everything I'd need, and after getting it all out the box reading and watching videos, I quickly learnt I'd probably really need a solenoid valve - and I was running out of plug outlets.

In my previous aquariums, as an even more novice my plants never did very well. This time I was convinced I'd try better.

I came across easycarbo and profito, and I've been using them whilst I start growing some plants in one tank ready to aquascape my tank. I'm hoping to have my final designs quite heavily dense with plants and I'm wondering if liquid carbon is an OK substitute for pressurised co2? And if those products are good enough? If not, what is?


Cheers!


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## 5678 (27 Oct 2015)

Relative newbie here too, short answer is no! 

Liquid carbon isn't an alternative, it's not really the same thing, nor does it give you the co2 levels plants need to thrive. 
Your tank would be described as low tech, I'd have a read up on low tech tanks and what will work well. Iwagumi tends to be more of a high tech layout requiring co2 and high light.


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## ian_m (27 Oct 2015)

Not so. Liquid carbon is ok as CO2 substitute using it makes tank high tech with associated work of light control, fertilisers and frequent water changes.

However it does have serious cost issues compared to proper CO2 and some plants just melt in its presence as well as issues with some shrimps and fish.

But generally only useful on smaller tanks due to cost.


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## ceg4048 (28 Oct 2015)

As noted by Ian, Gluteraldehyde products can be, and are used successfully in lieu of CO2, however, as they do not provide as much equivalent CO2 as gas systems provide, the lighting shoud be kept under strict control. Small tanks are susceptible to over-lighting because folks tend to think only about the wattage figure and not about the very short distances from the bulb to the plants.

Typically, the dosage used are 2X to 3X bottle suggested.



5678 said:


> Iwagumi tends to be more of a high tech layout requiring co2 and high light.


Iwagumii tanks only require high light if the hobbyist's goal is high growth rates.

Cheers,


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