Hi everyone,finally joined up after lurking here for a long while. I have a 6 foot soil tank set up for nearly 2 years now,its my first attempt at plants,and I must say at the beginning it seemed simple,plants grew great,very little algae all good. But slowly things started to change,growth slowed,algae appeared etc. So I lowered lights added some ferts and although its still ok its nothing like it was a year ago especially the stem plants. It was only recently while listening to an interview with Diana Walstad I realised it was co2 related. She decribed my experience exactly and said that after about a year most of the organic material is broken down and therefore the Co2 given off becomes less and less. So what to do ?? I had a couple of ideas and I have decided to ask you good people if they have any merit or have been tried before.
firstly add a lot of floating plants and emersed plants,the idea being they get co2 from the air,but more importantly through respiration of the roots would release co2 into the water for the other plants to use. Have I this correct ? Would it make any difference ? Has it been tried or proven to work ? I have seen floaters recommended for reducing light but could they also add co2??
The other idea was ,as I am probably over filtering my tank anyway,to add some organic material to the filter to be broken down by bacteria thereby releasing co2. This would need to be though and my cause more problems than it solves.
Anyway ,anyone have any thoughts on these??. Please be gentle,its my first post and I have very little scientific knowledge. Maybe they are ridiculous ideas.....
firstly add a lot of floating plants and emersed plants,the idea being they get co2 from the air,but more importantly through respiration of the roots would release co2 into the water for the other plants to use. Have I this correct ? Would it make any difference ? Has it been tried or proven to work ? I have seen floaters recommended for reducing light but could they also add co2??
The other idea was ,as I am probably over filtering my tank anyway,to add some organic material to the filter to be broken down by bacteria thereby releasing co2. This would need to be though and my cause more problems than it solves.
Anyway ,anyone have any thoughts on these??. Please be gentle,its my first post and I have very little scientific knowledge. Maybe they are ridiculous ideas.....