Concerns, high oxygen level with plants

[flamingonhot]

As all know hillstream loaches require high oxygen levels and plants need carbon dioxide to survive.

So how do you all make the two work? I'm sure there is a very simple solution but i'm a little stumped at the moment lol.

[shari]

Most of the successful hillstream keepers here have plants in their tanks which seem to do fine...

[Dr. Momfish]

powerheads creating major amounts of surface movement will mix ambient CO2 into the water. this would therefore supply the CO2 needs of the plants. surface waters that are still don't do that. most of the plants in hillstream tanks are slow growers. cryptocoryne actually does better withouth CO2 injection systems, so they are fine. those ferns also are fine. as are java moss.

the dutch planted tanks with their perfect rows of fast growing plants and CO2 injection, high light levels and very few fish are totally unnatural. they are the Dolly Parton of aquariums. (did anyone see her last night........ooooomph......)

[JoeKuhlii]

CO2 does not displace O2 in water, and you can have high concentrations of each concurrently. High light planted aquariums can reach O2 saturation somewhat easily, as evidenced by pearling. As stated, supplemental CO2 is not required for many plants, and one can use surface agitation in low-med light tanks to maintain atmospheric levels of CO2, while limiting unattractive algae.

Martin's manifold design makes for an excellent powered CO2 reactor, capable of 100% diffusion.

[Erik]

I have three tanks two of which are high light with co2 etc. Somewhat higher Maintenance.
However my rivertank with two ac200's and one 369gph powerhead powering a spray bar is very low in Maintenance. I have no problem growing cabomba, java ferns and java moss ,rotala indica and hygrophylia augustafolia.
They grow slow but no algae. The cabomba actually grows fast!
This is a 33G with 1 25watt powerglow bulb and no co2 ,no ferts.
This had been mystfying me for some time until I realized that all the agitation was actually keeping up my co2 levels unlike my other tanks where it would off gas it.
The low ambient co2, low light works well.
Erik

[flamingonhot]

Kk thx. I've only had a semi-planted tank twice so didn't know much about it.

When I first started getting inot plants they were fine and growing like crazy. Once I started to heavily plant the tank they all started to die, I was thinking co2 was lacking or something.

Ah well, osrry about all the dumb questions but this is the first really intricate tank design that i've done and I want to get it perfect lol.

[MrSecant]

Dissolved CO2 and O2 do not displace eachother in water. Aquariums with heavily planted tanks normally see high O2 levels because plants breathe in CO2 and put off O2, the opposite of fish. Such is the nature of photosynthesis in plants. Its easy to see why plants are desireable in tanks.

To put added CO2 and/or O2 in the water, just use bubblers. For most aquatic tanks, the introduction of atmospheric CO2 is all that is needed. Only plants that are partly terrasterial need added CO2.

[JoeKuhlii]

Only plants that are partly terrasterial need added CO2.

I am no expert, but must respectfully disagree, unlessthis description includes aquatic plants than can be grown emersed (almost all aquatic plants). While it could be possible to keep most plants growing by maintaining atmospheric CO2 (say, through massive surface turbulation or wet/dry to maintain equilibrium), without CO2 injection to moderate levels, it is doubtful one could grow high light plants while limiting algae. It is true that the most common plants in the hobby grow fine in aquariums without CO2, but not the majority of all plants traded in the hobby.

[Erik]

I'll 2nd that. trying growing rotala wallichi or macracanda with out added co2 it's pointless they will wither and die and these are true aquatic plants.
Erik

[MrSecant]

By partly terrastrial, I meant many plants that are aquatic, in nature, have parts that leave the water and absorb CO2 from the air. In our aquariums, this is undesireable so CO2 must be injected in another form.

Plants that live in nature always completely submerged, usually do fine with little help in regards to CO2 addition.