CO2 question

[Anonymous]

I plan on setting up a 55g, I want it to be as close to maintenance free as possible, with quite a few smaller fish, and not too many plants, but enough to have the tank look nice. Will have sand bottom, except the areas I plant will have some of the bagged substrate. 4 48" T5 lights. A magnum cantister filter with bio balls or something in it, with the intake and output at the bottom to minimize gas exchange. Will I need to add a CO2 tank? Won't the fish put out enough to keep the plants going?

 

[Anonymous]

I plan on setting up a 55g, I want it to be as close to maintenance free as possible, with quite a few smaller fish, and not too many plants, but enough to have the tank look nice. Will have sand bottom, except the areas I plant will have some of the bagged substrate. 4 48" T5 lights. A magnum cantister filter with bio balls or something in it, with the intake and output at the bottom to minimize gas exchange. Will I need to add a CO2 tank? Won't the fish put out enough to keep the plants going?

Yep.

especially when using under 2 watts per gallon. With a 55g that would be a single 4' utility light with t-12 tubes.

I am testing a substrate called pc select which is red when wet. I usually just use sand for most fish and with a little peat moss added for some softwater fish like neon tetras.

my .02

 

[brandon4291]

I think your plants choice would be critical in that kind of system since you want the good look for long term with low maintenance. I never had any luck with ludwigia or dwarf hair grasses without co2 injection but i just found some youtube posts that have it just fine, it never worked for me. i ended up staying away from stem plants for long term low maintenance, crowners don't crowd your tank like long thin bunch growth does it seem.

search under low tech plant tank on youtube
B