Supplying plants with Carbon without the need for pressurised CO2
Carbon is an essential element for plant growth. In the wild, plants obtain their carbon from DOC (dissolved organic carbon). So in the controlled aquarium environment we must provide an alternative, either by the way of pressurised CO2 (carbon dioxide) or via a liquid form of carbon such as the Easylifes’s EasyCarbo product.
It is immensely important to keep levels stable and consistent within the planted aquarium. With this, plant growth is stable and constant, and in turn does not give algae the opportunity to step in. Plants will often take days, in some cases weeks to adjust to changes in aquarium conditions (for example irregular water changes, inconsistent or incorrect fertiliser dosing, or poor carbon supplementation), where as algae can adapt to new conditions within 24 hours. So routine with water maintenance and fertilisation is paramount.
Creating a beautiful aquarium does not have to be out of reach or out of budget. Whether pressurised CO2 is a daunting prospect for you or it is out of your budget range, do not worry.
Here at The Green Machine we can supply you with an alternative. We recommend that you consider using a product called EasyCarbo by EasyLife. EasyCarbo is a liquid carbon source for the aquarium. I have had personal experience running a 30 cm cube using the full range of Tropica fertilisers alongside EasyCarbo as the sole carbon supplement for the aquarium. The aquarium is 35 litres and Easylife recommend 1ml for every 50 litres, this equates to approximately 0.74ml per day. We here at The Green Machine can recommend that you dose 3 times this level with no ill side effects.
It is very important to dose daily with EasyCarbo as it oxidises within 24 hours of application. The addition of EasyCarbo on a daily basis gives the plants the essential carbon they need for plant growth and leaf structure. The secondary benefit of EasyCarbo is that it has algaecide benefits, so in one dosing you are feeding your plants and combating algae. When dosing with a syringe or pipette, you can spot dose in any areas that may be infected with an algae problem to great effect.
Growth will not be as vigourous as it may be with pressurised CO2, this could be partly down to the plant absorbing dissolved gasses more readily than soluble liquids. Never the less, you can grow plants with great results (if a little slower) with EasyLife’s, EasyCarbo.
