liquid carbon vs pressurized systems

[beeshrimpnerd]

I just wondering. Right now, I'm using the pressurized cartridges in my tanks. But for a while now, I've been wondring, what is the difference between liquid carbon and the cartridges. They both release co2 so why use the cartridges? The iquid is also seemingly a lt cheaper. Answers?

[Crazygar]

Pressurized lasts longer and is more accurate. Even if your hands are stable, each dose of liquid can vary. Pressurized is much easier once setup and runs in the background while Liquid requires PHYSICAL intervention.

Gary

[Diana]

Liquid carbon supplements (Excel and similar products) break down in the tank over 24+ hours, and the plants use them, too. So, over the course of the day there is less and less carbon available to the plants.
Pressurized is a steady source.

Pressurized requires very good circulation to get the carbon to the plants without out gassing. It is a gas that will head upward as soon as it is released into the tank.
Excel will circulate in the water without evaporating, so even if the water circulation is not great it will eventually make it around the tank.

All plants are fine with pressurized CO2. The amount dissolved in the water is important, and how much water movement you have that assures a good supply of oxygen for the livestock. An over dose of CO2 without good oxygen levels can kill the fish.
There are some plants, and some livestock that do not like Excel.

I dose with a syringe (no needle) that is marked down to the ml, so I can dose quite accurately. I do not see that as a problem for me. For people who are using spoons, or the cap, perhaps this is an issue.

Price it out over perhaps a year. I have always heard (but never done the math) that pressurized is a better value, if you depreciate the equipment over several years.

[Crazygar]

ROFL, that wraps that one up. I have one large tank, I go through a large bottle of Excel every 2 months. It's a 70GAL, moderately planted.

Gary

[lou zello]

i have allways used Excel and flourish only in all my tanks,dosing every other day about a 1/2 hour before the lights come on.i do things this way because i'm a fan of LOW tech and i don't like a lot of pipes and hoses in the tanks allso it is easier for me to not have to worry about refilling a co2 tank or something going wrong with the other parts of the system.for me it allso costs less cause i order all my supplies on line and get the largest size they have and order months of stuff at a time so there are no shipping charges.only my opinion.

[Diana]

I just got some Excel and Flourish Comprehensive for free.
I went around to the few tanks I have in the house and tried to dose by the cap as the label hints.

Forget it! How do you measure 1/3 of a cap?
How do you count the material that spilled?

Tomorrow- back to the syringe.

My main stock of Excel and fertilizers is in a different place, and I am lazy about bringing them into the house. Now I have ferts and carbon (and syringes) in both places!

[Crazygar]

I dose per cap, so it's easy for me. Having somewhat steady hands also helps. True units of measurement would be by syringe, but for my application I don't have the needs to measure out other than capfuls.

Gary

[ScottFish]

I have a couple different eye droppers for dosing.

[lou zello]

i too am a capfull kinda guy it just seems easier and if your carefull you can hold the bottle so the drips go into the tank and not the floor.then you just GUESS and add that much to your dose.of course you should allways guess to the LOWER figure.i guess when your useing the cap method of dosing you should allways err on the low side.

[Crazygar]

Personally, for bang for your buck, pressurized is the way to go, but if you want to supplement with Liquid CO2 (Excel), you can as well, just remember to keep up with water changes and dosing.

I plan to switch to pressurized soon.

Gary

[lou zello]

crazygar,you don't think it's too much trouble to keep up with all the maintence on a CO2 system and worring about all the extra equipment versus simple dosing?? plus the cost including refill's on the CO2 bottles'?? and all the extra tubes/hoses to distract or try and hide inside and out side the tank??

[Crazygar]

Not really. I make and fall into routines quite well. Factor in the cost of the buying new Bottles of Excel versus pressurized, which is stable and constant, it's amazing how much of a difference it is.

Setting up the most annoying part of Pressurized, but once that is done, regular maintenance is about every 6 months. I had a 20lb Canister last well over a year. 2 bubbles per second.

Gary