Calcium oxide carbon dioxide

If you are growing an aquarium with plants and have noticed they grow slowly, you may need to add carbon dioxide, or CO2, to your tank. Injecting CO2 into your aquarium is eas…ier than ever, and it will help your plants flourish.In order to grow their best, plants need several things for photosynthesis. They need water, light and CO2. During photosynthesis, plants take up CO2 and water, and they convert it to oxygen. The oxygen is then released back into the aquarium. It plants do not get enough light or CO2, then they grow poorly. If your tank has sufficient lighting, you may need to add a CO2 injection system in order for your plants to grow well. Small tanks that are 20 gallons or less may not need additional CO2. Large, planted aquaria, however, often require carbon dioxide injection to thrive.While you want to add carbon dioxide to your tank to improve plant growth, adding too much CO2 can be harmful to your fish. If the carbon dioxide levels are too high in an aquarium, fish can die. In addition, adding CO2 to the water causes a reaction that lowers the pH. There are several items you will need to control the CO2 injection precisely. These include the following:-CO2 cylinder-Tubing-Pressure regulator-Solenoid-Fine control valve-Bubble counter-Diffuser or reactor-Timer-pH regulator-Carbonate (KH) regulatorSince the CO2 in a cylinder is stored a very high pressure, the pressure regulator is needed to help control the flow. A solenoid is used to shut off CO2 flow in an automated system. A fine control valve, or needle valve, is used to fine-tune the CO2 flow at the rate you need. The number of bubbles per second will vary depending on your plants' specific needs, as well as the fish or coral you may have in your aquarium. The easiest way to automate the entire system is to purchase an integrated CO2 regulator.Increasing carbon dioxide in a tank causes the pH to fall. It can also affect the carbonate, or KH, levels. It is essential to test pH and KH regularly, especially if you have fish. Most aquarium owners keep the CO2 levels at about 15 ppm (parts per million) to enhance plant growth without harming fish.Carbon dioxide reactors or diffusers keep the CO2 in contact with the water longer. These systems either keep the CO2 in the tank longer, or they break up the CO2 bubbles into even smaller bubbles to allow more carbon dioxide to react with the water. This allows more carbon dioxide to reach the plants. Common methods include a CO2 ladder, a bell reactor, or bioballs.KH is the term used for carbonate ions and bicarbonate. The "K" in this term is derived from the German word "karbonate." Carbonate ions serve as a buffer in water to prevent large pH shifts. Typically, it is measured in degrees. If KH is low, large shifts in pH can occur. In planted tanks, calcium carbonate is the best chemical to add to raise KH.Maintaining correct levels of pH, CO2 levels...