Though we talk about increased levels of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere which could lead to degradation of environment, there are some benefits and advantages as far as CO2 is concerned. Plants and water creatures need carbon to grow. While there is plenty of CO2 in the atmosphere, it is not so abundantly found in water. Hence, if you have your own aquarium, you need to ensure that the levels of CO2 in it are adequate to sustain healthy growth of plant life inside the aquarium. Though CO2 can enter the water from the atmosphere, only a very little quantity is absorbed in a tank environment. Hence there would be the need to invest in a good CO2 atomizer combined with a good CO2 regulator so that the right levels of CO2 are always maintained in the aquarium’s water. Hence lets discuss the best CO2 levels for an aquarium.
While the lack of the desired amount of CO2 in the water could cause problems for plant life, too much of it could be equally problematic and could even turn fatal for the fishes and other creatures which are being reared in the aquarium. Given a choice between too high levels and low levels of CO2, the latter will be a better option. As mentioned earlier, if the levels go much beyond normal levels, it could be very bad for the fish. On the other hand, even if the levels are below normal, it will only affect the plant life in the tank and at a much slower and more noticeable rate than the fish or other creatures.
Though the optimal level of CO2 could vary depending on the various types of fishes and marine life living in the aquarium, a rule of the thumb indicates that it should be around 20 to 30 PPM if it is only for aquatic plants. On the other hand, anything below 50 ppm is good enough for fishes and other marine creatures. Anything in excess of 50 ppm could be stressful for the fishes.
While the limits of CO2 as mentioned above is very important, we should also take into account other factors including some important minerals and gaseous substances. They are also equally important for ensuring good quality of overall marine life, including plants and other living organism. Having just fish in an aquarium does make things a lot simpler. However, seldom do we like to have an aquarium which will have only fishes. If one has other marine life in the aquarium including plants, then the adequate quantities of nitrogen, ammonia, phosphorous are also needed. They would also need trace elements of potassium which perhaps could be available naturally in the water. They are very important nutrients, without which marine plants will die fast. However, having them in the right quantities will not do any harm to fishes in the aquarium. Adequate lighting is also required because heat is another important component which helps a lot in the growth of marine plants and also fishes need it to a large extent. The bottom line is it is important to have the right mix of CO2 levels and important minerals and naturally occurring substances, if you want to have a healthy looking tank.
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