# Planted tank with no co2



## Geo Tropics (Mar 7, 2016)

Can it be done while maintaining a healthy and thriving foreground cover? I have been out of live planted aquaria for 15 years. I am just now getting back in. I am excited! My wife and I are going to go all out with a hand carved, elaborate, mahogony stand and canopy as a living room display. We will have co2, ada, proper lighting....the works. Likely a 200 gal tank that's custom made. But that is a ways off. My daughter has a 55 gallon discus tank that she's wanting live plants in. We are going to do the ada and some good led lights but forego the co2. I have a friend that has a nice looking planted tank with no co2. It's no Amano or anything of the sort, but it's nice. I am also wanting to use her tank for a photo shoot for some of my rams that I breed. I am the owner of Geo Tropics on Facebook and many customers love watching rams in a planted tank. I love making videos so this will be fun! Thanks for the help guys/gals!


Oh...also....what is that called when you have a planted tank with no co2? I remember someone saying there is low, mid, and high....sonething. It is terminology used to describe how "high end" or "low end" your tank is. Thanks!


----------



## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

When a tank has more technology (more light, more CO2 etc.) some call it high tech or high maintenance. No CO2 needs low light, so it's low tech by that definition. 

About what's possible without CO2, it depends on your expectations. There are foreground plants that grow fine without CO2, but most are quite hard. 
Also don't expect the bushy look an average Amano tank has. When you want that, buy a CO2 kit.

Some carpet plants that grow perfectly fine without CO2: Saggitaria, Marsilea and some others. You can find dozens of list, try the search function on this forum or Google.


----------



## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

Go low tech, it's easy to get swept up with the high tech craze and want to have co2, expensive lights, expansive fertilizer dosing regime, etc. but give low tech a try. It requires minimal work if set up correctly. I literally feed when I remember, top off water and trim/fertilize every once in a while. No more water changes, no more fert dosing regimes, no more monitoring co2, etc. best of all the fish, shrimp, and plants are all healthy and happy. no algae and clear waters. Keep it simple is what I try to abide by nowadays. Anyhow foreground plants that don't require co2 are but not limited to: marsilea species (crenata, minuta, hirusta, etc.), dwarf sag, Micrantherum umbrosum "monte carlo" (i think the species name is now tweedli or something), mosses, and hydrocotyle japan. Hydrocotyle japan is a great choice because it's super easy, grows low with sufficient light and spreads fast. Looks almost fairy tale like too!


----------



## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

I fully agree with Neil! Although I would never set a planted tank without CO2 anymore, I wish I could go for low tech, so much easier!


----------

