Liquid Co2

[Ashlyn]

Has anyone used API CO2 booster? I’m setting up my shrink tank and don’t want to get a full Co2 set up. 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Ashlyn

[ScottieB]

If I'm not mistaken thats a dilute solution of glutaraldehyde, which will essentially act as an algaecide. Eventually it will degrade into a carbon source but at ineffective doses. Basically, save your money. Your tank will do great without it!

 

 

[Greg Stewart]

I haven't used API CO2 booster, but I do use Seachem Flourish Excel. Both products are based on gluteraldehyde,  which is actually an algaecide. They do provide *some* available CO2, but you won't get a "good replacement" for injected CO2 by using a liquid carbon product. I've found that plants just don't respond the same way to gluteraldehyde provided carbon as they do to actual CO2.

Also, some plants are sensitive to it, and over dosing either of them can cause some melt in sensitive plants.

That said, I do use Excel when quarantining plants to keep them on at least some available carbon. But, I find that it's better for spot treatment of algae growth on slow growing plants (I have to remove my anubias and some of my bucephalandra about once a month, and gently wipe a bit of Excel on the leaves and return it to the tank to clean off spot algae grow--i have them a little too exposed under the LED lamp).

[lefty o]

the above 2 are quite correct, the liquid co2 is not the same as a gas system.