Not meaning to dis anybody here, but...I disagree.
Addition of CO2 to aquariums for fresh water plant life is common via continuous direct CO2 bubbler systems and many other types as well as "liquid carbon" (see the last quote). I will disagree with you about CO2 displacing O2 in water as it does not. If it did there would be a LOT of dead fish. Nor does it change the ph, UNLESS you're using a system that uses a chemical reaction to create the CO2 (reaction material gets in the water). The "liquid carbon" brands I looked at claimed to not affect the ph at all, but obviously they incorporate ph buffers.
The question is are plants able to absorb CO2 through their root systems.
The answer is...Maybe. Carbon molecules...definitely.
Soil injection of CO2 definitely enhances microbial action and is a common practice.
Remember, plants ingest CO2 and exhaust O2. What is now missing? The carbon. Plants aren't specific to CO2, it's the carbon they want. CO2 - C = O2
After I placed this question last night I continued searching and found some (semi-unrelated) data about plant CO2 usage.
I came across several studies that indicated that a plants response to atmospheric CO2 not only enhanced root production and growth, but also increased the plant water use efficiency and enhanced the microbial action in the soil. As the PPM increase up toward 1500ppm or better, then temperature becomes the limiting factor. To process more CO2 at greater concentrations requires temps into the 80-85 degree range. But then everything else increases as well; water consumption, nutes, increased photosynthesis (more lights!). Some tests were as high as 10K ppm with very positive results.
It is truly a very complex subject, but i think it's safe to say that CO2 is beneficial on multiple levels.
Hey bro you can disagree without dissing on anyone
: You've got an opinion and you're presenting debatable data that could shed some light on some things or open up some new perspectives! So disagree onward haha :tiphat:
That said, I disagree with some of your disagreements. :roflcry:
So, without further adieu, a gentleman's debate:
Addition of CO2 to aquariums for fresh water plant life is common via continuous direct CO2 bubbler systems and many other types as well as "liquid carbon" (see the last quote). I will disagree with you about CO2 displacing O2 in water as it does not. If it did there would be a LOT of dead fish.
I do not disagree about the CO2 supplement for aquariums.
Atmospheric CO2 finds a natural equilibrium with H20. I do not believe I ever said anything about CO2 displacing H20; but reading through my response I should have clarified; you can concentrate a volume of H20 with CO2 which can cause harmful effects in high amounts. The water molecules mix with the carbon dioxide molecules at the surface of the water, but raising the amounts of CO2 gas that's exchanged in the water raises the ppm; which can have adverse effects on the H20; which I'll touch base on in a minute.
Also food for thought, CO2
can displace O2 (oxygen). This is taken from the
Department of Energy
With high-level CO2 exposure, the displacement of O2 by CO2 significantly contributes to
toxicity. Signs of asphyxia are evident when the atmospheric O2 is ≤16% [1]. Almost immediate
unconsciousness leading to death occurs in humans at rest when the O2 is reduced to 10 to 13%.
Strenuous physical exertion increases the threshold [2].
Or I can just point you in the direction of Global Warming (whether you believe it or not)
Part of the claim of this is there is now less oxygen available in our atmosphere because there is more carbon dioxide, caused by depletion of ozone, pollution, man, etc etc.
You are, however, leaving out a key part of why you are injecting CO2 into the water in the first place. In this case, it's to boost
photosynthesis, a process the still requires
light and the stomatas taking in the CO2 (not the roots, even if they are exposed in the water.) I'm saying this with a crap ton of live aquatic plants (not CO2 boosted) plants in my 55 gallon aquarium. Roots, oxygen. Leaves, CO2.
As to the dead fish; if you raised the CO2 ppm of your aquarium (through any method,) to a high level you will cause toxic sickness to the fish. This is why if you have live fish and live plants in the same tank; you have to find a proper balance of CO2 to sustain both if you're going to use a CO2 system. Plants are far more tolerant to high CO2 concentrations than fish.
Here's that article written by Ed Rosenthal. I don't know if you consider him an authoritarian on the subject, but I think he has some merit in the cannabis world and it's an
interesting read. Of which I'll pull the quote:
Both CO2 and oxygen dissolve in water. When water is saturated with CO2 it cannot absorb oxygen so the roots have no source of the element oxygen, which is needed for their metabolism. This weakens the roots and promotes the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in oxygen-free environments and attack roots.
When water in a reservoir is circulated, it releases the dissolved CO2 to the air and dissolves oxygen. That's why circulating water in a reservoir using a pump is beneficial to roots: It removes the CO2 and supplies the water with oxygen.
Makes sense?
Nor does it change the ph, UNLESS you're using a system that uses a chemical reaction to create the CO2 (reaction material gets in the water). The "liquid carbon" brands I looked at claimed to not affect the ph at all, but obviously they incorporate ph buffers.
Actually, it does change the pH; it's the matter of
how it changes the pH.
This is a quote taken from the
Skeptical Aquarist (love these names):
Dissolved carbon dioxide is correlated with the pH scale. The carbon dioxide dissolved in water has even more effect than the oxygen. Oxygen remains as an O2 molecule, whether it's in its gas phase or in solution, but when CO2 is dissolved in water, a small proportion of it reacts chemically with H2O to form carbonic acid, H2CO3. (There's no mystery about that: just add up the six atoms.) In water carbonic acid dissociates rapidly to form a H+ ion and HCO2 (bicarbonate), so it affects the carbonate equilibrium, and pH values change as a result.
I won't argue that it's quite possible for roots to take in CO2. Anything's possible. I'm just saying that, for instance, if I wanted vitamins from a tomato, I could take that tomato and rub it all over my near Brad Pitt-like chiseled naked body and hope my body absorbs those vitamins through my skin; or I could just eat the tomato and be done with it.
We know that the most CO2 is used during photosynthesis where it is taken in by the stomata on the underside of the leaves (I believe some aquatic plants have their stomata located elsewhere.) We know that roots need oxygen. I think we can agree that atmospheric CO2 enrichment is generally good in the right doses.
Agree to disagree? Disagree to agree! That's just my
:smokebuds:
As to this statement:
The question is are plants able to absorb CO2 through their root systems.
This was the original question:
CO2 Production
I think we've all heard the method taking water, sugar and active yeast and placing it into our grow rooms. CO2 is the result of this. Has anyone done this with noticeable results?
We just kind of took this and ran :roflcry:
