Should you be using Liquid Carbon in Your Aquarium?

Carbon is an element that reaches out to all the living beings on the earth, whether plants or animals. A need for carbon dioxide in an aquarium is pivotal. At most, it is necessary for the live plants in your aquarium. Being autotrophs, the plants need to make their nutrients through photosynthesis by utilizing carbon. Carbon entirely helps in their growth.

The growth of the plant is beneficial for the aquarium as well. The plants in your aquarium lack the benefit of plentifulness of carbon as it is in the air. Having a plant in an aquarium means your plant will have limited access to carbon. So, using carbon in your aquarium will provide them with easiness to produce nutrients.

You can avail your aquarium of carbon dioxide by injecting it or using liquid carbon. Injecting carbon is by far the best option for your aquarium, but if you don’t want to go through all the work and cost, then liquid carbon is for you. Liquid Carbon is the best option to swap injecting carbon.

What is Liquid Carbon?

You must know what carbon dioxide is. Think of Liquid Carbon as carbon dioxide in its liquid form. It is an extremely handy chemical when it comes to aquariums for the benefits it provides. It gives way to some things quite easily. You can get one for yourself from any local aquarium store or buy it online.

Why is Liquid Carbon used?

Liquid Carbon’s primary use in an aquarium is for accelerating the growth of plants. Live plants provide the aquarium with several advantages. They provide oxygen in the water for the fishes, help to reduce algae, absorb the toxic chemicals, and give your fishes the healthiest life possible. Hence, the growth of live plants is an essential factor for the ecosystem of an aquarium.

Another significant reason is when algae start to take over the tank. If you have an aquarium and algae are spreading rapidly and have taken over your tank, then using Liquid Carbon is a good option.

For Liquid Carbon eliminating algae is a piece of cake and immediately takes down the spread of algae. Liquid carbon must be used when the conditions of the tank are such that it encourages the spread of algae. If too much light or too many nutrients are present, these conditions will increase algae growth. Using Liquid Carbon in such circumstances proves beneficial as it reduces algae growth.

Liquid Carbon is efficient against algae such as Dreaded Black Beard as well. This is a stubborn alga, and Liquid Carbon works well in weakening them.

Should Liquid Carbon be used?

As said before, Liquid Carbon is the best alternative for injecting carbon. There is nothing wrong with using Liquid Carbon in your aquarium. It catalyzes the growth of your plants and reduces the level of algae in your tank.

Reducing algae is already beneficial, and the blooming of plants helps control the levels of ammonia and nitrates in your aquarium, and they release oxygen. Although, you will have to use them in the required quantities.

If used in a lesser amount, it won’t be of use, and if used in higher amounts, it can result as harmful.

How much should be used?

Using Liquid Carbon in the required amount is essential as if not used in the right amount, it can destroy the ecosystem. Most of the time, the amount of liquid carbon that one must use will be present in the bottle or the packet itself. There can be 1 ml per 5 gallons, 2 ml per 2 gallons, etc.

Remember to look for them before using them in your aquarium. The best option will be to stick to the amount advised by manufacturers, you wouldn’t want to see your ecosystem go haywire.

You can also directly apply the Liquid Carbon to the areas where there is a concentration of algae in your aquarium in lesser amounts.

Is Liquid Carbon harmful to the Fishes and the Plants?

Liquid carbon is not necessarily harmful to your fish. If it is dangerous, it would not be suggested to use in an aquarium. Though if used in a high amount, it proves to be unhealthy. If you use too much of it, there will be less oxygen in the tank for your fish. They will start showing signs of struggling for breathing as continuously coming to the surface for oxygen. If you see your fish continuously coming to the surface, immediately do a water change or activate the air pump. In your aquarium, the level of carbon dioxide must not be more than 30 ppm.

As Liquid carbon reduces the pH level of the aquarium, using it too much is not a good idea. If you use too much Liquid carbon, the pH levels will become so low that your fishes will have a hard time surviving.

Liquid carbon is not harmful to plants as they require carbon dioxide for their nutrients. Although, there are certain plants such as Vallis, Riccia, and Anacharis that can be affected negatively by it. These plants can go down as soon as you put Liquid Carbon in your aquarium.

Make sure you know what plants you have in your aquarium before applying Liquid carbon. These plants are not affected by the Liquid Carbon but it is affected by the way it does its work.

Liquid carbon is a helpful chemical for an aquarium and it is being used by aquarists for years now. It can reduce the levels of algae in your aquarium and accelerate the growth of your aquarium plants. Both of these are for the benefit of your aquarium. It can even tackle the most stubborn of the algae. But remember to use it in the right amount as an excess of it can severely hinder the lives of your fish. Similar to any other substance, you must use it in the right amount.