Fluval CO2 Kit Review – Pros & Cons of a Reliable CO2 System for Beginners

Aquariums with live plants are something special. Devoted aquarists try to have their first planted aquarium soon after they started this fascinating hobby. A planted aquarium is literally a live ecosystem inside a small tank, and I love it. 

At the same time, I must admit, keeping plants is a bit trickier than maintaining a fish-only aquarium. Plants need a balanced combination of light, CO2, and nutrients. If any of these elements lack, plants won’t thrive as you desire.

Though it is possible to have planted aquariums without a CO2 supplementation system, your options of decorating the aquarium with various attractive plants will be limited. 

Every planted aquarium enthusiast knows how vital a CO2 system is to keep the greenery flourishing. But to be frank, CO2 supplementation is something that requires extra attention and care. 

CO2 is essential for a plant’s photosynthesis but not friendly to your fish. A higher level of CO2 in the aquarium water can be deadly. So, proper dosing is the key, and you will require a reliable CO2 system for this.

Today, I will talk about a pressurized CO2 kit for planted tanks which is very beginner’s friendly in my opinion. I will present the Fluval CO2 Kit review, and hopefully, this article will help you in the buying process.

Fluval CO2 Kit Review

The Fluval Pressurized CO2 Kit is the CO2 supplementation system for small and medium planted tanks. Considering the size and design, it is suitable for aquariums between 15-40 gallons.  

First-timers usually do not start their hobby with a huge tank. So, this CO2 kit comes with a perfect capacity for beginner aquarists. Unlike traditional or aerosol CO2 boosters, the Fluval CO2 Kit is a pressurized can that comes with all necessary fittings and accessories to do the job efficiently. 

What Does This Fluval CO2 Kit Include?

As the Fluval CO2 kit is specially designed for the noobs, it comes as a complete package, and the kit includes:

• A disposable 88g CO2 cartridge 
• A regulator valve with the gauge to ensure effective control of CO2 output 
• A CO2 ceramic diffuser to dissolve CO2 in aquarium water 
• A holding bracket to securely fix the cartridge to the side of the aquarium
• Connection hosing

I must mention this product has a bad reputation to be leaky sometimes, and I discussed this product’s downsides in a later section. Pressurized vessels always carry hazards and can be dangerous if not handled properly. 

The Dimension Of The Product

The entire setup measures 2.8 x 8.7 x 7.7 inches in dimension. The system is very light and weighs approximately 1.64 pounds only.

Very subtle indeed and doesn’t hamper the visual appeal of your showpiece. I am really pleased about it.

Capacity

The Fluval CO2 kit 88-g contains 3.1 liquid ounces of CO2. This system is designed for small and medium planted aquariums from 15-gallon to 40-gallon. 

The manufacturer made this product ideal to use with their own branded aquarium Fluval Flora Aquatic Plant Kit. But I am using one of them with a different brand without any issue. 

Why Would You Use Fluval Pressurized 88g-CO2 Kit?

Despite some negative reviews of this product, I will give you three primary reasons so that I can recommend this product.

1) Comes With A Complete Package

You are a newbie and planning to start a planted tank with CO2 supplementation. I would say this beginner’s kit will be pretty useful for you.

It comes with a complete package including all necessary accessories that a CO2 system should have. You don’t need to buy a CO2 bottle, a regulator, a diffuser, a bubble counter, gauges, etc., separately.

2) Easy To Install And Use

This is probably the most comfortable CO2 system to install and use. Even if you are a noob, you will find everything just straightforward after finishing this article and watching the video.

It is made with a sophisticated design and no hard piece to punch out. I would say maintaining this Fluval CO2 kit is reasonably beginner-friendly and comfortable.

3) Cost-Effective

People do not want to invest a lot in their first venture to an unknown arena. Would you like to expense a lot of money on a CO2 system when you don’t have any experience with it?

From this point of view, the Fluval pressurized CO2 kit is very much preferable. The replacement cartridges are also inexpensive and easily replaceable.

What I Don’t Really Like About This Product

Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee this product will last long. The Fluval Pressurized CO2 Kit has this bad reputation of quality. If your luck sucks, you will probably see parts and pieces are falling apart within two months!

But I don’t want to be that pessimistic. Still, it is a recommendable product. However, if reliability is your first choice, I’ll suggest building a complete CO2 system for the aquarium. 

Related Read: What do you need and how to set up a reliable CO2 injection system.

---

---

How To Install Fluval Pressurized CO2 Kit

The installation process takes no more than 5 minutes.
1) Ensure the regulator valve is fully closed.
2) Screw the regulator on the CO2 container. It will puncture the seal, and you’ll notice the pressure indicator goes up.
3) Attach the connection hosing with the regulator output. Tighten it to make it leak-proof.
4) Connect the other end of the hosing with the CO2 diffuser inlet port. An arrow indicates the direction.
5) Connect another tubing from the output of the diffuser to the internal bubbler.
6) Use holding brackets and suction cups to place the container, the diffuser, and the bubbler in suitable places.
7) Adjust the bubble rate with the regulator valve. (One bubble for 2-4 seconds)

FAQs

You’ll get a lot of answers on Fluval’s official FAQs page for the CO2 system. I am answering some popular queries. 

How long does Fluval 88-g co2 last?

It depends on a few factors, and you have to optimize the usage. The ideal dosing rate is one bubble for every 2-4 seconds. The variation will depend upon the tank size and how densely it is packed with plants. 

Plants don’t need CO2 in the absence of light, and aquarists recommend turning off light at night. So, keeping the CO2 system running at night is just wastage. 

Additionally, you have to ensure the entire system is leak-proof. If you can maintain all these things, I expect a container will last for a month. 

Do I really need CO2 in my planted tank?

It is possible to grow plants in aquariums without CO2 supplementation. But you cannot keep all plants flourishing without CO2 dosing. You have to choose low light requiring and slow-growing plants.

In the introduction part, I have given a link to an article related to this query.

Should I turn off the aquarium filter when dosing the CO2?

No, there is no conflict between them. Instead, you should keep your filtration system on all the time.

Additionally, the filtration system keeps a continuous water flow, distributing dissolved CO2 throughout the entire aquarium.

Alternatives to Try

There is one similar product that prevails in the market. I heard from my fellow fishkeepers that this product made by ISTA is more reliable than the Fluaval one. So, you can also try that.

Takeaway

Now it’s time to conclude my Fluval CO2 kit review. As I said before, this product has some quality issues. Still, I would say it’s just okay to think about it.

Because this is not much pricy and complicated system. Especially, newbies with smaller planted tanks can go for this option. Fluval has a reputation as a brand name, at least. They tried to give their best quality on a low budget.

It would be great for my readers if you share your own experience with this product. I also would love to hear from you. Please put your comments below, and thanks a lot for staying with me. Happy fishkeeping!