CO2 feed to red mangroves

[Dr. Dendrostein]

OK, my 90 gal. refugium is outside plumbed to my 30 gal. half circle tank(cycling as we speak )30 gal. inside. I have cheato and 20 7-8" red mangroves in refugium. I'm doing my homework before proceeding, I would like to feed(day light hours) CO2 in refugium through the air not into water, I don't use air pump into refugium to reduce gas exchange , increase CO2 to higher levels 500-700ppm. Question:

Will CO2 enter water if CO2 is circulating in air within refugium. Will also have air system to exhaust it out. Please help

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Let's back up a bit.

Are you asking about CO2 in the water or the air? Are you certain mangroves use CO2 from the water and not the air?
Why do you want a particular CO2 level?

What is your pH now? CO2 might already be at that level in your water.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Thanks for replying, tank ph is 8.1, I'm talking about adding CO2 to the Air around mangroves. They in daylight hours obsoreb CO2,photosynthesis , and consume nutrients in water. It's known that increasing CO2 to green plants increase all three perimeters. This should removed nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, etc...) a lot quicker. But what can be the draw back,disadvantaged of doing this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The CO2 in your home air may already be that high or higher, but if you intentionally increase CO2 in the air, pH in the tank may well drop. That may reduce calcification rates by corals.

How would you control the CO2 level in the air? Seems tricky to me.

I also wouldn't assume it will help the mangroves necessarily grow faster, since they may be limited by any of many other factors (light, N, P, trace elements, etc.).