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There are three basic types of carbon dioxide kits. The first is fizz tablets, the next uses fermentation, and the top of the line uses compressed carbon dioxide. If you have a fermentation kit, it will use sugar and yeast in water to make alcohol and expel carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct. Some of them have a bubble counter or diffuser. They need to get new sugar and yeast on a regular basis, and they're difficult to turn off at night. That can be a problem, because in the dark, plants expel carbon dioxide. If you get too much, the aquarium can have a pH crash. The fermentation kits usually cost less than fifty bucks. At several times that amount, you can get a system that hooks to a carbon dioxide bottle and features valves and timers that let you control the amount and timing of carbon dioxide injections.
Before using any of those systems, be sure you need it. Lots of aquarium plants do fine without it and all the attendant complications. However, if you want lush and exotic plants, the aquarium will need carbon dioxide injection as well as special lighting.
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