Setting up a CO2 system is pretty straight forward. You can either buy a kit or just get the bits yourself (way cheaper) and away you go. All you need is a CO2 cylinder, a regulator with a solenoid valve, a bubble counter, diffuser and a permanent CO2 test kit. Depends on how heavily planted and what size your tank is but usually you would set it at 2-3 bps (bubbles per second). Your permanent test kit should show green. If it's blue or yellow you adjust the bps accordingly. Results are excellent with no detrimental effects. The reason for the solenoid valve is so you can set it on a timer so it doesn't run all the time. That way you set it to come on 15mins before your lights do and go off maybe half an hour before the lights go out.
HTH
I agree completely, I’ve been running pressurised C02 for a few years now. Easy to set up, mess free, cheap (after initial outlays) & plants thrive. Admittedly though growing strong healthy plants takes more effort than just running C02. Water quality, lights & fertilisation all play a big part as well. Lighting is the key imoa. I have 2 40watt T8 bulbs & 3 54watt T5 tubes over my 5 foot plant tank, about 3watt per gallon. Balance is the key, light, ferts, C02, amount of plants & fish, water quality and filtration. Fermenting yeast & sugar is inconsistent & smells.
Water is kept at 26 degrees, PH as close to 7 as I can be bothered about. When I check KH & GH (rarely) C02 works out to be about 20ppm. Running timers on your lights, air stones & solenoid is important. Timing your air to turn off at the same time C02 goes on about 15 minutes before lights go on. C02 goes off & air goes on 15 minutes before lights go off. I also set my lights off for about 2 hours in the middle of the day, this helps prevent algae. Morning C02 on/Airstone off, 15 minutes later lights go on. 4 hours later lights & c02 off, airstone on. Darkness & oxygen, no C02 for about 2 hours. Then air off/C02 on followed by lights on for another 8 hours. I find this works for me as the lights are on when we are active in the morning, off while at work, then on again when home during the evening.
Fertilisation is very important in a C02 tank but is cheap if you’re willing to spend 5 minutes a year Making it. I follow the PMDD rules but only use it every other day but always after the weekly water change.
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/pmdd.htm
I get my dry ferts from Dave who runs aquagreen.com.au in Australia but do a search & you can get it all online.
Like a said with C02 it’s a balance, but when you have the equipment set to timers you can forget about it, so easy. Watching plants pearl in your own tank is awesome. And as for the growth I sell/swap about $300 worth of cuttings, daughter plants or split ryzomes of Bulbitus, Anubius, Java fern ,Swords & mosses per month, from a 5 foot tank.