Hi Marry
Can you give us a complete set of tank parameters. You have a lot going on in there.
In PPM...
Ammonia
Nitrates
Phosphates
Nitrites
pH
KH
GH
Use one Kit that you like (I use aquarium pharmaceuticals) and remember it is only going give you approximate readings to use as trends.
Stop using the pH adjustments!! It is incredibly difficult is not impossible to stabilize pH and keep it rock solid using these products. You end up chasing your tail. Most experienced FW planted tank folks accept their tap water reading as their base line, because with a few exceptions, you have a really broad range to work with.
You will get an accurate pH reading with a low KH it just may not be where you want the pH to be.
A few plants are NOT going to affect your KH! There are more important things tied to your KH
Determine the KH of the water you use to do water changes, fill the tank etc. Because you are injecting CO2, your baseline (Target) reading should be in the 4-5 degree range 70-80 PPM.
KH Fixes
Quick fix:
Turn the Carbo plus unit off for 24 hours. Add 1 tsp. of Baking soda wait an hour and take a reading. If low add 1/2 tsp. wait an hour, take a reading until the KH is at 4-5 degrees.
You can call your water company and ask them what the (Carbonic Hardness) of the tap water is.
Long Term: it your tap has low KH add a handful of crushed coral (in a filter bag) to your filter. This will raise KH and keep it up.
OK now the whole C02 injection, KH, pH thing
I will tell you upfront that there is so much confusion, misinformation, misunderstanding, incredibly misleading sales pitches, etc. etc. That covering this topic in a few paragraphs is impossible.
Here are a few basics that seem to fit your situation.
C02 injection will drive down the pH. The pH drops because Carbonic Acid is produced in the process. The Carbonic Acid will use up your KH. Remember KH is the waters ability to neutralize acids. Therefore a buffer of 4-5 is necessary to keep the pH from dropping to unacceptable levels.
I inject C02 (from a pressurised tank) only during the time my lights are on.
My pH drops a full point 7.2 to 6.8. <- there is NO problem with that.
You do not need to inject C02 to be successful with plants.
If you are headed to "Heavily Planted", Have 2.75 - 4 watts per gallon of light, plan on a fertilization routine (which you will need), then C02 injection becomes necessary because of the photosynthesis process being in high gear.
It is generally accepted among experienced plant folks that the level of C02 necessary during the photo period (lights on) is a range of 35 - 50 ppm.
From James R...
Quote:
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If you don't have CO2 injection now, adding this to your tank would allow you to adjust the PH to exactly where you want it. Google this and you'll find charts showing the correlation between CO2 and PH, it's nearly a linear relationship. Check it out if you'd like.
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James, this is not exactly right, even thou you were able to Google it.
Those charts were developed to show the relationship between KH and pH and the amount of dissolved Co2 possible. It is a "pure" relationship. In other words, in the real world of aquariums the results shown in a KH, pH, C02chart are so inaccurate that that method of measurement has been abandoned by planted tank folks. Simply put, there is too much other stuff going on to get an accurate reading.
In my tank, the pH KH chart shows me a 100 ppm of C02, enough to kill my fish, shrimp etc. Yet I know the actual amount is 30 ppm.
There is a good measurement method, we can discuss later.
I think I need to stop here, and see what questions Mary has so far.
Regards,
Jay
