[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
No Subject
Kevin Schulte wrote:
> My question is that I constantly need to lower the PH and supliment Iron
> to everything. I have found a soil acidifier that works well for my garden.
> It analysis is S - 3.10%, Cu chelated 0.12%, Fe chelated 4.60% and Zn
> chelated 0.12%. I have previously add very small amount to the tank and
> imediatly saw a white precipitate. Does anyone know if I could add this
> on a regular basis without harming my fish.
Kevin,
Welcome to the plant hobby! If your 75 gallon tank has been set up for a
while (say a year or two) then you could very well make growing conditions
worse by taking it down and building in a "plant friendly" substrate.
Aged, fine gravel or coarse sand substrates are good for growing plants.
As to the pH problem, first it would be good to know what pH level you're
shooting for, and why. Plants (and a lot of fish) aren't all that
sensitive to pH. Plants often grow better at low pH because that implies
a better CO2 supply, not because they like the pH to be low.
Normally we use CO2 to get the pH down to reasonable levels. If your DIY
CO2 system isn't dropping your pH, then you first need to look for
problems there. With a 75 gallon tank you should probably be running 2 or
3 2-litre CO2 generators, or something with an equivalent volume of sugar
solution.
If you are producing enough CO2 then you need to make sure that it's
getting into the water. That means making sure you have a leak-free
system, that whatever you're using to get the CO2 dissolved is working
efficiently and that you don't have turbulence that allows the CO2 to
escape before the plants can get to it.
If you're getting enough CO2 and you're getting it all into the water then
finally you need to know the alkalinity of your water supply and check the
CO2-pH-Alkalinity charts or tables at thekrib. If the alkalinity of your
water supply is too high to get the pH down where you want it without
excess amounts of CO2, then you may need to do something to lower the
alkalinity. The safest way to do that is to mix your normal water supply
with a low-alkalinity water -- bottled RO water, for instance.
I can't recommend that you use a garden soil acidifier -- and certainly I
can't give any advise on it's use without knowing what (aside from
chelated metals) are actually in the product.
> I have a Silver Dallar in the tank, which I purchased in 1988. He has
> been through 6 moves with me. (going thru school) I take every
> precaution to keep him healthy.
Aren't Silver Dollars major plant eaters?
Roger Miller