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Re: Profile



Chuck wrote:

Weird mystery, Wayne.  I once acid washed some coarse sand to rid it of
shell bits and had an experience similar to what you're describing --
despite heavy and multiple rinsing, the sand leached the acid which then
ate up the buffer and crashed the pH.  Also, carbon is activated (made
porous) by acid washing.  Perhaps Profile is handled in the same way to
increase it's absorptive characteristic.  Have you tried purchasing a
new
bag of Profile and soaking some in a bucket to see if you get the same
behavior?  Maybe you just have a screwy batch of Profile in your tank.

The only other thing I can think of that might cause a similar effect is
excess nitrification.  I've not experienced it personally, but I've read
that this phenomenon can cause a tank to go acid.

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The idea that it has been washed in nitric acid occurred to me but I
don't think that explains the strange pH readings. Aeration should not
lower the pH in a CO2 injected tank. I do not have fish in the tank nor
have I added any source of nitrate. If I take a sample of dry Profile
and put it in a test tube with some water and give it a shake, when I
test the water I get a nitrate reading right away. I just pulled up a
couple of stem plants and they are developing roots as normal so I guess
maybe all this doesn't matter. I am going to crank up the CO2 a bit and
see what happens. I won't be buying any Profile in the future.

Wayne