Re: [APD] KH with no CO2

[Vaughn Hopkins <hoppycalif at yahoo_com>]

Thank you Scott, Liz and Dave.  I'm still puzzled by the rate at which 
the KH drops.  Yesterday I added about a half teaspoon of baking soda, 
waited an hour and the KH was about 3 degrees.  This morning it was 
barely 1 degree.  So, I added another half teaspoon of baking soda.  I 
dissolve the baking soda in a little water before adding it.  I would 
swear the plants are consuming the bicarbonate ions.  And, the lack of 
CO2 is starting to catch up with me - a bit of green hairlike algae has 
started on the microswords.  I should have the CO2 going in a day or 
two though.  So, I will plan to remove all the algae I see when I do 
the water change Sunday.  I feel like a mad scientist doing all of this 
  (no, I haven't met Tom Barr!)

Vaughn H.

On Wednesday, December 14, 2005, at 03:17 PM, S. Hieber wrote:

> IUf you are doing 50% weekly water changes, you should do
> fine adjusting the KH after/along with the water change.
>
> Scott H.
>
> --- Vaughn Hopkins <hoppycalif at yahoo_com> wrote:
>
>> I set up a 29 gallon tank a couple of weeks ago, with
>> water sprite,
>> Hygrophilia Difformis, microswords, java moss, java fern,
>> some
>> ludwigia, etc., but no CO2, because I still haven't
>> received the bottle
>> I ordered on ebay.  I have 51 watts of T8 fluorescent
>> tubes, Fluval 104
>> filter using a spray bar at one end and an extended inlet
>> at the other
>> end.  The plants are mostly growing now, very slowly, but
>> growing.  I
>> have been fertilizing using Gregg's chemicals, somewhat
>> less than if I
>> had CO2.  And, I changed 50% of the water after a week.
>> Today I got a
>> KH test kit.  The water is less than 1 degree KH
>> hardness, but 13
>> degrees GH.  So, I checked the tap water for KH and it is
>> 3 degrees.
>>
>> Now, my question is:  are the plants growing by utilizing
>> carbonates
>> for their carbon, thus depleting it?  And, when I add CO2
>> will that
>> depletion continue, or will the plants just use the CO2?
>> I am trying
>> to slowly bring the tank water to at least 4 degrees KH
>> hardness before
>> I get the CO2 going.
>>
>> Next question:  Assuming the plants will deplete
>> carbonates, what kind
>> of schedule of baking soda addition would be appropriate?
>>  I tried
>> looking this up, but am just too lazy to stick to it.
>>
>> Oh, and I just moved in 6 cory cats and 6 silver tip
>> tetras - they will
>> have open  house next week and everyone is invited!
>>
>> Vaughn H.
>>
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>
>
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