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Re: CaCO3

> If the Carbo-Plus unit makes CO2 by decomposing calcium bicarbonate
> to CO2, water and calcium carbonate, then you will have to add the
> calcium bicarbonate, not the carbonate.  If you use CaCO3, the CO2
> produced will be used up in reacting with the CaCO3.  You can't win that
> way!  I mentioned before that one would either have to dissolve the
> CaCO3 _before_ it went in, or add (say) CaCl2 and NaHCO3.  This would
> have the disadvantage of introducing Cl- and Na+ ions, but should work.

Yep Paul's right about the CO2 being used up to make HCO3 from the CO3. Not
a good idea really:) Ca(HCO3)2 instead! A pain in the you know what though.
I'd go for the CaCL2 and the baking soda meself. That's extra work for CO2
though...........I'd still go with the gas if you got soft water. No way
around that issue. But it'd be easy enough to add the Ca and HCO3 once you
figured out how much an average to higher range would be decent. Plants do
not care about some extra GH and/or KH. But testing for KH will be needed
more often for awhile for CO2 readings and if the unit eats that KH then it
moves around......ugh. Can't simply watch pH for CO2 levels. KH usually does
not move except from the tap supply. Sure other thing can eat the KH but
this too?

Regards,
Tom Barr