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[APD] RE: PMDD



> Ok, as nervous as I am going along dosing these things without knowing
what
> they're doing (not that I don't trust your advice, I don't trust my
> inexperience), I'll follow along the numbers and make sure I don't go
> overboard.

As long as you don't mistake KNO3 for Traces/MgSO4 etc you are fine.

> Ok, a small addition of salts helped raise the GH up to 4, KH is still at
4
> and I'll shoot to get the pH down lower to get the 30ppm CO2.  I've
> increased the bubble rate of CO2 from about 1/s to 2/s and will test CO2
(by
> means of PH and KH) tonight, tomorrow morning and tomorrow night to make
> sure the level has come up.  Of course I'll continue to test regularly,
but
> what intervals will testing need to be done?

Weekly or when ever the tank looks like it's not pearling like it should
the last few hours of the day.
Anytime anything seems wrong.

  I normally test these things
> around water changes and about mid-week to be sure everything is going
> smoothly.  Lately I've been a bit obsessed with testing trying to see
_some_
> change since I've been adding the ferts, but we've gone over that.  I
don't
> have any source of Calcium in the various ferts I have, I'm assuming it's
> important and will look into some sources to help keep that up.  I recall
a
> post about Ca/Mg ratios recently, I'll see if I can't get that result
> somehow.

At a GH of 2, you are pretty low.

> Alright, as said above I'm going to take more frequent tests of pH and KH
to
> be sure of the various levels of CO2.

I think you will find that process helpful.

> > GH, low Mg unless you have been adding it with the PMDD mix.
> I haven't because it's in the mix (1.5% Magnesium (cheleted)).
> My tap water reads 2 GH and I was using salts before to keep it up, this
> went sour when I noticed my GH had risen to almost 30 degrees.
> Since then I've done water changes without the salts to help lower the GH,
> it's now at 4 degrees and I will try to keep it that way around water
> changes.

4 degrees is fine.

> Wait, I want NO3 at 10ppm?  I did a test just before doing the water
change
> and it read 4ppm (it's aquarium pharmaceuticals, not great). 

I do not trust those kits.

 So what you're
> saying is do another water change and add in some KNO3 to raise the NO3 to
> 10ppm?  

Yes, this way you will know that the water will have an extra 10ppm added
even if your kit is wrong. So you should read 12ppm if the tap water is NO3
free. 
10ppm will last 3 days or so perhaps longer if you have more fish/less
light. 

Up to now I've only been adding the trace mix in an effort to do one
> thing at a time before adding in other variables.  You say I should
> immediately start adding in K2SO4 now, but not without considering the K
in
> KNO3 along with the NO3? 

I don't think the high K+ is going to cause any issues, so you can add it
if you want or stick with the KNO3 alone. 
Unless you have a fair amount of fish, high NO3 in the tap water, you
likely only need to add KNO3 to supply an excess of K+.

 Should I start the K2SO4 and try to keep the NO3
> levels around 5ppm?  

You can if you want, cut the dosage in 1/2 and add 2x as frequently.

or should I start the K2SO4 _and_ KNO3 and watch the
> nitrate level, or something else?  I'm confused on this point.

Watch the NO3, but not with that NO3 kit:-)

> Ok, based on this I should add in 5mls of the trace mix, and a ratio of
> K2SO4/KNO3 per day while doing weekly 50% water changes.

You only would need to add the K2SO4 after the water change only, not daily
etc. KNO3, traces, PO4 yes.
GH/K+ can be added weekly after water change. 
  
> Thanks,
> Dave T.



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