Re: [APD] pH, KH, CO2 - Now I'm confused

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

The tests might be off a bit too. If you aren't adding any
CO2 and you have decent water current flow in your tank,
your water CO2 level at water should be at the equilibrium
level from air contact, which probably only a few ppm --
maybe 4 or 5 or even 7 ppm. If you're reading 10 or 12 or
15 ppm, then the reading is probably in error. Note that
small diffs in the test reading, especially the pH reading
can make a big diff in the CO2 value one gets from the
chart.


A nice target to shoot for if adding CO2 is 20 - 30 ppm.
ONce you see that your fish are not stressed, you can up it
until you're sure you're knockin on the door at 30 ppm. But
it's better to undershoot than overshoot when you're first
setting up.

sh
--- urville <urville at peoplepc_com> wrote:

> 
> i dont know about that optimal range. you should shoot
> for 30 ppm at your kh your ph should then be around 7.0
> especially with your lighting. thats an old chart. you'll
> want to fertilize too, with that much light you need co2
> and how...
> ian
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scott Reed <sareedco at comcast_net>
> Sent: Sep 29, 2005 4:17 PM
> To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
> Subject: [APD] pH, KH, CO2 - Now I'm confused
> 
> I am new to this list, and new to CO2 systems, but not
> that new to
> aquatic plants.  I have tried several times to have a
> nice planted
> aquarium, but have always ended up with a fine crop of
> green hair algae
> after a few months.  Now I have purchased a CO2 system,
> which I am just
> starting up today.  Here are the vital statistics:
>  
> Tank: Oceanic 125 gal (72x18x22)
> Lighting:  320 Watts VHO fluorescent on IceCap 660
> ballast, URI Aquasun
> bulbs
> Plants:  Red Rubin Sword, "Kleiner Bar" Sword, "Compacta"
> Amazon Sword,
> Anacharis, Crypt Balansae, Crypt Willisi, Hairgrass
> pH:  7.4 (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Test, before addition
> of CO2)
> KH: 9 (Tetra Test, before addition of CO2)
> Temp: 77
> Fish:  Various Rainbows, Clown Loaches, Siamensis
> New CO2 system:  Dave Gomberg system with needle valve,
> just started
> today, set to 2 bubbles/sec right now
>  
> My confusion comes from this:  With my pH and KH values,
> and the charts
> given here: 
> 
>  
> My CO2 level before adding additional CO2 should be
> between 10 and 15
> ppm or between 9 and 12 mg/l (it's hard to tell what the
> units are for
> the first chart, but the text refers to ppm, so that is
> my assumption)
> taking into account the resolution of the tests and the
> charts. (It
> could even be higher, if the pH is really closer to 7.2
> than 7.4) This
> is at the low end of the optimal range, but still in it,
> yet the only
> thing I grew really successfully was algae.  I tried to
> test the CO2
> level with a Red Sea CO2 test, but got no color change
> after 25 drops
> and gave up, since I knew the CO2 could not be 50! (The
> test kit was
> old, so that may be the problem)
>  
> My question is this, am I going to see a difference in
> plant growth with
> the addition of CO2 even though I was within the optimal
> range without
> it?  Will the addition of CO2 inhibit the algae growth?
>  
> I realize I should probably wait and see what happens
> with the plants,
> but I was surprised to see that things should have been
> ok without
> additional CO2.  My confusion comes from the fact that
> things were not
> ok, based on the fine hair algae crop.
>  
> Thanks for the help!
> Scott Reed
> _______________________________________________
> Aquatic-Plants mailing list
> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> PeoplePC Online
> A better way to Internet
> http://www.peoplepc.com
> _______________________________________________
> Aquatic-Plants mailing list
> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants
> 

_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants