[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[APD] Diatom filter and Haze (resolved?)



Alright, I gave up on the haze and finally broke out the diatom filter. 
  I recall sometime back people talking about these things saying they 
might raise the pH because they'll extract CO2 from the water.  I wanted 
to find out for myself if it was true or not, so before I started it up 
I took a pH reading which was 6.8 (I have KH6).  That leaves my CO2 at 
about 28ppm.  I ran the diatom all night, from 4-8 pm when after the 
water was clear I took another reading.  pH this time was still 6.8.

The other thing I noticed about this process is, its a closed system. 
Whatever CO2 is removed from the water is put right back in, either by 
the diatom kind of 'burping' a fine mist back into the tank (which 
subsequently dissolves quite quickly), or just by the fact that the CO2 
held up in the diatom jar actual re-dissolves and goes back into the 
aquarium.  I don't know, either way I won't worry about using this thing 
in the future (which hopefully I won't have to).

Another thing I wanted to mention was that I bought another Nitrate kit 
to measure with more accurately.  It seems my other test was quite 
inaccurate.  The nitrate level is actually closer to 40ppm!  I stopped 
dosing for two days to see if it would come down on its own and it seems 
it hasn't, or at least it has only come down a small amount.  Another 
water change Friday will hopefully remedy this, resetting everything. 
I'm not sure, but I would have to say this could easily be contributing 
to an ongoing, but mild, bloom in the tank...no?  Also, could this 
really high level be contributing to the strange signals my plants were 
giving (very lightly colored, almost translucent and quite wavy tissue)?

So, for the moment at least, the haze is at bay and I'll be resetting 
everything this week.  I'll also have to re-evaluate the dosing...

Thanks to George, Scott and Jerry for their help and comments.

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