Re: [APD] CO2 and pH control

["David Grim" <grim1214 at bellsouth_net>]

Liz wrote:
>
>I have some questions about how true that really is, mostly because pH
>swings of more than 1.0 happen every time I do a water change and the fish
>don't fall over dead from it.  Extreme changes of pH -- 3 units or
>so -- appear to whack fish.  I've seen some people import apistogrammas and
>have a box of 50 die within days of dumping them from pH 5 to pH 8 water.
>However, I have some questions about how much of that is strictly pH and
how
>much arises from the change in osmotic pressure.
>
>I expect that eventually, as the myths go away, we will discover that the
>keeping fish was hampered by large amounts of information that was either
>wrong or very much overstated.  That's has been the case with orchids,
>another expensive, exotic hobby that was filled with misinformation for
>decades.
>

Your guess there is as good as mine. I am not a scientist. I am citing
published sources. Here is another article written by a Ph D. level Kentucky
State Aquaculture Specialist basically echoing what I previously cited:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/pH-Ammonia.htm

Is this specialist and the other hundreds of articles online saying the
exact same thing all spreading myth?

>
>As for ammonia toxicity and pH, what the heck would ammonia be doing in an
>established tank?
>

Hidden dead fish, too high a fishload, uneaten food, decaying plant
material, impaired biofilter, power outage. Any others?

>
>My own observation is that people worry too much about pH and fish.  I know
>discus breeders who have breeding pairs in tanks with pH running 7.8.  I
>wouldn't say pH has no impact, but I think it's iimpact is overstated in
>most instances and for most fish.
>

I agree in a tank kept clean with an adequately functioning biofilter,  but
to minimize the need to be aware of pH in a tank and it's relationship to
ammonia toxicity is careless.

A bare bottom breeder discus tank that has all the waste siphoned 3 x daily
and has a 50% water change every day is not a typical fish tank. A planted
tank has opportunities for ammonia spikes you will not find in a sterile
environment that is a breeder discus tank.  And find me a discus breeder
that doesn't pay attention to pH levels in their tanks, whether they be 6.0,
7.8, or whatever. Not too many of them, I am willing to bet.

Regards,
Dave






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