Re: [APD] Question buffers

[Holly Wagner <holly5dogs at yahoo_com>]

I want thank all of you who helped me today regarding buffers.  I had a big DUH moment.  Of course it would add postassium to the tank and most likely encourage algae.  I tested my hardness today and found something that one list member described.  My carbonate hardness is near zero according to my test kit and general hardness is 180, which is as high as my test goes.  Is this possible?  Have I misinterpreted the test results, perhaps?  I tested several times and came up with the same results in each test.  
   
  Holly, who needs an RO unit

Jerry Baker <jerry at bakerweb_biz> wrote:
  Holly Wagner wrote:
> Hi, I have recently set up a 55 gal. tank and the plants arrive in the coming week. I was considering using a buffer that would keep my tank at either 6.5 or 7.0, depending on what type of fish I decide to add later. Big Al's online notes beside some brands "not for planted tank." Does anyone know why? I'm just curious.

Because they use phosphates as the buffering agent. Unless you want an 
algae farm, they shouldn't be used. I think it's important to add here 
that pH doesn't matter and people get tripped up paying too much 
attention to pH. The amount of dissolved solids in your water is much 
more important, but doesn't provide very many marketing opportunities. 
Just avoid rapid, large changes to the hardness of your tank's water and 
the fish and plants will be fine.

-- 
Jerry Baker
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