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Re: Back to wonder water
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 24 Jun 96 11:30:05 cst
From: mark.fisher at tpwd_state.tx.us
To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Back to wonder water
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, I had a similar experience with
pearling after a water change, and I traced it back to CO2. Before a
water change I had 0-1 ppm CO2, and afterwards I had 4-5 ppm
(according to my LaMotte test kit). I did not measure pH. The CO2
would drop to 0-1 ppm in 2-3 days, and the plants would stop pearling.
Now, I add CO2 into my Eheim canister from a DIY 20# cylinder (to 15
ppm CO2) and my plants start to bubble about an hour after the lights
come on every day, regardless of a water change.
I believe CO2 becomes depleted within a few days after your water
change and becomes rate-limiting, even though you add CO2. I would
like to read a description of your CO2 injection method (are you
bubbling into a power head or canister, or into an airstone?) Even
better, I would like to see readings from a CO2 test kit. They aren't
expensive, if you don't have one.