re: Nitric Acid as pH reducer

To: Aquatic plants list <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
Subject: re: Nitric Acid as pH reducer
From: Cynthia Powers <cyn at metronet_com>
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 17:18:02 -0600 (CST)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: psears at emr1_NRCan.gc.ca (Paul Sears)
Message-Id: <9702241413.AA11517@emr1.emr.ca>
Subject: Re: Nitric acid as pH reducer
To: Aquatic-Plants at ActWin_com
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 09:13:22 -0500 (EST)

> From: Paul Nicholson <paul at eisusa_com>
> Subject: Nitric Acid as pH reducer?
> 
> The water here in California is alkaline. What about using HNO3 to reduce
> the pH? Obviuosly, one has to be careful to limit the NO3 content to safe
> levels for the fish. Also, what subsequent effect will utilization of the
> NO3 by the plants have on the pH.

	If the water is at all hard, using nitric acid to reduce the KH,
and thus the pH, will result in pretty high nitrate levels.  If you
wanted to reduce the KH by 200 ppm CaCO3 equivalent, you would put
124 ppm of nitrate in there. 
	The effect on the pH of usage of nutrients by plants will depend
on the ratio of different ions used.  I have wondered about this too, but
have no answers.  If you have very much KH there, you are not likely to
see the effects, if you do the occasional water change.


-- 
Paul Sears        Ottawa, Canada

Finger ap626 at freenet_carleton.ca for PGP public key.