Aquasoil and providing CO2?

[Mitchel]

Hi all.
I bought a bag of aquasoil and it says the following:
'Reduced and stabilized pH on 6 provides sufficient CO2 for excellent plant growth'

I understand that it brings the pH down. But here it is said that it also provides sufficient CO2.
Am I missing something here? Where does that CO2 come from, or is this just smart marketing?

cheers, Mitch

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

understand that it brings the pH down. But here it is said that it also provides sufficient CO2.
Am I missing something here? Where does that CO2 come from, or is this just smart marketing?

It is smart marketing, the "extra" CO2 comes because as the pH lowers more of the Total (Dissolved) Inorganic Carbon T(D)IC becomes gaseous CO2, rather than as the bicarbonate ion (HCO3-)*. Even that isn't really right and * @Andy Pierce & @hax47 have the <"proper explanation"> here: <"CO2 relationship to KH">

<"It is actually an equilibrium">, so you could just as easily say more of the TIC becomes CO2 (with a very small fraction becoming H2CO2 and disassociating into a proton ( H+) and a bicarbonate ion HCO3- ion) and then the pH falls. The extra H+ ions (protons) are the reason for the fall in pH, because acids are <"proton donors">.

cheers Darrel