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Assistance interpreting PH profile

Kezzab

Kezzab

Member
Joined
18 Jan 2016
Messages
1,490
Location
Carlisle
Hi,

In anticipation of trying a rescape in the new year using a new higher power light i'm experimenting with trying to get the CO2 more 'on point' with the current scape. This is my larger tank, 90x45x45 with sump. Co2 pipe feeds direct into the return pump inlet.

Using a Ph pen i've been taking a profile over the past few days and adjusting in response. The profile from yesterday is below. I also have a drop checker, at lights on it is light lime green in another hour-ish it is yellow and stays that way. Fish behaviour is completely normal, moving around the tank happily feeding etc etc. I dont know the KH of my water, but it is very soft out the tap (40 on the TDS meter) and settles at about 150 in the tank.

Am i overdoing it with the injection rate, either in the sense that it's risky or that i'm just wasting gas for no additional benefit? Or is this high rate OK and it's not casuingthe fish stress because of the sump maybe?

Getting slighting confused. :)

ph profile.png
 
If I was planning a new scape I would aim for yellow so optimum [CO2] whilst plants fill in.
Taking the pH every 15mins before lights on will give a better idea of how the pH is decreasing just before lights on which will help intemperate the uptake/loss of CO2 in the tank pre lights IMO.
You pH flattens off great after a couple of hours after lights on - which suggest your injection rate is good IMO so dont change it again. ( Is this the tank with the changing BPS rate?) I would adjust the CO2 on time to 15 - 30 mins earlier and do pH profile again. You could always compensate for this by having CO2 off time 30 mins earlier also - as @ceg4048 points out after 4-5hrs of light the plants have had their fill of CO2
But a higher power light will mean the profile will need doing again
 
Cheers @Zeus, appreciate the input this evening :)
This is not the tank with the BPS issue (that's on my wee nano).
I'll do as you suggest with the Co2 start time and measuring the drop more frequently to lights on.

With the new scape and lights i will do this all again, i'm just trying to get familiar with the process. I've been a bit slapdash with my approach to Co2 to date.

K
 
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