Hi Paul,Hmmm, co2 levels. When you ask how PH tracks through the photoperiod, I suppose you mean solely as measured by the drop checker? I'm not measuring it any other way.
In order to properly track a dynamic pH you'll really need to use a pH probe and record the data every half hour or so. The DC is just too slow and clunky to give you accurate data. Getting accurate pH readings will help you to assess the behavior of the gas. It may be, for example, that the pH reaches it's minimum (CO2 at it's max concentration) farther into the day than is optimal. So this will tell you that the gas should turn on earlier and can be shut off earlier. The instantaneous reading of the probe also can more accurately illustrate the effects of your surface agitation.
Possibly. Another possibility is that if these were planted in the substrate then disturbing the substrate could also have kicked up ammonia. If you didn't do a water change straight afterwards that could have triggered it. It's very difficult to isolate the exact cause, so one has to assume all the known causes and fix each possible cause. Water changes as well as getting the CO2 right will address both possibilities.Or it could be an ammonia spike. I put in some new plants a month ago and didn't trim off all damaged material. As these parts decayed could they have caused such a spike?
Correct!Taking a step back (figuratively as well as literally), it's evident that there's now probably four times as much plant mass in there as in those healthy, early weeks. Maybe more. And more plant mass will need more co2
Good, but get a quality probe so you can fix your gas on timing.So I've tweaked up the co2 injection rate.
Cheers,