aaron.c
Member
Wow! That is expensive, I was looking at http://www.hannainstruments.co.uk/ph/pocket-phep4-water-resistant-ph-tester.html
Our tap water is less than 10ppm caco3
Our tap water is less than 10ppm caco3
-
You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up
CO2 Balancing Act Driving Me Mad
- Thread starter aaron.c
- Start date
No sorry not got a pH pen, as to get a proper one is too much for any benefit I would get, as I currently get green/yellow drop checker all over my tank. I was aware, from reading instructions, that in low KH/GH regions, pH pens are not accurate.
Brief explanation why here.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/does-low-kh-cause-issues-with-plant-growth.39805/#post-432335
aaron.c
Member
Thanks Ian. How do you factor in the delay with the drop checker? Do you just aim for green 1 after lights on or something? Thanks
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
aaron.c
Member
You need to aim for green drop checker, when positioned anywhere in the tank, at lights on. I turn my CO2 on 2 hours before lights on.
It should not be like this....
, though fish don't seem to mind, especially if you have been aerating your tank before CO2 on.Does take a lot of patience and fiddling to get it right. When starting I had CO2 issues, in that, BBA appeared on some plants whilst others were fine. Placing the drop checker, that was nicely green when at top of tank, amongst the plants the drop checker stayed blue. Adding a 3200l/hr power head, suitable positioned, fixed that CO2 issue and my drop checker is now green where ever I place it in the tank. I have my power head on from 2pm CO2 on time until 7pm.
I have also found CO2 levels is very very dependant on spray bar angle. Spray angled down and I get a yellow drop checker, spray up (giving surface ripple) and I get a blue drop checker. Currently my drop checker is on blue side of green after spray bar fiddling this weekend. Leaving as is for the moment as I am away and tank is "turned down", 1/2 light level, 1/2 time on, 1/2 ferts etc as tank will have to run for next couple of weeks by itself.
My last 2KG FE lasted 200 days on 180l tank @ 8 hours a day. So that's 2000/200/180/8 -> 0.007gr CO2 per litre per hour I am using. See what value you are getting ?
Wisey
Member
- Joined
- 19 Jul 2014
- Messages
- 1,062
At the moment I don't intend to order anything as I know that none of them will work in my tap water. If I did order one though, I would get the first one that I listed, the 98129 version as it does TDS as well. I figure if I am spending a decent chunk of cash in the first place, I might as well spend a little more and get that one. At the moment though I have a rescape and a wedding in August to pay for!
I'll see how I get on with my new regulator and running my tile at a higher intensity. Before the reg issues I didn't have a problem getting the DC to be lime green and staying lime green through the photoperiod, I just had a problem with growth. Mick from Tropica looked at pictures of my plants last year and stated it was lack of light, so now I have CO2 (although not consistent until the new reg arrives) and higher light and I am starting to see growth, I hope I can be like Ian and just observe and use the DC. Agree its annoying the delay though, if I had harder water I would have the high quality PH Pen and do the profile etc.
I'll see how I get on with my new regulator and running my tile at a higher intensity. Before the reg issues I didn't have a problem getting the DC to be lime green and staying lime green through the photoperiod, I just had a problem with growth. Mick from Tropica looked at pictures of my plants last year and stated it was lack of light, so now I have CO2 (although not consistent until the new reg arrives) and higher light and I am starting to see growth, I hope I can be like Ian and just observe and use the DC. Agree its annoying the delay though, if I had harder water I would have the high quality PH Pen and do the profile etc.
aaron.c
Member
Ok guys, thanks for all the advice. Good idea Wisey - it's probably not worth dropping a 100 quid on a PH pen and then calibration solutions.
I will try with the drop checkers.
I will probably just raise it to limit where fish show distress, and then slowly creep it down over a couple of days, while looking for the dark green checker.
I will try with the drop checkers.
I will probably just raise it to limit where fish show distress, and then slowly creep it down over a couple of days, while looking for the dark green checker.
Wisey
Member
- Joined
- 19 Jul 2014
- Messages
- 1,062
Just make sure you move around the DC to lower levels and near plants that have higher CO2 requirements, make sure you are getting it where you need it. My noob mistake when I first setup my aquarium last year was to buy one of the ones that hooks over the top of the glass rim. Looks lovely, but turns green and stays green whatever the CO2 was as it reads so close to the surface! Buying one that went lower down and near the substrate showed that I only had a blue\green level where I really needed it.
Hi all,
I don't use CO2, but I have soft water (rain water) and pH just isn't a very useful measurement in low TDS water. Conductivity (TDS) is measurable with a relatively cheap meter, but it doesn't really help with CO2 measurement.
Cheers Darrel
It is like Xim says, it is because of the CO2 ~ HCO3- equilibrium. If you have any dKH, at 400ppm atmospheric CO2, the waters pH will be ~pH8, because of HCO3- ions in equilibrium with dissolved CO2.
I don't use CO2, but I have soft water (rain water) and pH just isn't a very useful measurement in low TDS water. Conductivity (TDS) is measurable with a relatively cheap meter, but it doesn't really help with CO2 measurement.
Cheers Darrel
