I know, it's yet another CO2 question but I cannot find the answer!
Set up pressurised CO2 about 3 weeks ago and although I am still adjusting bps and switch on and off times it appears to be working fairly well.
Normal tank water before CO2 was pH 8.0 or even up to 8.2 - hard water, Bedfordshire.
Since adding CO2 pH is never higher than 7.8 and the last 2 days has been 7.5 in the morning even though I have an air stone running between 1-4am. Nothing else has changed in the tank.
As I have very hard water I was not expecting the pH to drop very much but it has been down to 6.9 with the gas on.
Should I be looking for a pH drop of approx 1.0 based on pH 8.0 or a drop to about 6.5 based on the "new" tank pH of 7.5?
I suspect I do not have enough CO2 in the tank but the effects on the plants are good, clean growth and the fish are fine but like most beginners I am twitchy about over doing the gas!
Hope someone can point me in the right direction - many thanks.
Set up pressurised CO2 about 3 weeks ago and although I am still adjusting bps and switch on and off times it appears to be working fairly well.
Normal tank water before CO2 was pH 8.0 or even up to 8.2 - hard water, Bedfordshire.
Since adding CO2 pH is never higher than 7.8 and the last 2 days has been 7.5 in the morning even though I have an air stone running between 1-4am. Nothing else has changed in the tank.
As I have very hard water I was not expecting the pH to drop very much but it has been down to 6.9 with the gas on.
Should I be looking for a pH drop of approx 1.0 based on pH 8.0 or a drop to about 6.5 based on the "new" tank pH of 7.5?
I suspect I do not have enough CO2 in the tank but the effects on the plants are good, clean growth and the fish are fine but like most beginners I am twitchy about over doing the gas!
Hope someone can point me in the right direction - many thanks.
Just keep an eye on your drop checker, you're aiming of lime green with 4dkH solution at, or soon after, lights on...and then all the way to the end of the photoperiod...