Hi all,
this is my first post after recently joining the ukaps forum. I joined as im in the process of setting up my first real attempt at a planted aquascape and was looking for good advice!
I have confused myself about KH and its importance, and although i know it helps keep a stable ph, have found much information stating it is also necessary in maintaining healthy bacterial growth in filters and trace elements vital for plant growth. However, i have used ada aquasoil amazonia as my substrate (along with powersand special m and penac p) and in the ADA publications it states that aquasoil amazonia reduces not only the ph, but lowers kh to less than 1dkh, which i thought to bee too low - ph crashes etc. My tap water has a kh of less than 2dkh anyway and ive always struggled with increasing it without increasing my ph too much also (tap water ph 7-7.5). I will be adding pressurised c02 also and am worried about ph crashes. Do i need to worry as much as im becoming a little obsessed! Basically i have 3 questions:
1. should i increse my kh while cycling the tank to ensure proper bacterial colonisation?
2. should i continue to buffer my kh long term to ensure a healthy running tank or will regular weekly 45% water changes ensure a stable ph and provide whatever else the filter bacteria need (except fish wastes etc)?
3. what role, if any, other than ph stability does kh play?
The scape will be planted with mainly crypts, hairgrass, moss, ferns, pogostemon halferi and hygrophilia pinitafida. Ill be fertilising with tpn and tpn+ further down the line if necessary.
Any sound ( and not too confusing) advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Adrian.
this is my first post after recently joining the ukaps forum. I joined as im in the process of setting up my first real attempt at a planted aquascape and was looking for good advice!
I have confused myself about KH and its importance, and although i know it helps keep a stable ph, have found much information stating it is also necessary in maintaining healthy bacterial growth in filters and trace elements vital for plant growth. However, i have used ada aquasoil amazonia as my substrate (along with powersand special m and penac p) and in the ADA publications it states that aquasoil amazonia reduces not only the ph, but lowers kh to less than 1dkh, which i thought to bee too low - ph crashes etc. My tap water has a kh of less than 2dkh anyway and ive always struggled with increasing it without increasing my ph too much also (tap water ph 7-7.5). I will be adding pressurised c02 also and am worried about ph crashes. Do i need to worry as much as im becoming a little obsessed! Basically i have 3 questions:
1. should i increse my kh while cycling the tank to ensure proper bacterial colonisation?
2. should i continue to buffer my kh long term to ensure a healthy running tank or will regular weekly 45% water changes ensure a stable ph and provide whatever else the filter bacteria need (except fish wastes etc)?
3. what role, if any, other than ph stability does kh play?
The scape will be planted with mainly crypts, hairgrass, moss, ferns, pogostemon halferi and hygrophilia pinitafida. Ill be fertilising with tpn and tpn+ further down the line if necessary.
Any sound ( and not too confusing) advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Adrian.