• 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

My pH profile

pepedopolous said:
Hopefully the pH will drop faster and then flatten out due to degassing.
Click to expand...
Won't you need to measure the KH also accurately before you can determine CO2 amounts in the tank? by just measuring PH is not enough on its own! Correct me if I am wrong!
 
KH is 2.8.

I'm not trying to measure an exact level of Co2 in PPM. I am trying to work out the Trend, so I can make it more constant throughout the day.
 
Paulo,

You measure the change in pH during the time CO2 is on. Any other factors are unlikely to cause a significant change in pH during this time.

You aim for a ~ 1 unit drop in pH before lights on. From this point onwards de-gassing means the pH doesn't drop much further and you can have the CO2 on for as long as you need it. Livestock is unharmed and pearling happens very rapidly.

Of course all this absolutely depends on good surface agitation.

P
 
This is my pH profile, after creating surface agitation, and increasing the bubble rate:

mikodg.jpg


Co2 ON: 1200
Lights ON: 1400

Co2 OFF: 2030
Lights OFF: 2230
 

Attachments

  • mikodg.jpg
    mikodg.jpg
    27.4 KB · Views: 82
There is a decent amount of pearling. I guess it starts around 4 pm (?) So around 2 hours after lights on.

Should I have the Co2 come on an hour earlier, so it reaches its peak (6.4) by the time the lights come on?
 
Sacha said:
There is a decent amount of pearling. I guess it starts around 4 pm (?) So around 2 hours after lights on.
Should I have the Co2 come on an hour earlier, so it reaches its peak (6.4) by the time the lights come on?
Click to expand...

I have the CO2 turn on three hours before lights on (and they take an hour to ramp up...). I think the pearling is a good sign. What about the plant growth?

P
 
I'm getting good growth, but not as fast since I've decreased the photoperiod from 10 hours to 8.5.
 
Sacha,
That looks terrible. It takes 5 hours to drop the pH by 0.8 units? Not good, generally....

Cheers,
 
What do you suggest I do?

Using an inline atomizer with great circulation. Shall I increase the bubble rate even more?
 
Yes, but don't vaporize your fish in the process. If the levels rise too much then just turn the gas off a few hours earlier.

Cheers,
 
It seems counter- productive for me to create so much surface agitation, because it is meaning I am having to increase my bubble rate nearly 3x. Seems a waste of gas?
 
Reduce the level of agitation. You ahve to play with all of these factors to flatten out the curve so that it approximates what you see in plantbrains post.

Cheers,
 
So, I'm still trying to get the optimum pH profile....

Tell me what you think.

sqh9q0.jpg


pH drops from 7 to 6.5 in the first two hours of the Co2 being on. Isn't that a lot better?
 

Attachments

  • sqh9q0.jpg
    sqh9q0.jpg
    27.3 KB · Views: 87
I appreciate all your patience and input on this thread. So we have established my profile is still terrible. The question is what do I do next? I'm not sure what more I can do without gassing my fish. I have no idea how one achieves such a steep slope as in Plantbrain's post.
 
Are you using too much aeration?
Are you seeing distress in the fish when you increase the injection rate?
Are you sure that your KH is only around 3?
What is your distribution scheme and exactly haw is the gas being dissolved?

You have to get to the nitty-gritty. Each detail has an impact and must be investigated further.
If I were standing next to the tank it would be easier, but I'm forced to use only my imagination from hundreds of kilometers away. Got any images?

Cheers,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top