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Oh not going below 7.2

Joined
21 Oct 2018
Messages
240
Location
Yorkshire
My degassed tank water is about 8 pH, I cannot seem to get it below 7.2 no matter how little my surface agitation is, I'm using the aquario neo acrylic diffuser. Co2 on 3 hrs before lights, lights start at low intensity and build up over 2 hrs. I have hard water could it be the buffering effect?
 
This could work depending on light levels. A more efficient reactor/diffusor could improve this.
There are discussions going about the buffering effect, i believe it is there, other say the effects are very little.
But a .8 drop could work ( again depending on light levels)
 
My degrassed water is about 8.5ph and getting the full one unit pH drop does take some doing on a 500L tank but I do have Twin CO2 injectors and reactors and a very high/insane injection rate.
But like @Jayefc1 says it needs to be stable from lights on till CO2.

As does hard water use more CO2 compared to the same [CO2] as soft water it feels like it does but the experts says it makes little to no difference as Ed says
 
Does it stay at 7.2 all the way through the light period
Ive adjusted the co2 on time from 2hrs before lights on to 3 hrs before lights on. Co2 on 13:00 - lights on 16:00. I've also added an extra bubble per second which I know isn't a real figure. ATM I'm getting 7.4/7.3 at lights on (16:00) I've just checked now at co2 off (22:00) and it's actually got to 7.04 pH which is a good target but I need that at lights on. I've tried next to no surface agitation. I have around 1400 lph flow on a 125ltr tank. 81*30*450. light is 1 fluval 2.0. I suffer BBA I'm assuming because the co2 is not at target for lights on? I'm finding my plants grow very slowly and older growth gets bba, browning,yellowing stops growth, small leaf growth etc.... Am I right in thinking it's low and fluctuating co2? Remedy more gas? I would agree with Zeus that I think it does take more co2 for harder water.
 
I do find it drops a little more later in the photoperiod and plants pearl more half way to 3/4 way through lighting period
 
As does hard water use more CO2 compared to the same [CO2] as soft water it feels like it does but the experts says it makes little to no difference as Ed says[/QUOTE]

My LFS uses 3/4 RO to 1/4 hard tap water and he has about 2 bubbles per second everything cushty so either hard water has a drastic effect or some serious secret behind it all guess I'm a little scared to use up the gas so quick. My drop checker has turned almost yellow tonight at the end of the photoeriod so I'm not achieving a high enough gas rate Vs oxygen exchange to create equilibrium? I've got a surface skimmer coming tomorrow as I get an oily surface from probably unhealthy plants so I'm hoping I can up the gas and the surface skimmer mix everything up abit more to get that equilibrium
 
Am I right in thinking it's low and fluctuating co2?

Fluctuating yes imo mine stays within 0.1 pH from lights on till CO2 off, yours is 0.25 to 0.35 drop.

Stable is more important than the drop.

Getting a stable pH is hard esp with a single injection IMO/IME but having twin injectors and a PLC to control them does make it easier.
 
So I've turnt the gas up, I'm more towards my target of 7ph but the drop checker is yellow.... But the fish are not gasping so I assume that my surface movement and I've just installed a surface skimmer should be oxygenating the water at the same time?
 
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