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Are you injecting CO2?
What plants do you keep?
Do you have a driftwood?
Do you add peat, blackwater extract?
BC
I've been trying to increase my KH value using baking soda for my 55 litres tank for 5 days! Everyday, about 1/4 teaspoon to increase by 1KH? However, to date, my tank KH still remain at 0KH. Have tried changing 1/3 of the water, and put 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. After some hrs, it went up to 2KH. But the next day, it went back to 0KH again! Tried 1/4 teaspoon again but value still remain zero after several hours from the dose.
What's wrong? Is my dosage correct? Anything in my tank that could change my KH back to zero? PH value is either 6 or below, out of the range for my PH measurement.
Are you injecting CO2?
What plants do you keep?
Do you have a driftwood?
Do you add peat, blackwater extract?
BC
My CO2 is the tank type control by solenoid. Yes, I've driftwood, but never add any peat or blackwater extact except the usual liquid fertilization.
Plants I keep include mini Nanas & riccia, Glosso, Micranthemum micranthemoides, Micranthemum umbrosum, Hygrophila corymbosa, Mayaca fluviatilis, Rotala Macrandra, Rotala Wallichi, Najas Indica, Ludwigia palustris, Cryptocorynes, hairgrass, java moss and fern, Tonina sp, and several others unidentified plants.
2 possibilities:
KH being used up by plants... usually happens when CO2 is insufficient.
KH being neutralised by tanic acid released by the driftwood.
You can try add more bi-carbonate instead.
BC
I've tried dosing more sodium bi-carbonate today, about 1/2 teaspoon. After 2 hrs, KH went up to 2.But now, everything is back again to 0, and PH is 6 or less.[
] Seems like my fish is showing sign of stress? The grills getting rather red with the KH going up and down.
My CO2 rate is 1 bps. With increase of water hardness, does the rate of CO2 consumption also increase? Last time used to bubble a lot with lesser CO2 rate, but now bubbling has reduced and some sign of algae growth are showing.
I'm a bit worry about overdosing since I'm not sure what will happen to the excessive sodium? Does anyone knows how long does it take for my driftwood to stop producing tanic acid? I'm thinking of stop dosing till my driftwood is neutralised.
My Neon fish are doing well with 0 KH even though the PH is 6 or lower. So would like to know any adverse effect if I do not harden my water?
The Na is not going to harm anything.
Can try upping to 1 tsp.
The danger of 0KH is pH crash.
BC
Hi, I had the same problem too. after sometime, i gave up on the sodium bicorbonate and switched to sera khplus and managed to raise the kh this way.
Thanks all for your suggestions. Increased CO2 rate to 1.5 bps, add in 1 tsp, KH finally stay at 2KH after a day. Will continue to monitor and consider sera KHplus if problem still can't be solved.
At this point, trying keeping up the CO2. If you desire, you can up the KH to 3 and maintain the pH at 6.5 by adjusting the CO2 bubbling. That will give you a good CO2 level for your plants. The plants should stop consuming KH.
Monitor the KH and pH regularly until tank stabilises and you get the hang of things.
IMO, KH up stuff may not be neccessary. The differemce is that some KH up mixture contain CO3-- in addition to HCO3-. In the neutral to slight acidic condition, most CO3-- will turn into HCO3- anyway.
BC
Sorry, don't quite understand. Isn't it better for CO3 to be used to fixed more free H ions and form HCO3, thus having more capability to reduce the H ions in the water to maintain its water hardness? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks anyway, BC.[]
Yes. They may appear to be better. But, IMO, it don't really justify for the extra $$.
BC
if you find that the nahco3 (basically also what is contained in kH powders, don't bother with those) isn't raising your kH, try adding marble/coral chips in your filter
anyway, don't worry about your kH
my kH consistently sticks around 0, no issues
the thing that i'm more worrying about is your fluctuating values
before your fish can adapt, they kena bombarded again
just leave it alone
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