kH & pH level for planted tank

[solonavi]

Hi Guys,

I need to get some feedback from those users whom are pH controller to regulate their pressurized CO2 injection.

- What is the pH value u have set to cut off the CO2?
- What is the kH value of ur tank?
- How many bubbles per sec/min is the solenoid injecting?

My newly setup tank, kH = 3 and pH hanging ard 7.38 and does not seems to be going down (running for >1day). The tank now is only sparsely planted to stable the tank (according to the advice from Ah Lei from Teo's farm)

Thanks for all the helps.

Cheers
JC

[benny]

My pH was set at 6.8 on my pH controller and kH was between 1 to 3 (if I remember to buffer).

As for the bubbles, it's does not really matter that much. Mine should be about 5 bubbles per second.

What type of reactor are you using?

Cheers,

[solonavi]

I'm using one of the Fludised reactor I had from my marine setup with some modification.

Do u think its the reactor issue?

Thanks
JC

[benny]

I'm using one of the Fludised reactor I had from my marine setup with some modification.

JC,

I'm not familiar with marine equipment and can't really tell. I don't even know what is a fluidised reactor!

Cheers,

[solonavi]

Hi Benny,

Basic its something like this. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=16412

Cheers
JC

[benny]

Oh my god! It looks like a monster! Don't you like those simple glassware from Japan?

Cheers,

[PeterGwee]

I never trusted pH controllers and have experience with them. The rate at which you set is faster than normal non-controller regulated CO2 setups. Now, if the pH probe falls out of the water or something increases you KH gradually without you knowing (coral chips), you are going to kill your critters. Having the CO2 high for the day when the light is on is less stressful even if in slight excess than having chronic 24/7 of high CO2 levels. Another issue is keeping a close tab on the KH measurement as well as regular calibration of the pH probe. (If something lowers your pH...like the use of aquasoil, your CO2 reading is going to show you higher than what it actually is but in actual fact it is way lower. That is why some folks always have BBA issues.).

Regards
Peter Gwee

[solonavi]

Thanks Peter for the advise.

Actually, I plan to have pH controller together with a timer. As such, Co2 injection at night will also be cut off. In the day, the Co2 injection is controlled by the controller. As for probe getting faulty, hmm.... no solution yet but I guess getting a gd probe should be fine.

Cheers
JC

[benny]

Hmm.. mine is running well for over 3 years now. So far so good. I use to have algae problem. But now that's a problem of the past for that tank. Plant growth is excessive and out compete the algae.

Cheers,

[solonavi]

Hi Benny, u using what brand of controller? American Pinpoint?

May I ask also, normally, how fast will the pH drop with CO2 injection. Mine drop from 7.9 - 7.38 in 12 - 14hrs but has since stopped. hmm....

JC

[benny]

I'm using the one Dennerle. So far so good.

As for the adjustment, I don't really have a problem. In about an hour or two, the pH will be at my desired level. However, my water out of the tap is already about 7.5 to 8. so to drop it to 6.8 is not a lot.

Cheers,

[solonavi]

Thanks Benny.

Came home tested and re-calibrated my controller. Also increased my bps. pH is still at 7.03 as I'm typing this and dropping.

Cheers
JC

[solonavi]

Got another question.

What is the KH that we should maintain? I read most website or book recommend that plants & fish do well in the range of 2-10. Since my tapwater always give me 3, should I bring it up to let say 5?

By bringing KH up, it will also mean I can have lesser bps to achieve my desired CO2 level?

Thanks
JC

[|squee|]

3 to 5 is good imho. I don't really bother about it actually. Unless I'm breeding my fish, I see no reason to give them so-called optimum water values.

I don't know if you can get your CO2 improved by raising the kH. My view is, if you can do it this way, I can actually don't inject CO2 at all and play around with my kH and pH and call it 30ppm of CO2 or more. , which doesn't make sense.

[dc88]

I think the purpose of adjusting your KH with baking soda is to make sure there is some alkalinity (right term?) buffer so not to have a PH crash when injecting CO2, and then you inject CO2 to the desired PH level that is ideal around alightly acidic to neutral. If your goal is to have 30ppm CO2 you will set a KH and PH targets but should use only these 2 ingriedents (baking soda and CO2) plus an efficiency reactor, and nothing else. Otherwise you can't follow the CO2 table anymore and have to resort to seeing your fish behaviour if overdose CO2. Although in real life many other thing can swing your water property (overfeeding or over stock) that the PH no longer behave liked a predictable KH-PH-CO2 relationship so you should just aim for a ball part and if the plants are doing well why bother if they pearl or not..