BBA Horror-Just to share my experience.

[PeterGwee]

You can do that over and over again and it will come back to haunt you if you don't solve the root of the problem. I sure hope you reconsider your options though. Something is not right with your KH test kit or perharps a very bad pH probe. You would need to check this 2 out. Do a large 50-80% water change to reset the tank real good to get rid of any non-carbonate buffers and measure your KH again after filling the tank. Do another large water change perharps a day after to do another reset to make sure of things. Check your KH and bring it up accordingly. Set the pH controller and target 30-35ppm of CO2. Prune and scrub the tank well before 2 of the water changes. Dose back nutrients after the water change.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[loupgarou]

the probe has been tested with a ph pen , and its new. its also been calibrated and hasn't deviated.

Tank buffers: besides neutral seachem fluorite, I also have 2 bags of ada amazonia under the fluorite, but I think VERY little effect on ph from those, since outgassed CO2 is ph 7.1 as opposed to the commonly seen 5.5 with pure ada soil.

I reset my tank weekly with 90% water changes. (since I'm using a hose to change water.)

I use seachem equilibrium to bring up the GH, and then some Sodium bicarbonate to raise the KH (if insufficient).

ie: GH = 5 , KH = 3/4

Lighting = 2 x 150W MH on 8 hour timer.

[PeterGwee]

Haha..now that you mention the ADA aquasoil, I know what is actually going on. The peat effect is probably still there and the pH/KH/CO2 relationship breaks down here. At a KH of 3, the sample should read more than a pH of 8 generally with the CO2 being out gassed. You could add a certain amount of baking soda such that your KH would increase from the current value by more than 1 or so and then use the pH drop method for a estimate CO2 level of 20-30ppm. If you scare of killing your critters, just make sure you stay home the entire day while doing the adjustment.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[loupgarou]

no,the ADA soil does not affect my ph at all, reason: its under 8 CM of fluorite. my substrate is around 10cm high.

-
anyways, my co2 canister run out this morning cos the tank ph is 7.42
(ie: completely outgassed). the ph is this high because I did a 90% water change just two days ago and added in 3 tablespoons of seachem equilibrium and 2 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate...

I also PP bombed the tank (not a lot, just enough,) snipped off the bba infected leaves, dredged up the front substrate of the tank , peroxided the gravel after pouring in 70 degrees celsius in it and letting it stew followed by a concentrated PP dip (on the fluorite).. this should have killed all the bba and stuff in the gravel, which I tend poured back into the tank.

then I ran my diatom filter for 2 days...

so the bba may not be gone, but its out of sight/out of mind... lol

I may try the copper sulfate treatment one day or a stronger PP dosage, since vast majority of plants are crypts..

[loupgarou]

question for curiousity,

right now, my co2 canister went empty, so it'll be back from the shop on friday, or saturday,

I've set my lights to 2 hours on for the time being, is that advisable? or should I lights off altogether.

[naturetan]

Usually, people cut off their lights by half or more (non CO2 method) for the same photoperiod or slightly less, to be safe. Make sure your fishes doesn't float up due to insufficient oxygen, if you've no fan blowing.