"Hal" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 20:33:56 -0400, "Bill Stock"
wrote:

Tested all this a couple of more times and checked the local water
supply. A
more resonable set of readings would be PH 7.5+. KH 150+ and GH about 75.
The local water authority claims PH of 7.5, KH of 80+ and GH of 141. I've
got a limestone waterfall, so that's why the KH is higher. The strips
say
to read them at 25 sevconds, but if I leave them they keep getting darker
and darker. So is 150 KH the real number?

Any thoughts on my "rotting plants", assuming my chemistry is reasonable?
The lillies have two flowers now, but have stopped opening during the
day.
Too cool perhaps. I've added a heaping teaspoon of Potash to my 500 Imp
gallons for now.

My blooms only last for three days then drop below the surface and
fade away.

I don't know what to tell you about test strips, I use a differnt test
with drops and 5ml tubes from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc, but your
limestone waterfall caught my eye. I use a sock full of ground
limestone to buffer my pH and it ususally keeps it around 7.8 mornings
and 8.2 evenings. My lilies are in pots with garden soil and stones
to keep the fish from rooting through the dirt and expelling it to the
pond floor.

Yes my Lillies are in stone covered baskets to keep the GF out. PH seems to
hover between 7 and 8. I think my limestone (KH) keeps it pretty stable.

I've only seen water hyacinths rot in a 20 gallon container of water
from very acid water, pH below 6 caused by rain. I've heard they
don't grow well in very high pH either. I hope someone else can help
you.

I had not heard this. I'll have to do some more reading.

Thanks.


Regards,

Hal