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Basic chemistry question
What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank?
pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks |
Basic chemistry question
"Nemo" wrote in message ...
What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks The issue is not so much an ideal pH, it's more an issue of the proper CO2 level. See pH/KH/CO2 chart/table= www.sfbaaps.com KH is fine 2-3 degree range. If your pH is moving, it's moving for a reason, CO2. The plants remove it, the pH goes up. At night, the CO2 from the air slowly re enters the water and equilibrates the pH back down. GH/KH are good in the 3 and up range. I am unaware of any upper limits as few folks have KH's above 20 or GH's above 25 and I've kept plants just fine in that water, so it's unlikley you'll encounter water harder than that. If you do not add enough CO2, the plants will sometimes, depending on the species, go after the KH for the carbon, all algae can do this as well. If you only have say 1 degree of KH, if the CO2 is too low etc, then you can use up all the KH. Doing routine regular water changes prevents this depeletion along with having enough KH in case this happens. Also adding enough CO2 will also prevent this. Do you have a non CO2 plant tank? If you use CO2:, GH/KH 3 degrees or higher. pH= depends on the KH when adding CO2. See table, the two are related, not independent measurements when trying to provide good conditions for plants to grow. It's all about CO2, that is what plants prefer(pH/KH combo). GH= just enough Ca++/Mg++ which are nutrients so the plant does not run out. Regards, Tom Barr |
Basic chemistry question
"Nemo" wrote in message ...
What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks The issue is not so much an ideal pH, it's more an issue of the proper CO2 level. See pH/KH/CO2 chart/table= www.sfbaaps.com KH is fine 2-3 degree range. If your pH is moving, it's moving for a reason, CO2. The plants remove it, the pH goes up. At night, the CO2 from the air slowly re enters the water and equilibrates the pH back down. GH/KH are good in the 3 and up range. I am unaware of any upper limits as few folks have KH's above 20 or GH's above 25 and I've kept plants just fine in that water, so it's unlikley you'll encounter water harder than that. If you do not add enough CO2, the plants will sometimes, depending on the species, go after the KH for the carbon, all algae can do this as well. If you only have say 1 degree of KH, if the CO2 is too low etc, then you can use up all the KH. Doing routine regular water changes prevents this depeletion along with having enough KH in case this happens. Also adding enough CO2 will also prevent this. Do you have a non CO2 plant tank? If you use CO2:, GH/KH 3 degrees or higher. pH= depends on the KH when adding CO2. See table, the two are related, not independent measurements when trying to provide good conditions for plants to grow. It's all about CO2, that is what plants prefer(pH/KH combo). GH= just enough Ca++/Mg++ which are nutrients so the plant does not run out. Regards, Tom Barr |
Basic chemistry question
"Nemo" wrote in message ...
What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks The issue is not so much an ideal pH, it's more an issue of the proper CO2 level. See pH/KH/CO2 chart/table= www.sfbaaps.com KH is fine 2-3 degree range. If your pH is moving, it's moving for a reason, CO2. The plants remove it, the pH goes up. At night, the CO2 from the air slowly re enters the water and equilibrates the pH back down. GH/KH are good in the 3 and up range. I am unaware of any upper limits as few folks have KH's above 20 or GH's above 25 and I've kept plants just fine in that water, so it's unlikley you'll encounter water harder than that. If you do not add enough CO2, the plants will sometimes, depending on the species, go after the KH for the carbon, all algae can do this as well. If you only have say 1 degree of KH, if the CO2 is too low etc, then you can use up all the KH. Doing routine regular water changes prevents this depeletion along with having enough KH in case this happens. Also adding enough CO2 will also prevent this. Do you have a non CO2 plant tank? If you use CO2:, GH/KH 3 degrees or higher. pH= depends on the KH when adding CO2. See table, the two are related, not independent measurements when trying to provide good conditions for plants to grow. It's all about CO2, that is what plants prefer(pH/KH combo). GH= just enough Ca++/Mg++ which are nutrients so the plant does not run out. Regards, Tom Barr |
Basic chemistry question
"Nemo" wrote in message ...
What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks The issue is not so much an ideal pH, it's more an issue of the proper CO2 level. See pH/KH/CO2 chart/table= www.sfbaaps.com KH is fine 2-3 degree range. If your pH is moving, it's moving for a reason, CO2. The plants remove it, the pH goes up. At night, the CO2 from the air slowly re enters the water and equilibrates the pH back down. GH/KH are good in the 3 and up range. I am unaware of any upper limits as few folks have KH's above 20 or GH's above 25 and I've kept plants just fine in that water, so it's unlikley you'll encounter water harder than that. If you do not add enough CO2, the plants will sometimes, depending on the species, go after the KH for the carbon, all algae can do this as well. If you only have say 1 degree of KH, if the CO2 is too low etc, then you can use up all the KH. Doing routine regular water changes prevents this depeletion along with having enough KH in case this happens. Also adding enough CO2 will also prevent this. Do you have a non CO2 plant tank? If you use CO2:, GH/KH 3 degrees or higher. pH= depends on the KH when adding CO2. See table, the two are related, not independent measurements when trying to provide good conditions for plants to grow. It's all about CO2, that is what plants prefer(pH/KH combo). GH= just enough Ca++/Mg++ which are nutrients so the plant does not run out. Regards, Tom Barr |
Basic chemistry question
"Nemo" wrote in message ...
What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks The issue is not so much an ideal pH, it's more an issue of the proper CO2 level. See pH/KH/CO2 chart/table= www.sfbaaps.com KH is fine 2-3 degree range. If your pH is moving, it's moving for a reason, CO2. The plants remove it, the pH goes up. At night, the CO2 from the air slowly re enters the water and equilibrates the pH back down. GH/KH are good in the 3 and up range. I am unaware of any upper limits as few folks have KH's above 20 or GH's above 25 and I've kept plants just fine in that water, so it's unlikley you'll encounter water harder than that. If you do not add enough CO2, the plants will sometimes, depending on the species, go after the KH for the carbon, all algae can do this as well. If you only have say 1 degree of KH, if the CO2 is too low etc, then you can use up all the KH. Doing routine regular water changes prevents this depeletion along with having enough KH in case this happens. Also adding enough CO2 will also prevent this. Do you have a non CO2 plant tank? If you use CO2:, GH/KH 3 degrees or higher. pH= depends on the KH when adding CO2. See table, the two are related, not independent measurements when trying to provide good conditions for plants to grow. It's all about CO2, that is what plants prefer(pH/KH combo). GH= just enough Ca++/Mg++ which are nutrients so the plant does not run out. Regards, Tom Barr |
Basic chemistry question
baking soda is/can be added as a buffer, it raises your kH and buffers your
pH enough to keep a stable pH for quite a while... I add 1 tbsp to every 10g, do your own math, and it gives a bump on pH and the buffer capacity is in the volume you add... the more you add, the more your kH raises, but not pH for a planted tank, well, that varies IMHO.... I shoot for a pH of 6.6-7.6 on 3 different tanks the lower one has CO2, others don't pH 6.6 and kH of 2-4 give you a range of 15-30ppm of CO2 pH 7.6 and kH of 2-4 give you a range of 1-3ppm CO2 Use this to find your CO2 levels and what is optimal for your tank and water... http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... -- RedForeman ©® "Nemo" wrote in message ... What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks |
Basic chemistry question
baking soda is/can be added as a buffer, it raises your kH and buffers your
pH enough to keep a stable pH for quite a while... I add 1 tbsp to every 10g, do your own math, and it gives a bump on pH and the buffer capacity is in the volume you add... the more you add, the more your kH raises, but not pH for a planted tank, well, that varies IMHO.... I shoot for a pH of 6.6-7.6 on 3 different tanks the lower one has CO2, others don't pH 6.6 and kH of 2-4 give you a range of 15-30ppm of CO2 pH 7.6 and kH of 2-4 give you a range of 1-3ppm CO2 Use this to find your CO2 levels and what is optimal for your tank and water... http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... -- RedForeman ©® "Nemo" wrote in message ... What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks |
Basic chemistry question
baking soda is/can be added as a buffer, it raises your kH and buffers your
pH enough to keep a stable pH for quite a while... I add 1 tbsp to every 10g, do your own math, and it gives a bump on pH and the buffer capacity is in the volume you add... the more you add, the more your kH raises, but not pH for a planted tank, well, that varies IMHO.... I shoot for a pH of 6.6-7.6 on 3 different tanks the lower one has CO2, others don't pH 6.6 and kH of 2-4 give you a range of 15-30ppm of CO2 pH 7.6 and kH of 2-4 give you a range of 1-3ppm CO2 Use this to find your CO2 levels and what is optimal for your tank and water... http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... -- RedForeman ©® "Nemo" wrote in message ... What water chemistry parameters would you ideally want in a planted tank? pH, kH and gH? My kH is very low, about 3 dKh causing pH swings. I want to minimise raising the pH. What is the minimum kH needed to maintain a reasonably stable pH? Thanks |
Basic chemistry question
"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
... unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... Been there done that :) -- **So long, and thanks for all the fish!** |
Basic chemistry question
"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
... unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... Been there done that :) -- **So long, and thanks for all the fish!** |
Basic chemistry question
"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
... unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... Been there done that :) -- **So long, and thanks for all the fish!** |
Basic chemistry question
"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
... unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... Been there done that :) -- **So long, and thanks for all the fish!** |
Basic chemistry question
"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
... unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... Been there done that :) -- **So long, and thanks for all the fish!** |
Basic chemistry question
"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
... unless my 3 years of learning have lead me down the demented path, which could happen... Been there done that :) -- **So long, and thanks for all the fish!** |
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