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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

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

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

"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!**

"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!**

"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!**

"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!**

"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!**

"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!**