using co2 to lower ph

[[email protected]]

If my kh is quite high and I try to lower the ph using co2 will I
possibly end up with just high (unsafe) amounts of co2 and slightly
lower ph? Stated another way, will a high kh prevent attaining a
useable (co2 wise) ph?

I realise I will probably need to dilute my source water to lower the
kh, and then proceed, but being kind of lazy.....

Be easy on me now with all the science

Thanks

[CanadianCray]

What are your readings??? We can't give you good advice without knowing what
your water is reading.


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> If my kh is quite high and I try to lower the ph using co2 will I
> possibly end up with just high (unsafe) amounts of co2 and slightly
> lower ph? Stated another way, will a high kh prevent attaining a
> useable (co2 wise) ph?
>
> I realise I will probably need to dilute my source water to lower the
> kh, and then proceed, but being kind of lazy.....
>
> Be easy on me now with all the science
>
> Thanks
>

[Charles]

On 11 Feb 2006 06:01:26 -0800, wrote:

>If my kh is quite high and I try to lower the ph using co2 will I
>possibly end up with just high (unsafe) amounts of co2 and slightly
>lower ph? Stated another way, will a high kh prevent attaining a
>useable (co2 wise) ph?
>
>I realise I will probably need to dilute my source water to lower the
>kh, and then proceed, but being kind of lazy.....
>
>Be easy on me now with all the science
>
>Thanks


Unless you have a really good reason to mess with the pH, don't.

[George Pontis]

wrote:

> If my kh is quite high and I try to lower the ph using co2 will I
> possibly end up with just high (unsafe) amounts of co2 and slightly
> lower ph? Stated another way, will a high kh prevent attaining a
> useable (co2 wise) ph?
>
> I realise I will probably need to dilute my source water to lower the
> kh, and then proceed, but being kind of lazy.....
>
> Be easy on me now with all the science
>
> Thanks



Just glance at a chart like this:

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/kh-ph-co2-chart.html

And you can predict the pH that will result from adding CO2.

--

[[email protected]]

I haven't tested the kh for some time now. My source water is
historicly very high in ph & kh. What I am trying to do is lower the
ph somewhat in my 40g fw tank. The ph runs in the dark blue on the
Tetra kit. I will test the kh tomorrow. What I have in the tank. 4
Lemon tets 1 Bleeding heart 1 Neon. The tank is pretty much covered end
to end in various Anubis v. They have been growing for 10? years. They
do good and flower all the time. I thought of playing with co2 for the
plant benifit and maybe get some decrease in my, always crazy high ph,
make it alittle easier on the Tets. Basicly as for fish, I just go with
what lives in my tank. I may have substrate (gravel) that tends to send
ph higher? I'll get those kh # tomorrow. I saw some of those charts
and, being lazy I thought I'd just ask around a bit first...

[NetMax]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I haven't tested the kh for some time now. My source water is
> historicly very high in ph & kh. What I am trying to do is lower the
> ph somewhat in my 40g fw tank. The ph runs in the dark blue on the
> Tetra kit. I will test the kh tomorrow. What I have in the tank. 4
> Lemon tets 1 Bleeding heart 1 Neon. The tank is pretty much covered end
> to end in various Anubis v. They have been growing for 10? years. They
> do good and flower all the time. I thought of playing with co2 for the
> plant benifit and maybe get some decrease in my, always crazy high ph,
> make it alittle easier on the Tets. Basicly as for fish, I just go with
> what lives in my tank. I may have substrate (gravel) that tends to send
> ph higher? I'll get those kh # tomorrow. I saw some of those charts
> and, being lazy I thought I'd just ask around a bit first...


High kH means high gH which is not good (long-term) for many fish which
come from soft water environments. Adding CO2 will make no difference to
this, but the changes to the pH might add a bit of stress to the fish.

High kH also makes your pH quite stable, so you'll only get modest
changes in pH, with no benefit that I can discern.

Your flowering Anubius are 10 years old. Why do you want to play with
your water parameters again?

I would test the tank water (gH, kH and pH) and your tap (gH and pH) and
a glass of your tap aged for a day or two (pH). At the same time, pour
some of your substrate into a 2nd glass of tap water and test it after a
week or two (to compare with the 1st glass). This should give you (us)
all the required information (to probably tell you not to bother with CO2
;~), but I could be mistaken).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Curt]

My lfs whom I have faith in says the same thing.

[[email protected]]

Thanks all for the input. Water data:
Tap ph 7.5-8 kh 10 gh 18
40g fw tank ph 8 kh 7 gh 15
looks like I would end up at ph 7-7.2 with co2 near 15-20ppm with my kh
at 7. Is this a correct assumption?

[NetMax]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Thanks all for the input. Water data:
> Tap ph 7.5-8 kh 10 gh 18
> 40g fw tank ph 8 kh 7 gh 15
> looks like I would end up at ph 7-7.2 with co2 near 15-20ppm with my kh
> at 7. Is this a correct assumption?


Is your tap pH after airing 8.0? If it is 7.5 when you pour it, then
that is a false reading (saturated with gases). The 8.0pH is your
working number. The 10dkH and 18dgH are good numbers. The tank's 8dkH
and 15dgH suggests you're not keeping up with your water changes, or you
have been diluting the water (adding RO, DI etc). As for your
assumption, it's a straightforward formula that I don't have handy, so
someone else can double check it for you. You will want to converse with
someone with similar conditions using CO2, but I don't think your kH is
so high as to cause you problems. Try asking around raf.plants.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Bill Stock]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Thanks all for the input. Water data:
> Tap ph 7.5-8 kh 10 gh 18
> 40g fw tank ph 8 kh 7 gh 15
> looks like I would end up at ph 7-7.2 with co2 near 15-20ppm with my kh
> at 7. Is this a correct assumption?


My KH is around 8 and I keep my PH around 6.8. So my CO2 is about 35 ppm.
Fish and plants are healthy.

[[email protected]]

Hi all
Tap water ... I think the 7.5 was slightly aged tap water. I will
check again w/aged water.

The tank.. You know, I haven't done water changes as regularly as
needed. I do top off the evaporated tank level w/distilled water.

Also now in the formula, check new thread.

Thanks