CO2 and KH

[IDzine01]

I just read that CO2 can cause a drop in pH levels so buffers may
necessary. I already add buffers and my KH is still only 3DH. If I were
to buy a CO2 system, would I be putting my fish at risk for a pH crash?


-Christie

[[email protected]]

What sort of buffers do you add? I have had problems keeping the water
stable with liquid buffers and switched to a small amount of crushed
coral to help buffer. When I had a stable PH and KH that I liked, I
started with CO2. I also found that the crushed coral approach worked
much better for the KH than buffering solutions.

If you are using liquid buffers and want to try corals/seashells my
recommendation is to add slowly and in a manner that you can remove
some/all if you add too much. For me, it only took a few tablespoons.
(it is hard to buy a few tablespoons of crushed coral, so now I might
as well do a marine tank with the extra right?)

There are some informative articles on how much CO2 will lower the PH.
Hopefully some other people can give you better info.

[default]

> If you are using liquid buffers and want to try corals/seashells my
> recommendation is to add slowly and in a manner that you can remove
> some/all if you add too much. For me, it only took a few tablespoons.
> (it is hard to buy a few tablespoons of crushed coral, so now I might
> as well do a marine tank with the extra right?)


Ditto me on the crushed coral. I started using a bag in the back of
the AC 300 filter. Now I dump a handful in the tank and it's
mixed/laying on the gravel. In my old house, my KH was only about 1-2
deg KH. Now I've brought it up to between 3.5 and 5 deg. Neat thing
about crushed coral, as I understand it, the more CO2 you add, the more
it will disolve the shells and the more buffer you have. So with
shells I think the odds are slim of a pH crash. I haven't seen
anything like one yet.

steve