# Co2 Profile and water changes on new scape



## Hudson (9 Apr 2020)

I'm currently trying !!! to fine tune my Co2 on a 4 week old scape but finding it a tad difficult due to having to do water changes every other day to deal with a algae outbreak.

I set the scape 5 weeks ago on Saturday, during the second week i had a faulty light timer while i was on late shift and for  3 days the scape had no light but loads of Co2 being pumped in (no livestock).

This caused an outbreak of BBA on the wood and Java Fern/Buce and green slime/fuzz on the monte carlo and stem plants and I've been fighting them ever since then.

Over the last 3 weeks of lockdown i've been trying to get control of things with 90% water changes every other day and spot dosing with excel on the BBA and syphoning the Green Slime/Fuzz algae out. Once i get into day 2 the Slime/Fuzz algae starts to take over and i need to do a water change although I'm starting to win with the BBA

Any how this is setup and current Co2 profile

ADA 60p
ADA Solar 1 @ 30cm above tank
Oase Biomaster thermo 350, 3 x pre fillters 1 x Large Blue, 2 x half tray Matrix 1 x Floss
Co2 Art Reg wit FE, Twinstar Diffuser.
Eheim Surface Skimmer
Daily Dose of Ei @ aquarium plant liquid mix amounts of 10ml alternative days rest sat

Tank Kh = 6
Tank Ph = 7.4 Before lights on

Tap Kh = 4
Tap Ph = 7.5 after 24hrs or 6.8 before degass.

Co2 Profile is as follows (day after water change)

7.4 @ 12pm
6.7 @1pm
6.6 @2pm (lights on)
6.5 @3pm
6.5 @ 4pm (drop checker green)
6.6 @5pm
6.6 @6pm
6.6 @7pm
6.6 @8pm
6.6 @9pm (Co2 off @9.30pm)
6.6 @10pm (lights off)


Ideally based on a tank Kh of 6, I should be aiming for a ph at lights on of 6.8 but the drop checker is not lime green more a bottle green. The drop checker only gets lime green at 6.6 suggesting  a kh of 5 !!

I'm stuck as to why the drop checker and PH/KH don't tally up and wondering where the issue is

I've got a good quality Ph pen that is calibrated prior to use with both Dkh 7 and 10 and always stored wet.

TDS of tap is 160 and tank about 190 which a Kh 5/6 but that tds could be anything not just cal/mg.

Are the water changes the fault as the 2dkh diffrence on a 90% water change may be casuing ph/kh swings damaging plant tissue and triggering the out break in algae.

The one thing i will add is that bio master does have the old style head and i get large amounts of trapped air which i manually shake out daily this will no doubt cause a flux in Co2 flow and distrubution. I was due to get the nes style head before the lockdown but thats currently on hold and i only have 5 amano shrimp and 1 horned nerite as CUC due to the lockdown as well which has not helped.

Cheers for reading and any help or suggestions

Take care


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## Zeus. (9 Apr 2020)

Hudson said:


> I set the scape 5 weeks ago on Saturday, during the second week i had a faulty light timer while i was on late shift and for 3 days the scape had no light but loads of Co2 being pumped in (no livestock).
> 
> This caused an outbreak of BBA on the wood and Java Fern/Buce and what i though was diatoms on the monte carlo and the and I've been fighting them ever since then.



Unlikely as if you had no light on you just did a short 'virtual blackout', the lights being off for 3days was coincidental IMO and has reduced the outbreak of BBA etc.

pH profile looks GOOD 



Hudson said:


> Ideally based on a tank Kh of 6, I should be aiming for a ph at lights on of 6.8 but the drop checker is not lime green more a bottle green. The drop checker only gets lime green at 6.6 suggesting a kh of 5 !!
> 
> I'm stuck as to why the drop checker and PH/KH don't tally up and wondering where the issue is
> 
> I've got a good quality Ph pen that is calibrated prior to use with both Dkh 7 and 10 and always stored wet.



Dont get caught up with the numbers and trust the DC colour as its the [CO2] is all that matters, doesnt matter what the actual kH, gH or pH is!!

Stable pH for photo period is the aim, but as 'Clive' says flow/turnover is KING



Hudson said:


> Oase Biomaster thermo 350, 3 x pre fillters 1 x Large Blue, 2 x half tray Matrix 1 x Floss



I would take the Floss out and most of the matrix, as they give the biggest reduction in output off the filter. Do pH profile again as better flow will affect the profile 



Hudson said:


> ADA Solar 1 @ 30cm above tank



Nice Light , but powerful. IMO this is the most likely culprit!, Can you dim it or raise the height? if not some floating plants would help reduce the intensity, however with 'lockdown' and with the pandemic at its peak stay at home OFC, some lego in the tank (or other floating particles/blocks) would also reduce the intensity whilst the outbreak gets under control.


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## Jayefc1 (9 Apr 2020)

The ph seems pretty stable all.the way through the light.period but seems to me it's not dropped enough there for I'd up the rate a little you need a drop of 1 for a good sold 30ppm o dont even check my kh /gh any more along as I get the drop of 1on my ph profile I'm happy and it stays at that till lights off


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## Hudson (9 Apr 2020)

Jayefc1 said:


> The ph seems pretty stable all.the way through the light.period but seems to me it's not dropped enough there for I'd up the rate a little you need a drop of 1 for a good sold 30ppm o dont even check my kh /gh any more along as I get the drop of 1on my ph profile I'm happy and it stays at that till lights off



Cheers for the reply.

Thats where i got a little confused, KH/PH table suggest a 1 ph drop from 7.4 down to 6.4 would give me toxic to livestock levels of Co2.


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## Hudson (9 Apr 2020)

Zeus. said:


> Unlikely as if you had no light on you just did a short 'virtual blackout', the lights being off for 3days was coincidental IMO and has reduced the outbreak of BBA etc.
> 
> pH profile looks GOOD
> 
> ...




Cheers for the reply

Will make the changes to the filter today and reprofile tomorrow.

Yeah the light is getting replaced once we get out of lock down, to raise the light any higher i will need to make a shade but cannot get materials.


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## Zeus. (9 Apr 2020)

Hudson said:


> but cannot get materials



got any bubble rap?? temporary fix some between light and tank with bits of string/ washing line pegs etc

Could use a plastic bag below light as above. ( one of those really tin ones and use a single piece/sheet of it)

Make sure light still gets good ventilation and bubble rap/plastic bag  or what ever you have to hand doesnt touch or get close to light.

If you have a glass cover just sellotape plastic bag to glass cover


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## Hudson (10 Apr 2020)

I've ordered some 2mm thick craft foam yesterday from the bay and it should be with me the middle of next week and i will make a shade.

How much higher do you think i should raise the light ? 5cm


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## Zeus. (10 Apr 2020)

Hudson said:


> I've ordered some 2mm thick craft foam yesterday from the bay and it should be with me the middle of next week and i will make a shade.
> 
> How much higher do you think i should raise the light ? 5cm



Intensity at different distances:







so at 30cm say intensity is at 100%
so at 35cm the intensity 'x' is-

x/100 = (30x30)/(35x35)

x=((30x30)/(35x35))x100 = 73.5% so 26.5% reduction in light from height of 30cm

rise the light 10cm to 40cm

x/100 = (30x30)/(40x44)

x=((30x30)/(40x40))x100 = 56.25% so 43.75% reduction in light from height of 30cm

Its a judgement call and depends on how the tank is responding to the measures you have done already done which will take time to show also, also depends on how easy it is the raise the light, if raising it 5cm is easy and 10cm is hard I'd go for 5cm, if 10cm is just as easy I go for 10cm, you can always adjust it further up/done as you see fit


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## Hudson (10 Apr 2020)

Cheers again for helping.

I've managed to make a adhock shade using a old piece of Yoga matt and moved the light to 30cm as i actually had it set at 24cm.

Will feedback in a few days and see how things are going


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## Hudson (14 Apr 2020)

Well i thought things where starting to settle but came across three major issues today.

The biomaster 350 has been getting worse for trapped air, I had removed it today to clean the pre filters and left it in the kitchen while i done a small amount of trimming
When i eventually got round to cleaning the pre filters the was a puddle on the floor !!!!
Turns out the the seal on the head is leaking !! Luckily i had a old fitlosmart from a new stripped down nano scape. It's not ideal for flow but will have to do until i can resolve the issue on the 350.

The Co2 art regulator solenoid valve screw had worked loose and was giving me a different bps rate every day and caused a bit a flux hour to hour

Lily pipes and 16/22mm pipe are pain in the butt.


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## aquascape1987 (15 Apr 2020)

Hudson said:


> Cheers for the reply.
> 
> Thats where i got a little confused, KH/PH table suggest a 1 ph drop from 7.4 down to 6.4 would give me toxic to livestock levels of Co2.


Hi mate. I’m currently doing the same at the minute, attempting to fine tune my CO2. Just had delivered today a Hanna pH probe and also Hanna alkalinity meter. Can you recommend a good PH/KH chart to use?

Currently, I’ve found one on a sticky thread on The Barr Report, but reading the thread, TBarr says that he uses a different one, but doesn’t appear to have posted it.


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## Hudson (16 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> Hi mate. I’m currently doing the same at the minute, attempting to fine tune my CO2. Just had delivered today a Hanna pH probe and also Hanna alkalinity meter. Can you recommend a good PH/KH chart to use?
> 
> Currently, I’ve found one on a sticky thread on The Barr Report, but reading the thread, TBarr says that he uses a different one, but doesn’t appear to have posted it.


I've been using this one of the aqaurium wiki page.

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/wiki/File:CO2_chart1.png


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## dw1305 (16 Apr 2020)

Hi all, 





aquascape1987 said:


> Just had delivered today a Hanna pH probe and also Hanna alkalinity meter. Can you recommend a good PH/KH chart to use?


I'd only use the pH probe with a drop checker, the problem with the alkalinity meter is that it shows all bases, rather than just the carbonate. Once you are happy with pH drop you can use that.

The advantage of the drop checker is that you know the fluid is 4dKH and doesn't contain any other bases. Particularly if you are using tap water in the tank you may get changes in dKH as the water supply source changes.

cheers Darrel


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## aquascape1987 (16 Apr 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, I'd only use the pH probe with a drop checker, the problem with the alkalinity meter is that it shows all bases, rather than just the carbonate. Once you are happy with pH drop you can use that.
> 
> The advantage of the drop checker is that you know the fluid is 4dKH and doesn't contain any other bases. Particularly if you are using tap water in the tank you may get changes in dKH as the water supply source changes.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Yea I’ve found out this morning. Big difference in dkh of tank water vs tap water. Think it may be Chlorine in the tap water, as it mentions chlorine will throw results off in the manual. Tank water has de chlorinator added at water change and the water I’m testing from the tank is a week old, right before water change. I imagine the ferts I’ve added over the week will have affected this as well.

For me, I’m going to use the alkalinity vs ph table only to dial in the initial setting to 30ppm (30ppm according to the results and table). Then increase from there slowly and judge the final injection rate based upon stable ph profile across the photo period, affect on plant health/growth and effect on critters.

From what I’ve understood about estimating CO2 using alkalinity vs pH, other buffers (if that’s the correct term)  being present in the water in addition to carbonate, thereby increasing the dkh test result, will result in an overly optimistic estimation of CO2? So if I use the initial result to get the first dial in point, then increase from there based upon critter and plant reactions, this should be safe for the critters. Hoping my understanding and logic on this is correct  I am using a drop checker also.

I’m going to start my own thread on this once I have some results, so as not to hijack this thread. Apologies @Hudson for hijacking a little bit already with my comment. Will be watching for your updates on this one


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## dw1305 (16 Apr 2020)

Hi all, 





aquascape1987 said:


> For me, I’m going to use the alkalinity vs ph table only to dial in the initial setting to 30ppm (30ppm according to the results and table). Then increase from there slowly and judge the final injection rate based upon stable ph profile across the photo period, affect on plant health/growth and effect on critters.


I'm not a CO2 user, but that sounds a plan. I'll cc. in @Zeus. as he has <"practical experience"> and there is @Carpman <"New scape pH profile"> thread as well. 





aquascape1987 said:


> From what I’ve understood about estimating CO2 using alkalinity vs pH, other buffers (if that’s the correct term) being present in the water in addition to carbonate, thereby increasing the dkh test result, will result in an overly optimistic estimation of CO2?


I think that is what Tom Barr @plantbrain said, have a look at this one <"amount of CO2....">.

This recent thread <"Determination of CO2......"> isn't finished (in other words we don't have an answer) but it looks at whether "30 ppm CO2" really is 30 ppm CO2. 

I'd be honest the more I read about the chemistry of dissolved CO2 the more it confuses me.

cheers Darrel


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## Hudson (16 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> Yea I’ve found out this morning. Big difference in dkh of tank water vs tap water. Think it may be Chlorine in the tap water, as it mentions chlorine will throw results off in the manual. Tank water has de chlorinator added at water change and the water I’m testing from the tank is a week old, right before water change. I imagine the ferts I’ve added over the week will have affected this as well.
> 
> For me, I’m going to use the alkalinity vs ph table only to dial in the initial setting to 30ppm (30ppm according to the results and table). Then increase from there slowly and judge the final injection rate based upon stable ph profile across the photo period, affect on plant health/growth and effect on critters.
> 
> ...




No Problems on the hijack as it has added the the orginal question i asked.

I'm currently awaiting a new head for the biomaster to be shipped to me from Oase, without this i'm struggling with turnover and keep getting spikes in Co2 over the day.

As a short term measure i've dialled the Co2 back to around about a Ph 6.8 as this gives the least amount of swing over the photo period.


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## sparkyweasel (16 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> using alkalinity vs pH, other buffers (if that’s the correct term) being present in the water in addition to carbonate, thereby increasing the dkh test result, will result in an overly optimistic estimation of CO2?


My limited understanding is that that is the case if there are other alkaline buffers present. But if there are acid buffers present* those could have the opposite effect. If both are present they will have to fight it out and things could get really complicated. 
So I would start with a conservative injection rate, not trying to get close to maximum at the beginning. Then make small increases when able to observe the reaction of the livestock.

*eg: from bogwood or substrate.


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## Zeus. (16 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> ea I’ve found out this morning. Big difference in dkh of tank water vs tap water. Think it may be Chlorine in the tap water, as it mentions chlorine will throw results off in the manual. Tank water has de chlorinator added at water change and the water I’m testing from the tank is a week old, right before water change. I imagine the ferts I’ve added over the week will have affected this as well.



Doesn't surprise me as 'test kits' aren't reliable and some of the hardscape/ferts in your tank may be changing your dkH



aquascape1987 said:


> For me, I’m going to use the alkalinity vs ph table only to dial in the initial setting to 30ppm (30ppm according to the results and table).



Which if fine if your pH meter is 100% accurate, however mine isnt so I just use the DC colour change as its easy no calibration required and works independently of anything else in the tanks water. Do'nt even calibrate my probes any more as I fail to see any advantage its just a waste of time as the results changes nothing for me, its just a number, but when the DC is green it tells me the tanks [CO2] is about 30ppm, take pH record/note the 'number', the pH 'number' is just a reference point once the DC has changed colour after 2hrs, then try and get the pH 'number' to be stable from lights on till CO2 off via pH profile - easy. Hopefully you have good flow/turnover in your tank which will help stablise the [CO2] though out the whole tank, *flow is king* in the CO2 injected tank 



aquascape1987 said:


> based upon critter and plant reactions



When too high the fish will be gasping for air, if no fish the snails will all be at the top of tank.



dw1305 said:


> I'd be honest the more I read about the chemistry of dissolved CO2 the more it confuses me.



IDD, thats why a like the DC for [CO2] takes all the chemistry/dkH/pH out of the equation IMO


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## aquascape1987 (16 Apr 2020)

I’m pretty confident the test is accurate, as I can replicate the tests 3 times, all coming in within 1 or 2 ppm of each other. And by anyones standards, 1 part in a million is pretty darn accurate! It’s not me reading the colour, you put the sample inside and the device reads it, by itself electronically. Plus, you can verify with a test of a calibration fluid of a known dkh. Again, it comes in within 1 or 2 parts per million. I would say that’s like hitting a bulls eye with a sniper rifle, at 3 miles out.

pH meter is also accurate. It replicates readings consistently, and tests to within 0.01 pH of both buffer solutions between tests. I am using the drop checker as well though, as this is the way I have always done it.

Flow and turnover for me are exceptional, so should be ok on this front. I’m running  2 x Eheim pro 4 250 Thermo filters on an 85 litre tank, feeding through spray bars on back wall of tank. So combined, this is 1900 litres per hour turnover according to the ratings of the filters, and distribution of flow is even around all areas of the aquarium.

From what I’ve measured today in terms of the variance in dKH results between tap water and my week old pre  water change tank water, it looks like I’m going to have to take the dKH at the start of every day when pH profiling. I think it’s the only way to get meaningful results when using the pH/ alkalinity table method. I do however, think that if you do this, the results will be meaningful, and will help in zeroing in on the correct injection rate, when referenced against the drop checker, and achieving a stable pH profile. And then as you say, the pH numbers will just become a reference point, rather than a set in stone number to aim for. Each days target pH value will likely be different, depending on the alkalinity.

I think the key is getting stability of pH throughout the photo period, after the initial drop ,and then tweak from there, to get to the upper limit that will be tolerated comfortably by the livestock.

I’ll post my own thread with my detailed results after I have a pH profiles for 3 consecutive days. This will be based upon my co2 as it has always been since I set it using the drop checker. It’s at this point I am going to start to tweak the injection rate.


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## Matt C (16 Apr 2020)

Your results have high precision but accurate - who knows unless compared to validated standards.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision
I would say that you are probably close to the value and can certainly monitor changes but I'd still not be hugely confident in the exact value.


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## aquascape1987 (16 Apr 2020)

Matt C said:


> Your results have high precision but accurate - who knows unless compared to validated standards.
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision


 Well, like I said, I’m validating the accuracy of my pH results using pH 7 and pH 4 buffers.
The alkalinity test comes with its own calibration fluid that is manufactured to an exact colour, to give a certain dKH reading. So the same principle as tHe pH buffer solutions.

Unless you are suggesting that you cannot trust pH buffer solutions,  I’m not sure what you mean?


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## Zeus. (16 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> Well, like I said, I’m validating the accuracy of my pH results using pH 7 and pH 4 buffers.
> The alkalinity test comes with its own calibration fluid that is manufactured at a certain colour to give a certain dKH reading. So the same principle as tHe pH buffer solutions.
> 
> Unless you are suggesting that you cannot trust pH buffer solutions, I’m not sure what you mean?



Been there done that also with two pH probes, calibrated them both and in the buffer solutions I got the same results both had the same degree off accuracy yet when in the tank and not at the same reference pH as the buffers they gave different pH readings, so which one was correct. hence I dont trust either off them and hence I just use the pH probe as a number that indicates stable/unstable pH from lights on till CO2 off. If you have no algae out of control and plants are healthy/thriving a stable/unstable pH is irrelevant, but a stablish pH has a better chance of healthy plants.


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## aquascape1987 (16 Apr 2020)

Are you a Flat Earther @Zeus. , by any chance?

I mean I understand that two ph probes in the same tank water may not deliver exactly the same pH value to the decimal place, but they should deliver the same result in terms of the devices accuracy tolerance. If one says pH 6.0 and one says pH 7.0 either one, or both are wrong. If one says pH 6.1 and one says ph 6.17, both can be deemed correct to within the accuracy tolerance of the device you are using


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## Matt C (16 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> Well, like I said, I’m validating the accuracy of my pH results using pH 7 and pH 4 buffers.
> The alkalinity test comes with its own calibration fluid that is manufactured to an exact colour, to give a certain dKH reading. So the same principle as tHe pH buffer solutions.
> 
> Unless you are suggesting that you cannot trust pH buffer solutions,  I’m not sure what you mean?



I'm just saying that colorimetric tests are notorious for being inaccurate - give the same result to 5 people, get 5 different results - just a factor of human eyesight etc. Unless you are running them through a spectrophotometer you can't really mitigated this.

In regards pH, I'm used to using high grade oceanographic instruments and anything greater than 0.015 error would be considered poor. One issue some people may experience is that in low conductivity waters, some pH probes really struggle. This probably explains why they sometimes read the same in buffer but differ in tank, as Zeus observed


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## Zeus. (17 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> Are you a Flat Earther @Zeus. , by any chance?



Nope, well not until some provides strong evidence to show it is flat and the evidence that isn't flat is disproved OFC 



aquascape1987 said:


> If one says pH 6.1 and one says ph 6.17



They are the same  , but 6.56 and 6.44 are not


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## aquascape1987 (17 Apr 2020)

Matt C said:


> I'm just saying that colorimetric tests are notorious for being inaccurate - give the same result to 5 people, get 5 different results - just a factor of human eyesight etc. Unless you are running them through a spectrophotometer you can't really mitigated this.
> 
> In regards pH, I'm used to using high grade oceanographic instruments and anything greater than 0.015 error would be considered poor. One issue some people may experience is that in low conductivity waters, some pH probes really struggle. This probably explains why they sometimes read the same in buffer but differ in tank, as Zeus observed



@Matt C I don’t think you read my post correctly, as I did say that I’m not reading the result by eye! The device reads it electronically and displays the result on a screen.

As for a pH meter needing to be accurate to 0.015pH, I don’t think that degree of accuracy is required here, is it?

Guys, this isn’t my thread, and to be honest, I think that some of these comments are now deviating the direction of this thread away from the original purpose of the OP. Especially when we are pointlessly debating  the accuracy of devices to 0.015pH, which is completely irrelevant in the context of what we are attempting to do here. Accuracy to with 0.1 pH will do to identify a starting point, which then can be tweaked based on intuition from how the plants and livestock respond, whilst still consulting the drop checker.

And whether or not individuals prefer to measure co2 using a drop checker, pH profile or whatever method, or whether individuals think one way is good and one way is rubbish, the fact is that the OP asked the original questions whilst clearly stating he was estimating Co2 using PH and Alkalinity, hence the reason I commented, because I’m attempting to do the same.


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## aquascape1987 (17 Apr 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, I'm not a CO2 user, but that sounds a plan. I'll cc. in @Zeus. as he has <"practical experience"> and there is @Carpman <"New scape pH profile"> thread as well. I think that is what Tom Barr @plantbrain said, have a look at this one <"amount of CO2....">.
> 
> This recent thread <"Determination of CO2......"> isn't finished (in other words we don't have an answer) but it looks at whether "30 ppm CO2" really is 30 ppm CO2.
> 
> ...



Cheers Darrel, some good thread sources there.


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## Matt C (17 Apr 2020)

aquascape1987 said:


> @Matt C I don’t think you read my post correctly, as I did say that I’m not reading the result by eye! The device reads it electronically and displays the result on a screen.



Apologies, I did miss that, but I think the point is valid for future readers - the titration tests are a bit vague at times as the end point is sometimes not great and the colorimetric tests are tricky to read. The Hanna device you have probably is a spectrophotometer, nice bit of kit!



aquascape1987 said:


> @Matt C  Accuracy to with 0.1 pH will do to identify a starting point, which then can be tweaked based on intuition from how the plants and livestock respond, whilst still consulting the drop checker.



Depends on what you are trying to achieve, but a difference of ~0.1pH at kH of ~4 will be the difference of ~8 to 10ppm CO2, given that most people are targeting something around 30ppm, that's a huge margin. I believe the OP was looking to understand the pH profile, so some indication of the importance of the accuracy of the measurements is important to understand the weakness in any approach chosen.


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## Hudson (20 Apr 2020)

Matt C said:


> Apologies, I did miss that, but I think the point is valid for future readers - the titration tests are a bit vague at times as the end point is sometimes not great and the colorimetric tests are tricky to read. The Hanna device you have probably is a spectrophotometer, nice bit of kit!
> 
> 
> 
> Depends on what you are trying to achieve, but a difference of ~0.1pH at kH of ~4 will be the difference of ~8 to 10ppm CO2, given that most people are targeting something around 30ppm, that's a huge margin. I believe the OP was looking to understand the pH profile, so some indication of the importance of the accuracy of the measurements is important to understand the weakness in any approach chosen.



Cheers for the Info @Matt C, thats part of the information I'm trying to understand on my Co2 knowledge quest.

As things stand with the tank, I've got a very stable ph during the photo period but only in the upper levels as there is a massive deadspot under the lily pipes caused by poor scape design and the tank now only running on a filtosmart thermo 100 (rated at 600LH) due to the head on my biomaster being faulty.

I've been in contact with Oase who have been great and sent a replacement updated head out me on Thursday, So hopefully will have this soon.

Also the stems have took a battering at the bottom and may not recover, although the top half look fine so I'm going to grow these on and replant.


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## Hudson (20 Apr 2020)




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## Hudson (23 Apr 2020)

Big shout to Oase UK. It Took 7 day to get a replacement head out to me which considering the current issues out there I'm more than happy with.

So the heads fitted and the difference in flow compared to the old style head is night and day.


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## aquascape1987 (25 Apr 2020)

Hudson said:


> View attachment 133664


Looks a really healthy tank overall to me mate. You will have to update us as to how you get on now that you are back up to full flow


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## aquascape1987 (25 Apr 2020)

Just a thought, but what livestock do you currently have in there? When I set up my current scape, after an initial 2 months ‘honeymoon’ period of really nice, algae free growth, I started to get a few different types of algae that I then struggled to get control of for 2 or 3 months. This seemed to coincide with when I added the first decorative fish to the tank. Not entirely the same as your issues, but the main offender for me was brown fuzzy diatoms, which got onto everything, plants, rocks and worst of all my HC carpet. This stuff was literally suffocating everything in the tank.

After seeking help on here, and feeling like I’d  tried everything, I was ready to pick the tank up and throw it out in the garden, my frustration with the situation was that bad.

In the end, everything changed when I put in 3 Siamese algae eaters. Within two weeks all of the fuzz was gone.

I’m not 100 percent sure whether these fish solved my my problem, or whether or not it was just coincidence that the diatoms started to disappear shortly after adding them, or a mixture of both. But the anecdotal evidence was that they played a big part. They would visibly eat the fuzzy brown algae. Im wondering perhaps, if these fish might eat the green fuzzy stuff that you have growing?

Don’t get me wrong, even if they did clear the fuzz, they aren’t a cure for the root cause, but for me, getting rid of the fuzzy coating to everything allowed me to get back control of my tank, and allowed it to grow better again.

This then allowed me to address the other algae issues I had.


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## Hudson (3 May 2020)

Been a while since I installed the new filter head a let things settle down.

On the Algae side things are looking stable but is still there in the background. I had to do a trim on the Monte Carlo and the stem plants due to growth and flow reduction.
This revelaled that the stems where still struggling with algae right at the base and TBH they just looked in real poor health.

With the new head and trimmed plants I've managed to get a failry stable profile profile somedays and other days I'm over injecting and seeing a drop down from 6.6 at lights on to about 6.4 about 5 hours into the photo period (with no effects on livestock). This is triggering a bit of BBA on the lower leaves of the buce and Alternanthera Reineckii "mini"  

This looks like a suspect needle valve on the Co2 art regulator, I've got a spare Aquamedic Reg and Solenoid Valve that came with the tank I'm just waiting for some Co2 pipe to arrive and will switch to that.

I'm also still getting trapped air in the filter still somehow although the flow output is better, I'm guessing the trapped air is due to the Co2 micro bubbles getting sucked up by the intake, I plan on clearing any air locks pre Co2 switch on and monitor until Co2 switch on.

I ordered some stem plants from the bay, that was a disaster so lets not go there.

I'm thinking of a slight replan in plants used and a bit of a rescape to improve flow.


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