Forever Fishtank
Seedling
I am trying to better understand the need (or not) of adding KH booster when remineralizing RO water in a tank with aqua soil and CO2. Currently, I don’t add any - it is not a CRS tank by the way, just plants and fish. The reason is, I read that aqua soil contains acid buffers to lower pH. These acid buffers that will take the KH to 0 by binding any KH booster that I add. Thus, adding KH booster will simply serve to deplete the acid buffers I paid for.
I am trying to understand how stable the pH is in a system that only has acid buffers - especially one with co2. Based on my internet research (I am not a chemist and my university chemistry courses are a dim memory) I understood that KH (I guess more appropriately alkalinity buffers) is what stabilizes the pH, countering organic acids and CO2. In the case of aqua soil, does that mean that the same role is carried out by the acid buffers in the soil? But how? I am not clear as to why my pH is not simply crashing to crazy low levels with no KH in the system. Perhaps it is?
One of my problems is that I can't seem to measure my pH properly. High range API liquid test says it is below the lowest range of the test. Low range API test shows it as being higher than the test's highest range. Similar issues with the Fluvial test kits. Some people suggested this means the pH is neutral, but I very strongly doubt that. For example, Tetra test strips show my pH as being 6.2 or lower. How much lower, I have no idea.
In summary, should I add KH buffers?
I am trying to understand how stable the pH is in a system that only has acid buffers - especially one with co2. Based on my internet research (I am not a chemist and my university chemistry courses are a dim memory) I understood that KH (I guess more appropriately alkalinity buffers) is what stabilizes the pH, countering organic acids and CO2. In the case of aqua soil, does that mean that the same role is carried out by the acid buffers in the soil? But how? I am not clear as to why my pH is not simply crashing to crazy low levels with no KH in the system. Perhaps it is?
One of my problems is that I can't seem to measure my pH properly. High range API liquid test says it is below the lowest range of the test. Low range API test shows it as being higher than the test's highest range. Similar issues with the Fluvial test kits. Some people suggested this means the pH is neutral, but I very strongly doubt that. For example, Tetra test strips show my pH as being 6.2 or lower. How much lower, I have no idea.
In summary, should I add KH buffers?