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Not reaching co2 requirement

Good luck Nigel, getting a good balance is not easy but once you have grasped how it all works it will seem much easier to understand .
As much as folk try to help and pass on their own experiences, at the end of the day every tank is going to require its own ideal settings and there is only one way find that out.
Obviously it would be far better if you did not have live stock but if you just go slowly with small adjustments you (or your fish) should be fine.
 
@nigel bentley the lower is kH of your water the easier is to set the pH to the desired level as you have less buffer in low kH water.

For example to drop ph from 7 to 6.9 you'll need only 0.4pm of CO2 at 0.5 kh, but you'll need 7.8ppm of CO2 at 10 kH.
 
Thanks Foxfish. You are right, no 2 tanks are the same. Learning loads with new experiences, thanks a lot.
 
...pH probes/pens are not accurate and I only trust them to see if the pH is stable i.e. the reading they give is irrelevant..

There are a lot of cheapo so-called pH probes/pens now available. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. It's no different from anything else. But, the pH probes, meters, etc. from reputable manufacturers such as Hanna Instruments, Extech and Omega are some of the ones to consider. I have an Extech PH100 - it has an accuracy of +/- 0.01pH. I maintain this with calibration buffer solutions. Very expensive pH meters are required for measuring the pH of low ionic strength solutions (low TDS/conductivity) but that need has never arisen for me in the aquatics hobby.

JPC
 
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Can you post a picture of your drop checker at your pH 1.0 drop? Is your pH probe next to your drop checker when you’re making the comparison?

Well my tank has been running fine for well over a year so I rarely take the pH to be honest, but it was over 1.0pH drop last i checked, I just go of the DC colour being yellowish/green and the lack of algae

There are a lot of cheapo so-called pH probes/pens now available. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. It's no different from anything else. But, the pH probes, meters, etc. from reputable manufacturers such as Hanna Instruments, Extech and Omega are some of the ones to consider. I have an Extech PH100 - it has an accuracy of +/- 0.01pH. I maintain this with calibration buffer solutions. Very expensive pH meters are required for measuring the pH of low ionic strength solutions (low TDS/conductivity) but that need has never arisen for me in the aquatics hobby.

JPC

Yep I have a Hanna, but not cheap but still a PITA to calibrate
 
I have had a break through. Dc now reading 20mg!!! Have installed pump internally on lowest setting, water turnover now 6.5 times during photo period. Fish happy, water chemistry good. Would have pump on higher setting but don't like the look of lots of turbulence. Thanks guys for your help, couldn't have done this without you! My Lfs had insisted no water movement at surface was best but I now know this not to be the case.!!
 
I have had a break through. Dc now reading 20mg!!! Have installed pump internally on lowest setting, water turnover now 6.5 times during photo period. Fish happy, water chemistry good. Would have pump on higher setting but don't like the look of lots of turbulence. Thanks guys for your help, couldn't have done this without you! My Lfs had insisted no water movement at surface was best but I now know this not to be the case.!!

Woot! I was typing up a post, then re read this! Hurrah for surface agitation.

Congrats.

Josh
 
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