ID this algae please

[ian_m]

So if I see my pH staying at 6.42 thoughout the loght period it means I am stable right?
Also if I have an increase or decrease of 0.1 pH is that ok?
Lastly, co2 is off one hour before lights off and this causes the pH to go from 6.43 to 6.85 in one hour...is that bad?

Yes probably all OK. But what about rest of the tank rather than just the surface which you dipped you pH meter in ?

This is why a drop checker is the most useful tool as it can be placed in those "difficult to get flow" parts of the tank to verify what the plants are telling you. 🙂 Certainly in my experience.

 

[Jaap]

Yes probably all OK. But what about rest of the tank rather than just the surface which you dipped you pH meter in ?

This is why a drop checker is the most useful tool as it can be placed in those "difficult to get flow" parts of the tank to verify what the plants are telling you. 🙂 Certainly in my experience.

True! That is why I am a lucky guy and its not a pen that I own but an electrode 🙂 I will place it further down in the tank....where should I place it?

Also, even though this is highly unlikely, if the temperature of the water increases or decreases then I assume that dissolved CO2 will change....is that change large enough to cause problems like BBA?

 

[ian_m]

I will place it further down in the tank....where should I place it?

Near where the plants are having issues, but be careful in interpreting the results, like quantum physics that act of you taking a measurement ie placing the pH pen (and your hand) will disrupt the flow giving you a false reading.

You will need to experiment with locations, again a drop checker on a suction cup is often easier. My drop checker has done numerous trips all around my tank, including all sides of the tank, numerous levels on the sides and even wedged under lower leaves, staying blue, proving there was lack of CO2 flow in these areas. Someone even had theirs on a length of string, held down by a stone so they could measure CO2 in middle of the tank. High tech is sometimes not always best.🙂

 

[Jaap]

Near where the plants are having issues, but be careful in interpreting the results, like quantum physics that act of you taking a measurement ie placing the pH pen (and your hand) will disrupt the flow giving you a false reading.

You will need to experiment with locations, again a drop checker on a suction cup is often easier. My drop checker has done numerous trips all around my tank, including all sides of the tank, numerous levels on the sides and even wedged under lower leaves, staying blue, proving there was lack of CO2 flow in these areas. Someone even had theirs on a length of string, held down by a stone so they could measure CO2 in middle of the tank. High tech is sometimes not always best.🙂

So yesterday I measure pH with a probe at different places in the tank....they all came up 6.41....this was expected since the tank is only 40L and as mentioned previously the spraybar and the 1000 L/h filter do a very good job in circulation.

Also I had 2 DC near the substrate in two different places in the tank and both were yellow coloured. Also, Tom Barr suggested that a drop of 1 unit in pH means an injection of around 30ppm regardles of kH and my pH goes from 7.52 to 6.41 so I guess I add a bit more than 30ppm.

As I said....my CO2 levels and circulation are fine! Probably what caused the BBA was when I stopped dosing the 5ml Excel daily.

I have reduced light intensity by 10% for the moment and will be doing 30% daily water changes....I would like to remove the BBA on the rocks but with shrimp in the tank I don't want to add Excel to the BBA with a syringe and risk killing the shrimp....also I don't know if it will do any good since the rocks are at the very bottom and I can't drop the water level that low....is there any other way? Maybe Hydrogen Peroxide?