Plant noob, need to know how to read CO2 levels and KH????

[Mantis_22]

Im getting one of those fancy DIY hagen CO2 Systems for 35$ online soon. I picked up a KH test kit by hagen at the LFS today. How do I use it, how do I know when the levels are too high? Also bad levels which might affect fish? Can someone help me out? I bought a new coralife bulb plant grow light and looks great. I'm gonna be adding weekly ferts too.

[TomFromStLouis]

thekrib.com has a table in their plant section. Measure pH before and after CO2, read across with your KH and deduce CO2 levels. Your goal should be around 15-25 ppm. Stay below 30ppm

[odessa]

I've found the table at http://www.sfbaaps.com/reference/table_01.shtml
a little eaiser to read than the one at the krib.

[Mantis_22]

ok, so this is all I have learnt from CO2 by reading articles in the past day. KH is Affected by CO2, which when the KH is affected PH is also. Thus bringing it down. The key is to CO2 is keeping CO2+KH between 15(minimum) and 30(maximum) PPM. Giving growth to the plants. Yet when giving the plants that high of CO2 you must increase the KH by using lets say a teaspoon of coral in the powerfilter. Which in a week or so raises to KH and raising the PPM. Am I correct so far? Also should I add the CO2 Hagen kit first then add the coral? Or should I first focus on raising my KH to around 7-8 KH? Then when ready add the CO2 kit? A question I have is when I raise to KH by using coral will this raise or lower my PH? Right now I have all my kits except KH and GH which I will be getting tomorrow. I will post my stats on here...

[serjuanca888]

Whoah, did you say $35? I know you can get it for $20 at drsfostersmith.com or thatfishplace.com or bigalsonline.com

Just thought I'd point that out.

[Robert H]

Adding C02 lowers the pH... C02 is carbonic acid. Acids lower the pH. Carbonate hardness, (KH) acts as a buffer to the C02.

You measure how much C02 is going into your tank by how much your pH goes down from the pH you started with before adding C02. So if your pH starts at say 7.8, you add enough C02 to lower the pH to 7.0 or whatever. If your pH is very low to begin with, you can not add much C02 very safely.

The problem with the cheapie Hagen system, or any yeast system is you do not have much control over how much C02 is going into your tank. Only by using pressurized gas do you have real control.

[jdwyz]

hey mantis

order your hagen co2 system from here

http://www.petsolutions.com/cgi-bin/cgiitmls?m=ThisP&p=1075.450000&l=1

located in ohio.i received an order the vey next day.also a very good business to deal with.

if i were your you i would just buy the bubble counter diffuser its only $9.99. the holding tank that comes with the hagen isnt that big.get some soda bottles and airline and connect them to the diffuser.works so much better.

[Skittyfish]

Go to the search button and type in plantbrain. Read everything he's written. He tells exactly what needs to be done. Especially in my threads...since we have the same water a lot of things will apply. If you raise your kh first, your pH will also raise. Depending on your fish this may not be a good thing. All of my fish like soft, acidic water...tetras, Kribs. These are in my planted tank, with pressurized CO2. I only started planting in Jan. Just READ READ READ. (you can get plant bulbs at lowes a lot cheaper than at the pet stores!)

[Mantis_22]

Thanks alot everyone I understand clearly now. I will do all water tests today and post them on here. Then once I know that I will be able to know whether I need to raise the KH/etc. I get the Hagen CO2 tomorrow so I hope for the best. Im also adding liquid ferts by hagen (Flourish).