PH Crash

calivivarium1

calivivarium1

Finished the fight
May 5, 2008
1,432
25
51
Fresno, California
While waiting for my poor man's buffer to arrive in the mail, my tank's ph crashed yesterday. I am not sure when exactly it happened, but I noticed that my fish were acting funky at about 10pm. I quickly killed the CO2 and added a powerhead with an airline. This morning everyone appeared to be okay.

My question is this: While I wait for my buffering stuff to arrive, can I put my CO2 back on(at a lower rate) or should I keep it off?
 
How much cheaper can "poor man's buffer" be than baking soda? Baking soda is the only thing I use to buffer the water, and it seems to have been doing the job quite well for the past 18 months. You can get a really big bag of it at Costco or Sams Club pretty cheap. I've been using the same bag for the last 18 months and haven't even made a dent in it.
 
Before CO2 is 7. AFter CO2 the lowest I had measured(my regulator isn't perfect..) was 6.4. After crash... my ph kit didn't even test that low. Poor mans buffer, I should have been more clear, is this. Its the Barr's GH Booster
 
I learn something new everyday. So, I DONT need magnesium? I will try and cancel my order and will go pick me up another thing of baking soda. I will look for the calculator, but if anyone has it handy...
 
Sorry caliv, I know there have been links to it in the planted tank section, and I believe jmhart has it handy. I have no clue where it is or which one is correct(google is bound to have some), though.
 
So.... does this calculator sound right? My problem is... how much do I want to raise my kh? Just a small amount, 2-3 degrees?
 
I would just get a big handful of crushed coral and put in a filter bag and place it in the tank or the filter. That will buffer your ph and you won't have to change it for a long time. With baking soda, you have to add it with water changes. Correct? I had a ph problem, until I added the crushed coral and now it's stable.
 
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