Hi All,
I am a new hobbyist with 5g and 10g tanks running with no C02. Recently, I decided to go for it and am currently cycling (w/o fish) a 50g tru vu w/C02.
The lfs recommended that I raise the Kh to 5 degrees? (100 ppm???) to balance my Ph at a neutral level with Seachem's Alakaline Buffer. I have read and heard several different and conflicting opinions on this matter.
The first is to raise my Kh to 5 with Alkaline Buffer and keep Ph around 6.8 to 7; another was not to worry about the Kh and as long as the Ph doesn't drop below 6 the plants and future fish will be fine; another was to "harden" the water with baking soda; another says that Ph and Kh will be different during the cycling period and that it will likely change once the nitrite levels drop to zero; there was yet another that I can't seem to remember.
Anyway, as a newbie, this is all very confusing and the only conclusion I can come to is that no one way is the right way, and that I will need to pursue the path that is most comfortable to me. I am of the opinion that less is more, so I am hesitant to go down the path of managing my Kh level with the Alkaline Buffer or baking soda, just because it is just one more thing that I will need to manage to keep a successful aquarium. But if it means my fish and plants will be happier, I don't mind increasing the Kh and Ph with the Alkalinity buffer or baking soda.
Any opinions, suggestions or more importantly success stories and methods would be appreciated on this topic.
My current levels after less than a week of fishless cycling are:
Ph 6.0-6.2
Kh 20-30 ppm
C02 (based on Ph and Kh levels) anywhere from 20-50 ppm
ammonia and nitrites peaking (as expected)
T5 lighting with two 39W tubes
ADA ammazonia on one side and Seachem fluorite on the other with Monterey sand under ammazonia to increase depth and ht of mountain scape.
The 50 g tank is stocked with many plants (including snails that came with them) and will include several ottos, a red tail black shark, and cherry shrimp (currently housed in the 10g), and a yet to be determined school of small fish(probably rummy nosed tetra). C02 is being diffused through a ceramic spray diffuser with bubble counter at a rate of approx. .75 bubbles per second.
So for now I am waiting until the cycle has completed to do anything. Sorry for the long intro to my questions, any input would be appreciated.
Jonas
I am a new hobbyist with 5g and 10g tanks running with no C02. Recently, I decided to go for it and am currently cycling (w/o fish) a 50g tru vu w/C02.
The lfs recommended that I raise the Kh to 5 degrees? (100 ppm???) to balance my Ph at a neutral level with Seachem's Alakaline Buffer. I have read and heard several different and conflicting opinions on this matter.
The first is to raise my Kh to 5 with Alkaline Buffer and keep Ph around 6.8 to 7; another was not to worry about the Kh and as long as the Ph doesn't drop below 6 the plants and future fish will be fine; another was to "harden" the water with baking soda; another says that Ph and Kh will be different during the cycling period and that it will likely change once the nitrite levels drop to zero; there was yet another that I can't seem to remember.
Anyway, as a newbie, this is all very confusing and the only conclusion I can come to is that no one way is the right way, and that I will need to pursue the path that is most comfortable to me. I am of the opinion that less is more, so I am hesitant to go down the path of managing my Kh level with the Alkaline Buffer or baking soda, just because it is just one more thing that I will need to manage to keep a successful aquarium. But if it means my fish and plants will be happier, I don't mind increasing the Kh and Ph with the Alkalinity buffer or baking soda.
Any opinions, suggestions or more importantly success stories and methods would be appreciated on this topic.
My current levels after less than a week of fishless cycling are:
Ph 6.0-6.2
Kh 20-30 ppm
C02 (based on Ph and Kh levels) anywhere from 20-50 ppm
ammonia and nitrites peaking (as expected)
T5 lighting with two 39W tubes
ADA ammazonia on one side and Seachem fluorite on the other with Monterey sand under ammazonia to increase depth and ht of mountain scape.
The 50 g tank is stocked with many plants (including snails that came with them) and will include several ottos, a red tail black shark, and cherry shrimp (currently housed in the 10g), and a yet to be determined school of small fish(probably rummy nosed tetra). C02 is being diffused through a ceramic spray diffuser with bubble counter at a rate of approx. .75 bubbles per second.
So for now I am waiting until the cycle has completed to do anything. Sorry for the long intro to my questions, any input would be appreciated.
Jonas
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