trying to get proper co2

kooter

kooter

AquaMan
Dec 14, 2003
701
13
18
Mission, BC
Here are my parameters:

Iron = .1 mg/L
kH = 35.8 ppm or 2 dKH
gH = 89.5 ppm or 5 dGH
Nitrate = 30 ppm
phosphate = .75 mg/L
pH = 7.2

with pH @ 7.2 and kH at 2, my co2 level is only 4.0ppm?? it should be between 15 - 23 according to Chucks calculator.

I have a Hagen cO2 ladder and I dose flourish excel, flourish, and flourish potassium 10ml. twice a week.
I should also mention that I have 2.24WPG of lighting on for approx. 8 hours per day. x1 150w Metal Hallide for
4 hours and I overlap my 2x65W compacts for total of 8 hrs.

Here are my questions:
to get my co2 up to acceptable level, should I dose more flourish excel or raise my kH by using baking soda or crushed coral? or due both?
How do you test your Potassium levels?

thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
I'd go at it another way, raise your C02 level with more C02.
If you need to raise your kh use crushed coral.

Is this your 125 gallon we are talking about?
 
cyborob said:
I'd go at it another way, raise your C02 level with more C02.
If you need to raise your kh use crushed coral.

Is this your 125 gallon we are talking about?
Click to expand...

yes, this is my 125G.
the co2 I'm putting into my tank is with Flourish excel AND the Haggen ladder yeast sugar system.
 
Mgamer20o0 said:
you need to put more co2 into your tank. how are you adding co2? is this a diy or pressurized.
Click to expand...

yes, I know. I'm wondering how to do it. I have the Hagen yeast, sugar ladder and I dose with liquid co2 (flourish excel).

Here are my options:1.) If I raise the kH, that means the pH will drop a bit and my co2 will be within the range (according to Chucks planted aquarium calculator). OR

2.) should I just dose with more liquid co2?
 
kooter I think if you raise your kh in that way your ph will raise with it. You could try but that will not be adding C02 to your water and neither will adding excel.

If you don't want to or cannot add pressurized c02. Do another hagen setup or two and you will see better numbers.

I have two hagen ladders on my ten gallon ... lol
Drops my ph from 7.6 to 6.6 my kh is 3

Looks like your tap water is similiar to mine.
 
cyborob said:
kooter I think if you raise your kh in that way your ph will raise with it. You could try but that will not be adding C02 to your water and neither will adding excel.

If you don't want to or cannot add pressurized c02. Do another hagen setup or two and you will see better numbers.

I have two hagen ladders on my ten gallon ... lol
Drops my ph from 7.6 to 6.6 my kh is 3

Looks like your tap water is similiar to mine.
Click to expand...

I should go pressurized, but at the moment I can't .
I have liquid co2 (flourish excel) in the meantime, is this not as good?

cyborob - where in the Pacific NW are you located?
 
another question comes to mind......the liquid co2 does not effect the pH, so in using the aquatic plant calculator by cross referencing pH and kH may not be the best way to tell what my co2 levels are at????
Boy oh boy, this plant thing is starting to !#ss me off! :mad2:
I just purchased Flourish, Flourish excel, Flourish Potassium and test kits all for plants and it seems I'm still not getting anywhere! :mad2: :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:
 
In the long run, Flourish will cost a lot more $$ than pressurized CO2. It will help in the short run, though. Either add more flourish or add more DIY bottles (and make sure you're getting the CO2 into the water - if the ladder is burping bubbles, it isn't doing the job).

Others are correct - changing your KH will not alter your CO2 levels. Only adding CO2 will do that.

You may also be interested in adding a drop checker (search "drop checker" here or at APC forums or at AA's forums)
 
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