A little advice please

[Carbon101]

Hi folks!

This is my first week dosing with EI and CO2 so I'm taking it slow to avoid any mishaps. Well tomorrow is PWC day and I was needing to bump up my KH a couple of degrees. I was just wondering if I can add the soda at the same time as the dosing and can I bring up the KH in one hit without detrimental effects? I just don't wanna hurt the fish thats all.

Cheers!

 

[Tom Barr]

I really do not mess with my KH, I've had it from 11 down to 1.2 or so now.
Unless it's near 0.4 or less, not likely you do either.

I did use RO and blended it with tap in one location, but the KH was 18 and the GH was 20 with 52ppm of Mg.

Not likely your case, but as you can see, there's little need to add baking soda in the first place, adding enough to move the KH by 1 degree is fine though after a water change.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Carbon101]

Thanks Tom!

I have mostly low light plants and was reading that anubias prefer KH of 4 or so and mines @ 2.

I'm very new to planted aquaria and have been researching as much as possible but sometimes things get a little confusing and I don't trust my LFS anymore.

I'm not using Chucks calc but I had a look at it. Specificly the CO2 calc.
From what I was seeing there (10 low) I thought I needed to get my KH up a bit to get more saturation.Meaning adding more CO2 or getting the KH up.

I am using the 4KH water in the drop checker and although I am misting with good flow it always dark green.

If I increase the CO2 then the fish start doing the surface boogaloo.
Now even more confused heh

Appreciate your help though.
Thank you.

Cheers.

 

[Tom Barr]

Changing KH does nothing to the CO2. As you add more KH, the pH also co rises proportionally. More CO2 means adding more CO2 gas.

In other words, if you want more CO2, you add more CO2.
Many see the KH and pH and think if they raise the KH and keep the pH the same, they get more CO2. It does not work that way. CO2 comes from CO2. No beans about it.


KH of 2 is great.
Leave it be.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Carbon101]

Ok I'll leave it alone.

CO2 = CO2 gotcha!

Well I'll just keep upping the CO2 real slow like and carefully observe.
Stressful yet satisfying hobby

Thank you again.
Cheers!