Hehe, well, DC have issues also, they tell you basically 3 very general things (not enough, hopefully just right and too much) and they are slow to respond.
I do not use them personally.
I use experience basically.
I start off low and then incrementally and progressively, but most importantly patiently and slowly add more and more CO2.
You can use the pH/KH chart to target that range, the chart will never underestimate the CO2, it will very often overestimate the CO2, so you will be lulled into thinking you have say 40ppm, when you might only have say 15ppm.
The reverse is never true: it will not suggest you have 15ppm, when you actually have 40ppm.
Unless you have a broke pH probe etc or made a mistake measuring etc.
I add more CO2 and wait 2-4 days and watch fish, plants etc.
I do not rush this process.
This way I can tell the response of fish, plants, and algae to only slight changes in CO2 dosing.
This is really useful, because I can easily add ferts consistently, and the PAR from the lights does not change except over years.
So this leaves CO2 changes as the main variable to keep an eye on.
Some species of fish, algae and plants are more responsive as well.
A vernier handle is particularly useful for adding progressively more/less CO2.
Regards,
Tom Barr
