Last week I finally scrounged up enough change to get a fully automated CO2 setup. With the cylinder in place, probe in the water and pH dialed in I turned everything on and it works like a charm.
Well, almost. The KH just keeps going higher and higher. I set the system to a pH of 6.8. It's not been a week and the KH has gone from 4 to almost 9! Due to this higher alkalinity it's been harder and harder for the system to get the pH down to 6.8. Tonight it was at 6.9 and checking the chart, that means the CO2 is around 33ppm. I really don't want it above 30ppm.
So my question to those of you who have fully automated CO2 system is how do you maintain the right pH to KH? Do you slowly raise the target pH on your system's dial over the corse of time? What about sky rocketing KH? How do you balance all these things? I guess partial water changes are really important now to help restore a more normal KH. I'm just wondering what routines some of you do - what's worked for you.
Until I find a balance for things, I'll be keeping an eye out for any fish sucking air at the surface. . .
Well, almost. The KH just keeps going higher and higher. I set the system to a pH of 6.8. It's not been a week and the KH has gone from 4 to almost 9! Due to this higher alkalinity it's been harder and harder for the system to get the pH down to 6.8. Tonight it was at 6.9 and checking the chart, that means the CO2 is around 33ppm. I really don't want it above 30ppm.
So my question to those of you who have fully automated CO2 system is how do you maintain the right pH to KH? Do you slowly raise the target pH on your system's dial over the corse of time? What about sky rocketing KH? How do you balance all these things? I guess partial water changes are really important now to help restore a more normal KH. I'm just wondering what routines some of you do - what's worked for you.
Until I find a balance for things, I'll be keeping an eye out for any fish sucking air at the surface. . .