How to raise pH *without* raising KH?

[Tom Wood]

I'm using 100% RO water that starts out at a 6 pH. I'm raising KH to only 3dKH using baking soda so I can grow cabomba furcata. The pH goes up to about 6.4. Injecting CO2 drops the pH off the scale. Is there a way to raise pH without raising KH, or is this even something I would want to do?

Thanks,

TW

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Re: How to raise pH *without* raising KH?

Tom,

I have some of this at KH 5 and it seems to grow OK, although it hasn't flowered again. The biggest problem I have with it, is keeping it rooted. It seems to prefer soil over gravel.

PH is about 7.1, also a bit high for this plant.

 

[Spar]

Re: How to raise pH *without* raising KH?

I'm using 100% RO water that starts out at a 6 pH. I'm raising KH to only 3dKH using baking soda so I can grow cabomba furcata. The pH goes up to about 6.4. Injecting CO2 drops the pH off the scale. Is there a way to raise pH without raising KH, or is this even something I would want to do?

Thanks,

TW

that pH drop is irrelevant to fish and plants. I keep my pH at 6.3 @ a KH of 3 (pretty high co2). Just focus on keeping your KH consistent. Keep up with your weekly large water changes, and this will not be hard to accomplish.

As for ways to increase pH without raising KH; the only way is to decrease co2. Buffers designed to increase pH also increase KH.

 

[Tom Wood]

Re: How to raise pH *without* raising KH?

The biggest problem I have with it, is keeping it rooted. It seems to prefer soil over gravel.

I hear you there, same problem made worse with digging goldfish. It does eventually root though. I'm using blasting grit for a substrate.

TW

EDIT: Thanks all, I'll live with it.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: How to raise pH *without* raising KH?

You might consider putting some large cobble around the uprooted plant areas/species.

The plant ias an easy to grow plant, I get several inces a week even at 14KH/GH17.

The flourite, SM, you name it grows it faster than you want.

Regards,

Tom Barr