# Newbie question on CO2 and pH



## modster (Jun 16, 2007)

I have a planted shrimp tank and will start injecting CO2 soon. My question is, how do i hold the pH constant when the co2 is turned off at night?


----------



## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

Hi Modster

I can think of are three options:
- figure out much CO2 that you can safely add 24/7; adding a CO2 indicator/drop checker with a known dKH solution is very helpful for this
- use a solenoid with your regulator to cut the CO2 off at night; again a CO2 indicator/drop checker will help
- use a pH controller and calibrate/clean your probes regularly

I hope this helps you.

Left C


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

It doesn't matter if the pH changes at night due to the CO2 being off. And, if you keep the bubble rate the same 24 hours a day, the pH changes from day to night should be very small. Remember, most of the CO2 we inject is actually lost from the surface of the water, not used by the plants, so the fact that the plants don't use CO2 at night isn't going to cause a big drop in pH at night with a steady bubble rate.


----------



## modster (Jun 16, 2007)

ok, another question. How do I lower the pH of my water? My tap water is very basic for some reason (pH=7.9). I bought API pH down but it barely does anything. I also read somewhere that those products will only keep the pH down for a few days. How about wardley bullseye?


----------



## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Adding CO2 is going to lower your PH, or do you mean until you get CO2 setup??


----------



## modster (Jun 16, 2007)

well, with the pH i have right now, CO2 wont lower it much. Let me explain my situation more clearly. My tap water has a pH of 7.9. I dont know the hardness right now because i am still waiting for my test kit. I will inject CO2 and want to have pH of 6.2~6.8; KH of 1~2 and GH of 4~6.

edit:- actually, my tap water is neutral! For some reasons, the water is my tank is basic! Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate<5ppm. Whats going on!?


----------



## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

rocks containing lime in your tank?


----------



## modster (Jun 16, 2007)

i am only using eco complete. should i keep dosing pH down until pH goes down?


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The best thing is to forget about pH entirely. Stop adding chemicals to alter the pH. Instead, try to get a good GH of about 5 to 6 dGH. I also wouldn't bother with measuring KH except occasionally just to see if something is going wrong. Plants will grow great with low KH or high KH and just about any pH that occurs naturally in the water. Most fish are not bothered by any naturally occuring pH either. But, trying to maintain a tank full of added chemicals thru many water changes is very hard and can be stressful to the fish.


----------



## modster (Jun 16, 2007)

i am worrying about my crs actually. It's the first time i have them but i have heard how pickly they are with water :-(


----------



## Bill Weber (Jul 17, 2005)

Hoppy,

That is some of the best advise I have read on the forum in a while. I have a planted discus tank in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and my ph is 8.8. All the information I read is that discus will not thrive unless the ph is below 6.8. I have found this not to be true. There are several discus breeders in my area with the same Alkaline water as I do and they are successfull breeders. My fish are healthy and very colorful.

I have tried to lower the ph in the past with chemicals and found that adding too much will cause my tank to turn a milky white and cause the fish to gasp for air. I do dose with Excel so there may be a reaction going on there.

I have also found that controlling algae with the time the lights are on is usually the best method. Call me strange but I cringe everytime someone tries to alter their water with chemicals. Not to say they are bad, just try to be sensable with it.

Anyway, keep on posting, I enjoy your advise.


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

modster said:


> i am worrying about my crs actually. It's the first time i have them but i have heard how pickly they are with water :-(


CRS = cherry red shrimp(?) If so, don't worry at all about them. They live very well where ever in whatever water they find themselves in. Remember, many people find them happily living in their canister filters when they service them. If CRS = Crystal Red shrimp (?) I'm not as sure, but I don't think they are picky about water either. Most shrimp aren't.


----------



## modster (Jun 16, 2007)

They are crystal red shrimps.


----------



## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

CRS are plainly need 'higher maintainence'... though... they could do with the ph ranging from 6.5~7.3 ... i wouldn't go around adding chemicals if you're really worried bout yeh shrimps... they're veeery sensitive to chemicals IMHO.


----------

