# Unstable pH/Hygrophila trouble



## Richie38 (Oct 14, 2010)

I'm trying to keep the Ph stable, at 7.5 for my Mollies and plants but it keeps bouncing because of my cO2 injector. I'm using a DIY Yeast cO2 injector. I know it's my cO2 causing the swing, but, how can I keep it stable? I've been using "Wardley '3 in 1' 7.5 pH Water Conditioner" and it seems to help, but I have to keep dosing it, but I don't wanna cause harm. Here are my stats:

Temp kept at 85
PH- (as of now) 7.2, otherwise it will bounce up to 6.4 - 6.6
Nitrates- between 5.0 and 10
8 bpm (co2)
Flourish Iron- 3ml every 3 days
Flourish Potassium- 4 ml every 3 days

Also, my Hygrophila keeps growing (I actually just had to trim it, and turn the one bunch, into two bunches) and its growing fine, sprouting out new leaves all the time, but the leaves seem to be curling and the leafs veins appear to be a little darker than the leaves themselves. I've included a pic.

HELP!!!


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## JeffyFunk (Apr 6, 2006)

Richie38 said:


> I'm trying to keep the pH stable, at 7.5 for my Mollies and plants but it keeps bouncing because of my CO2 injector....


Unless you use pressurized CO2 w/ a pH Controller, there is no way to use CO2 to maintain a "stable pH". Furthermore, in a planted aquarium, there is really no need to maintain a stable pH; most fish suitable for planted aquariums are actually not that sensitive to mild swings in pH values. Trying to maintain a stable pH by the addition of buffers to the aquarium is actually detrimental since buffers are really just salts (which in excess, are bad for planted aquariums). As long as you have healthy, growing plants, your fish should be fine.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

As Jeffy said, don't worry about the pH changes. The mollies will be fine. I would quit using the pH 'controller'. You are probably adding lots of phosphate via that item without knowing it, since it's probably a phosphate buffer base of some sort. You should, however, have an idea of the CO2 levels in the tank when it's at it's highest. Though I doubt with diy, you will create oxygen problems for the fish.



> Also, my Hygrophila keeps growing (I actually just had to trim it, and turn the one bunch, into two bunches) and its growing fine, sprouting out new leaves all the time, but the leaves seem to be curling and the leafs veins appear to be a little darker than the leaves themselves. I've included a pic.


Newer growth will often be lighter colored. If it is growing as well as you describe, don't worry about it.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Better than playing around with the pH, get the GH and KH in the optimum range for the fish and plants and let the pH do whatever it wants. 
Mollies are hard water fish, thriving in a GH of around 10+ degrees. Keep the KH more or less about the same.


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