Ok, still not managing to get an answer to my question but ill tell you what ive been doing so far.
Now while i agree that in theory you sould be able to retain a natural
PH,
KH &
GH balance with C02 in a Planted Discus Aquarium, im just not that happy with it. I dont like running the airstone at night because i feel as if my system is reliant on yet another piece of equipment. If i can maintain a happy equilibrium otherwise then im going to find it.
Anyways, last night i got the "Seachem Acid Buffer", now Seachems advice based on the initial question i had was this.
Quote:
Dear Mouse,
I would recommend to use a combination of our Acid Buffer and our
Alkaline Buffer in the
RO/
DI make up water to achieve a pre-set pH
(the recipe for this is on the back label of each product). Once you
have added the necessary ratios of these products to your make up
water to achieve a pre-set pH, I recommend to use the water as soon
as possible. If it is allowed to sit for a length of time (especially
with aeration) and
CO2 equilibrates with the water, it will alter the
pH. Once you have adjusted the pH to your desired level and introduce
the water to the aquarium in a timely manner, I would then check the
KH after a 24 hour period and adjust it as needed in the aquarium.
But they to failed to answer my question regarding the precipitation of
KH &
GH when lowering
PH.
So, not that im one to "experiment" with my fish, but i have enough expirience to tread with care. I followed what advice he did give, and dosed the Aquarium with the "Acid Buffer" (which in my thinking must actually be an Acid, because the
KH and
GH are the "buffers"
AFAIK) this then lowered the
PH to 5.5.
I then went about fixing my
KH to the desired levels. I added the equivalent dose of 2 degrees
KH and went to test the water. No reading.
I dosed the equivalent of 2 more degrees
KH, which sould have given me an overall reading of 4 considering id just completed a water change, and still no reading.
So i went to 5, and then i get a reading of 1.
The fish this morning are all happy, and i had no breathing at the surface so alls good there. The
PH had settled at about 6.00, so im happy with that too, but whats happening to my
KH.
Could it be that with the "Seachem Acid Buffer" added, that the water has a larger "potential" to deal with, and therefore my
KH changes are requireing greater degrees of solution to recreate the same level of change.
Or, is my
KH being precipitated out of the water column by the "Acid Buffer" in order to reach the target
PH.
Or, is the "Acid buffer" giving my test kit false readings?
I know many people frown upon the whole chemical soup thing, but i have allot of faith in Seachem, and this buffers not Phosphate based so it sould be algie free. Im also wanting to lower the
PH to encourage spawning, but i dont want the elevated C02 levels that can come with it, especially at the
KH &
GH i would like for the plants.
Can anyone help me here?
