Water change /maintenence

[V227]

Rick & Z
I've been following the conversation. It reminds me of my old chemistry class. My head hurts.
It might be better to just grow rocks like me. Lol.
No stress or strain. Just stack them up.

 

[ZxC]

Rick & Z
I've been following the conversation. It reminds me of my old chemistry class. My head hurts.
It might be better to just grow rocks like me. Lol.
No stress or strain. Just stack them up.

Lol I know, it can get very confusing, pH, kH, gH, TDS, KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4, CSM+B, CO2 etc etc. very daunting and things can easily be skipped over.

I guess that is the difference between a "fish tank with plants" and a "planted tank".

There is no one-size fits all in a planted tank. We each have to make and choose and dose different products to different levels to meet our tanks goals.

Ca and Mg deficiencies in plants have been popping up a lot more lately, so in Rick's case upping the gH (combination of Ca and Mg) be 2 degrees will ensure the plants have enough without over doing it causing excess TDS and wasting bought gH boosting products.


I'm in your shoes V. I have some stone that leaches carbonates into my tank water. I'm using almost pure RO (17L RO : 1L Tap in an 18L pail) and my kH in the tank is still 4.5 degrees, pH is 7.6. The rocks might be leaching gH as well, I just hate counting out stupid drops in a test tube so I haven't bothers. Last I checked I was boosting 2-4 degrees gH, but the tank was running about 8 degrees, so probably leaching some gH as well.

 

[V227]

The fish I keep need hard water w/ high PH. So I don't ever need to adjust things.
This thread has sparked a very good conversation.

 

[Potluck]

Rick & Z
I've been following the conversation. It reminds me of my old chemistry class. My head hurts.
It might be better to just grow rocks like me. Lol.
No stress or strain. Just stack them up.

You and me both my head like "what did you get yourself into" lol

 

[Fresh2o]

Rick & Z

I've been following the conversation. It reminds me of my old chemistry class. My head hurts.

It might be better to just grow rocks like me. Lol.

No stress or strain. Just stack them up.

When I took down my high tech tank, life got much simpler. No checking the bubble counter, drop checker, no daily PPS-Pro ferts, no weekly trimming, no algae battles.
Regarding the crypts (wendtii in particular) in my high tech tank, they grew larger but were less colorful. In my low tech tank, growth was slower, stem length was shorter, and they were more colorful.

 

[ZxC]

When I took down my high tech tank, life got much simpler. No checking the bubble counter, drop checker, no daily PPS-Pro ferts, no weekly trimming, no algae battles.
Regarding the crypts (wendtii in particular) in my high tech tank, they grew larger but were less colorful. In my low tech tank, growth was slower, stem length was shorter, and they were more colorful.

Bubble counter? That's old news... Get yourself a flow meter

Drop checker? Pfft... aim for a 1.3 peak drop in pH with a pH moniter

Daily dosing? Auto doser will help with that

lol all kidding aside, things are getting more and more simple in the high tech world. I find my high tech tank to be easier to maintain than my low tech tanks, just my experience of course