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I think the pH going lower will be fine. What is your KH?
No, you won't be able to test I don't think. But if you are wanting to know if you have adequate co2, get a drop checker. Red Sea makes a fairly cheap one. You can get nicer ones elsewhere that are glass. You'll need a solution that is 4 degrees KH to put in the drop checker and they come with the color indicator. 30ppm is ideal and will turn the drop checker green. You'll need alot of DIY CO2 bottles in order to get 30ppm of co2 IME on a 55g. The co2 levels from DIY are pretty inconsistent at times too and IME can cause some black beard algae. If you are considering pressurized co2, I suggest biting the bullet and just put a system together. Its easier to manage and will be more consistent.
How much light do you have over your tank?
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