CO2 injection. Any alternative???!

[Dreadz]

Is there any real alternative to an automated co2 injection system if I want to plant out my tank and maintain pH6.5
I'd got my tank stable but when i re-scaped it i thought i'd try real plants, having grown tired of unconvincing plastic deco and so I planted 2 amazon swords and 2 vallisneria americana in the plain sand substrate but didn't appreciate the extent of the ph swing it would cause, which leads back to the question in the title.
Is there any real alternative to an automated CO2 injection ph control system if I want plants and a stable pH 6.5?

 

[jondamon]

Co2 injection is only really needed in high light heavy planted tanks.

What is your current lighting specs and tank size?


Jon

 

[jetajockey]

Is there any real alternative to an automated co2 injection system if I want to plant out my tank and maintain pH6.5
I'd got my tank stable but when i re-scaped it i thought i'd try real plants, having grown tired of unconvincing plastic deco and so I planted 2 amazon swords and 2 vallisneria americana in the plain sand substrate but didn't appreciate the extent of the ph swing it would cause, which leads back to the question in the title.
Is there any real alternative to an automated CO2 injection ph control system if I want plants and a stable pH 6.5?

I've grown many amazon sword and vals in no-co2 low/medium light tanks, so no, co2 isn't absolutely necessary. As far as maintaining the pH at 6.5, what are you trying to achieve? It's fine to ballpark it but it shifting a little bit isn't going to affect anything unless you have a pH crash related to lack of buffers.

 

[Dreadz]

Co2 injection is only really needed in high light heavy planted tanks.

What is your current lighting specs and tank size?

Jon

I currently have a seriously overstocked 100litre tank (long story!!) with just a single t5 tube.
I have a 200gal (UK) tank waiting and was planning on going with a 6 or 8 tube t5 unit once I set that up after Christmas.

 

[Dreadz]

I've grown many amazon sword and vals in no-co2 low/medium light tanks, so no, co2 isn't absolutely necessary. As far as maintaining the pH at 6.5, what are you trying to achieve? It's fine to ballpark it but it shifting a little bit isn't going to affect anything unless you have a pH crash related to lack of buffers.

I realise pH is never going to stay absolutely stable at 6.5 but am trying to keep it in that range
1: for the current fish I have - angels, GBR's, clown loaches, cory's
2: long term I'd love to setup a planted discus tank so want to learn to maintain that pH in the most effective (ideally chemical additive free) way.
Have tried to make sure my kh and gh aren't so low as to allow for ph swings and had got my tank stable at 6.5 until I planted it at which point my ph climbed to 7.4/7.6