Is Raising the KH w/new pressurized system Needed?

[LindaC]

Now that I've started injecting pressurized CO2 and in the process of adding more CO2 a little at a time, should I add baking soda to raise the kh and how much should I add to a 29 gallon tank with currect water parameters at: PH 7.0, KH 50, GH 40.

I have been fiddeling around with the needle valve on my Milwaukee all in one to try and get it to hold a stable bubble rate, I sure hope this isn't going to be a problem for me. It didn't kick on at the same rate I had it on last night before the lights went off. I have them on the same timer (lights & co2).

Any suggestions, advice will be greatly appreciated. I'd like to get my CO2 stablized and not have to worry about my gh and kh.

Edited to say that I just tested again after a couple of hours at the current setting, it turned it up a very little, and the current parameters are:
ph, 6.7, kh 50. I went over to chuck's page and according to his calculator, my CO2 is good, if I've been reading it correctly. If my kh stays were it is, I shouldn't need to add baking soda, correct?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to be sure I'm doing this correctly and even more important, I understand it.

Many thanks!
Linda

Many thanks!
Linda

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

The amount of time it takes to break down KH.. you won't have a problem. I don't deal with PPM hardness, but as long as it's above 3 deg. KH out of your tap, you are fine with PWC's replenishing the kh.

 

[LindaC]

Okay, thank you! One question, if I were to run the CO2 24/7 would I need a ph controller? If I'm going to have problems with my CO2 running when it's turned on every day with the lights, then that's a problem.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

If you have a timer, plug the co2 soleniod into it with your lights. That way the co2 turns off with the lights. Or you can run a controller 24/7. It will turn the co2 on and off as needed.

 

[LindaC]

If you have a timer, plug the co2 soleniod into it with your lights. That way the co2 turns off with the lights. Or you can run a controller 24/7. It will turn the co2 on and off as needed.

I set this up for the first time yesterday with just that in mind, I wanted to make sure it kicked in at the same bubble rate this morning, but it didn't. I was barely going at all. This presents a problem if it's going to keep up; I work full time and my lights aren't set to come on until long after I leave for work, now I'm not sure what to do, I may just have to turn it on manually before I leave until I get it adjusted or get a ph controller.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. It will take a short period before you get the regulator and needle valve set just right. It takes a little bit to get the valves seated. But once seated, it will be no problems. That's how I did mine until I got my controller. Just give it a few more tries.

Are you using the Milwaukee regulator? If you are, shut the needle valve off so you have no bubbles, then slowly turn the big black knob til you see you have between 10-20psi in the 2nd meter. Then slowly open the needle valve til you get the bubble count you want. Every now and then you might have to open the big black knob a couple turns to get it back to 10-20psi, til it seats in properly. Then shouldn't need to adjust the needle valve anymore.

 

[LindaC]

I currently have my cyclinder (black knob) set at 25 psi, is that too high? I left the system to go off on it's on with the lights, hopefully when I get home this evening, the CO2 will be going at the same bubble rate it was when the system turned off.

I'd really rather not have to purchase a PH Controller, so hopefully running it off my timer will be okay. I've been reading that a lot of people seem to be having a problem with the needle valve holding the bubble rate on the Milwaukee all in one, I hope I'm not going to be one of these people.

Thanks!
Linda

 

[7Enigma]

I would probably bump up the KH 1 or 2 degrees to be safe (your GH is also pretty low). Your KH right now is about 3 degrees which is generally the bare minimum at which you can add CO2. Bumping up to 4 or 5 degrees (80-90ppm) will give you a much narrower pH swing which is better for the fish.

I had my tank at ~50ppm KH and saw the pH go from 7.2 to close to 6.2-6.4 which while not horrible, is definately a large swing. More importantly at 6.2-6.4 the nitrifying bacteria begin to work slower and so you can run into issues where ammonia or nitrIte can rise at night (since the plants will not be metabolising the ammonia during the time when your pH will be the lowest).

 

[LindaC]

Should I add baking soda to my tank then? That's all I have at home right now, I also have Epsom Salts. If I add the baking soda to raise my KH, how much should I add to the tank?

I am getting more confused instead of less, I thought I was doing okay but now I'm concerned, being away all day at work and not being able to watch my fish and test my levels is stressing me out right now.

So if I raise my KH, will my PH rise also?

Thank you,
Linda

 

[rich311k]

http://dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/calKH.asp

Here is a calculator for you. If you need to do it or not is up to you.

 

[Purrbox]

If the KH rises or falls the PH will rise and fall with it. The only time that PH changes when KH doesn't change, is when you inject CO2.

 

[LindaC]

Purrbox, thanks, I'm finally beginning to understand this now.

I added approximately 1 tsp of baking soda to my tank and it brought my KH up to 80 ppm or 4.46 degrees. It also raised my PH to 7.0, so I should be all set now, not having to worry about my KH being too low.

I have one more question concerning the baking soda, how often do I have to add it to my tank? Should I add it when I do a weekly 50% water change?

 

[rachpreach]

yea im wondering this too........

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Purrbox, thanks, I'm finally beginning to understand this now.

I added approximately 1 tsp of baking soda to my tank and it brought my KH up to 80 ppm or 4.46 degrees. It also raised my PH to 7.0, so I should be all set now, not having to worry about my KH being too low.

I have one more question concerning the baking soda, how often do I have to add it to my tank? Should I add it when I do a weekly 50% water change?

I would only add at your 50% PWC's only enough to bring up to your 80ppm, or whatever level you set that you want to maintain. But I wouldn't add too much too fast, or it could affect your fish.

 

[sherry]

you could away with less baking soda. kh 3 is plenty and you can still grow softwater plants.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I don't use baking soda myself, and my kh here is 3.9. I recently added a handful of crushed coral to my filter, and has brought my kh up to 4.5 so far, which is where I want to be. And if it goes up more, then it won't bother me. I just don't need to drive my ph below 6.5 anymore, will be able to set my controller higher as needed to adjust with the increase in kh. The higher the crushed coral makes my kh, the higher the ph will be, and the change is very gradual over time.

 

[rachpreach]

so where can i get crushed coral?
ok i somehow increased my kh to 5 degrees that would also raise my ph a bit too. Which means now that with a ph controller set at about 6.8, the co2 could be run longer because if the ph is higher then the co2 could run longer because it wouuld have to decrease the ph down to 6.8...right? am i making sense?

 

[rachpreach]

or for a different approach, if my ph right now is at 6.8, could i set the ph controller to like 6.2 so that the co2 could actually run for a little while?

 

[rachpreach]

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm i looked at this chart at the end of the page and realized that the lowest i should set the ph controller is 6.6 if my kh is 3. Am i correct? Sorry i know im a crazy woman!

 

[Lonewolfblue]

For a kh of 3, you want the controller to drive your ph down to 6.3. That way it will fluctuate between 6.3 and 6.5. You could even go as far as 6.2 to 6.4 if you want as well.

As for the crushed coral, I got mine online from either Big Al's or Foster and Smith. Can't remember which it was. The smallest bag I could find is 15lbs, lol. Much more than I need. So if you need any, let me know and I can get some to you.

Edit:
Where you set your ph controller is dependent on where you want your CO2 levels to be. Check your kh nd check the chart or the calculator to see where your ph should be, then set the ph controller there. I generally like mine set to 35, that way it drops to the mid 20's and then gets driven back up.

Edit:
Change to the above, you want 6.4 at a kh of 3.0. Had a wrong value in my calculator. You can set the controller to either 6.3 or 6.4. 6.2 is just a bit too low, that's 50+ppm co2.