Hello im new to this forum and just recently set up co2 in my planted tank with a co2 reactor and need some guidance with tuning it in. My 1st PH reading before co2 come on is 6.63 my KH reading is 40 and when i look at the co2 levels for planted tank chart online i dont see a KH of 40. Can some give me some guidance on how to tune it in
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Help Co2 tuning help
- Thread starter Youngrj75
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How did you measure your Kh?
- Thread starter
- #3
The strips
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Kwyet 447
After every new tank—“This is my last one!”
Don’t use strips for kH (or anything really). Get a liquid test kit for that. Also, the pH/kH/CO2 charts aren’t as accurate as the Hanna CO2 test kit. That’s all I have time for right now, but @Art and @Naturescapes_Rocco both have good descriptions of how to dial in CO2.
Hello,
The pH and KH chart is pretty useless. What most of us do here is measure pH drop as described in this article from 2Hr Aquarist
Long story short, you measure the pH of your degassed water (water that is agitated until nearly all CO2 is removed) and then compare that to the pH of your water after reaching CO2 saturation. Most of us target at least a 1 point drop.
FYI, unless your water is insanely hard, your KH is likely being measured in ppm, whereas many charts and folks here were will talk about KH in degrees KH. 1 dKH = 17.86 ppm KH, which means your water has about 2 dKH, which is quite soft and desirable for most planted tanks.
- Thread starter
- #6
Hello yes I do have the hanna co2 test kit and when i did the 1st reading i got for 5ml test i used 0.2 solution x100 =20 so dont know what to do with that 20 reading
Get that reading from 20 to about 50. Always watch your fish while adjusting CO2. That should be close to a 1.5ph drop.
That reading means 20 PPM CO2.
It's less important whether you shoot for 20ppm, 30ppm or 50ppm co2, then it is that whatever level you choose is reached early enough, and stays consistent, during the photoperiod every day.
Your question was does it actually make a difference, and the answer is yes. I've basically doubled my rates of success with this hobby once I realized having good CO2 when the lights come on really makes a difference.
You don't HAVE to do this to be successful. If your system isn't blasting light during the photoperiod (medium or low strength lights) you can get plenty of success starting CO2 injection 1 or 2 hours beforehand.
If you have super high energy systems and find it difficult to grow certain plants or always get algae, try starting your CO2 way...
You don't HAVE to do this to be successful. If your system isn't blasting light during the photoperiod (medium or low strength lights) you can get plenty of success starting CO2 injection 1 or 2 hours beforehand.
If you have super high energy systems and find it difficult to grow certain plants or always get algae, try starting your CO2 way...
Also, it's important that the flow around your tank distribute that CO2 to all corners for all your plants
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