Will someone please explain CO2 and ph and their relation to each other

512 Views 1 Reply 2 Participants Last post by epicfish, Oct 23, 2010

pitmindy

Discussion Starter · Oct 23, 2010

Hi. Hi am very confused. I dont have a scientific background and I am "scientifically challenged". Can someone please explain co2 and ph and their relation to each other and the fish and the plants. I just installed a pressurized co2 unit with a ph regulator. It is on a timer so it goes off with the tank lights. Without adding co2, my usual ph is around 7.2 - 7.4 from using tap water, since the water my city has hard water.

WHAT NUMBER SHOULD I SET MY PH REGULATOR ON? DOES AN INCREASE IN CO2 RESULT IN A DECREASE IN PH??? IF SO, WHY???

My plants have many black spots and holes and the tips of the leaves are black and many leaves are translucent so I am adding co2 with a pressurized unit.

I have a 120 gallon, 6 ft tank and I have about 4 feet planted using aquarium.com substrate and the other 2 feet with regular gravel and some java ferns on it. My light is a duel 72" floresent light with an actinic bulb (for asthetic purposes to bring out the blue in my fish) and a plant bulb. I also have a 36" duel T5 with 6700K bulbs over the planted area.

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epicfish

· #2 · Oct 23, 2010

Yes, an increase in CO2 will cause a decrease in pH. Why? CO2 combines with water in your tank to form carbonic acid. Intuitively, this carbonic acid lowers the pH of your water.

I'd use a drop checker to check that you're injecting an optimal amount of CO2.

I'd first set your pH controller to around 6.9 and see how that goes as far as CO2. Again, verify with a drop checker.

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