Co2, Hardness,

[Dj-damo]

Hi there

I did my first test on my new set up today has been running for 5 days

these are the readings

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
PH - 7.0
KH - 12

i just stumbled across an online converter which sais my ppm is 214??

my tank is 240 litres, and i would say that there was only about 200litres of water in there.

I have no fish only plants at the mo.

I also have JBL phosex ultra and nitrat ex bio in 1 of my other filters.

the plants seem to be doing well so far.

i do have a drop checker but i used tank water to fill it, its the JBL co2 and ph., i have just ordered some 4dkh water with the reagent already in it to use instead of the tank water.

i have the lights on for 10 hours a day and the co2 on for 12, 2 hours on before and 2 hours off before lights.

i have 2 canister filters and 2 up to 6000lph powerheads.

Im not sure what the hardness should be ect!! and there is so many different opinions on diffrent forums.

by the way my co2 input was 3bps but as the colour in the drop checker never changed i upped to an amount i cannot count, but it did go green. im just unsure if my water parameters ect are muddling with the results.

Can any help me get a better understanding,

some pics of my set up!!

 

[SO19Firearms]

Wait until you get some results with the 4dKH + Bromo - Don't bother with your past results. Too many variables.
Also dont worry about your hardness, pH etc for the tank, it's not worth bothering with...unless you really need to - Breeding etc.

I also have JBL phosex ultra and nitrat ex bio in 1 of my other filters.

I don't know what they are, but sounds like something you don't want to be there....

EDIT: Just googled them....terrible idea, take them out

 

[Dj-damo]

Only reason I have the jbl pads as in my last set up I kept getting algea so that's what they were for to reduce the phospate and the nitrate, I also use RO water aswell!

And that's more than likely why I have no nitrates!!

More of a preventative measure than a cure!!

Are they really That bad?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Nitrates and Phosphates don't cause algae - Sick plants will though, and if you don't have Nitrates and Phosphates to feed your plants they'll get sick.....