Low Co2 Levels

[-SPB-]

I've started a planted tank, got it up and running about 2 weeks ago, and i've not really seen a noticable change in my CO2 levels. KH 14 degrees 250 ppm.
CO2 10.55ppm.


My PH is higher than my tapwater. My tank PH is 7.6, my tapwater is 7.2. I did a 30% water change on sunday and this has risen by 0.4 in 3 days, my understanding was that if your putting CO2 into the water it wil lower the PH In my tank i have plants, a large rock and playsand substrate. The rock i have was bought from maidenhead aquatics (pictures below). The CO2 System i am using is a yeast based one, a KITCO2Energy Classic. It has a filter type diffuser which pumps water into a small holding with the co2 and i guess mixes it there (picture included below). I put Flora Gro24 in once a day, and Flora Gro in Once a Week. I have some root tabs in the sand. A couple of the plants i have are growing but a couple have died or look very feeble indeed. Also have brown looking algae on the front which i keep cleaning plus a green type algae growing on the rock.

Anyway, it all looks rubbish and i'm at a loss as what to do. What am i doing wrong, is the CO2 system i'm using crap.

Advice needed Please.

This is the diffuser, it's connected to a bubble counter and bottle, which produces the CO2. I'm using the sachets that came with the kit. The Diffuser pumps water into the chamber and the co2 also releases into the chanber and mixes there.

This is the rock bought from Maidenhead Aquatics. I've tried breaking a bit off to test with vinegar to see if this is raising my PH, but can't seem to get big enough peice, just loads of smaller bits, but when tested in vinegar, no bubbling seen.

This is the tank overall. Looks crap. I've taken the plant out second from right as it was covered in a brwon hair type algae, looked rubbish.

Sorry for the long post, but need help.

Thanks

 

[MrWaxhead]

you could take 3 buckets, one just tap water, one with the rock and tap water and one with some of the sand tap water, and test all three buckets right away then again after a day and see what one or ones rise to try to narrow down your rise.

 

[Liam]

Check a sample of tap water after 24 hours the ph can rise up to a point after its left out due to co2 dissipating (and chlorine I have read) so the Co2 could be reducing your ph. Dont know about the rock, you could do the vinegar test on it and just wash it well afterwards. Brown algae is diatoms pretty normal in new set ups, not sure about the plant growth would need more info.

 

[-SPB-]

I've just used the mixture that george farmer has in the post about the nutrafin kit, and the plants are looking better already. I previously used the stukk that came with the kit, was probably at best giving me about 5-10 bubbles per minute. I'm now getting 35, last time i counted. Jopefully the PH will start to lower itsself which hopefully will mean more CO2. Fingers crossed.