Planted Tank With Very Soft Water

[pete4344]

I have a tropical planted community tank. The water in this area (Manchester) is very soft (KH about 2, with PH of 7). I would like to add co2 to improve plant growth, but I read that this is pointless with such soft water. I was wondering whether it would be practical to add a bag of limestone chippings to the internal filter to increase the hardness, and then trying to introduce co2 as the hardness increases.

Can anyone tell me if this is a viable way of doing things.

Many thanks

 

[jacko32]

you think thats soft im in huddersfield and our tap water is pH 6.0 with no kH at all i have just added a nutrafin co2 kit to a spare tank with a few plants as an experiment to see what happens with the pH to see if it crashes
as for the lime stone chippings personally im going with crushed coral as this seems to be what most of the experts recommend

 

[RadaR]

I have a tropical planted community tank. The water in this area (Manchester) is very soft (KH about 2, with PH of 7). I would like to add co2 to improve plant growth, but I read that this is pointless with such soft water.

Where on earth did you hear that? Either way forget it.
The water is fine. Add CO2, or add Easycarbo to deliver a source of carbon to the plants. Some successful planted tanks have KH of "0" with no problems. Thye are injecting CO2 at the same time.

 

[pete4344]

Many thanks for that. I did try adding co2 (yeast type), but the co2 monitor I have very quickly said there was too much co2. Hence my worry about soft water.

 

[Truck]

What CO2 monitor were you using? what was it filled with?

 

[Bobtastic]

Alright Pete,

I live in Manchester, Sale to be exact and have a similar "problem". My water is ph6 out of the tap, with pretty low KH/GH. I have added crushed coral (CC) into my filter and that has upped the ph. Saying that tho, when I spoke to the guys at The Green Machine (TGM) they looked at me like I was a crazy person for even bothering to raise it.

I'm lead to believe the drop in ph caused by addition of Co2 doesn't affect fish/plants.

Even with or without the CC I've not had a problem with my fish or plants (I have two tanks).

Co2 monitors and drop checks are only to give you a reference of ammount of Co2 vs the ph of the water. You best reference for "too much" Co2 is your fish. If they're gasping at the surface (or dead!) then that is too much and turn it down.

 

[pete4344]

I use the JBL co2 test set. I don't know what it is filled with - just the liquid indicator supplied mixed with a little aquarium water.

 

[Truck]

Thats why, it's meant to be filled with the indicator and 4DKH water, not aquarium water.

 

[pete4344]

Many thanks for those comments, Bobtastic. Perhaps I should just try adding co2 and make sure the fish don't object! If I decide to try crushed coral, is that the same as coral sand, which is all that I have managed to find in local shops.

Pete

 

[Bobtastic]

Umm... not sure it is the sand, the stuff I use is pretty course and chunky. It looks like the below.

On my big tank I've just filled a tray of my Fluval 405 (canester filter) with it. On my smaller Juwel tank I've put it a ball of it in a knotted section of tight and placed it in the tank and in the filter stack.

 

[pete4344]

Thats why, it's meant to be filled with the indicator and 4DKH water, not aquarium water.

Truckasauras,

Now you've confused me! The JBL instructions are not exactly clear, but they do say fill the unit with 1.5ml of aquarium water. Do you mean that the instructions for the JBL unit do not apply when the water is too soft?

 

[Truck]

the instructions don't apply at all, Because other elements in the water will change the KH as well as carbonates.

 

[pete4344]

the instructions don't apply at all, Because other elements in the water will change the KH as well as carbonates.

After a couple of years struggling to get plants to grow, I seem to have had a breakthrough. Following advice here I have started adding co2 (yeast type), and monitoring with the tester filled with 4DKH water. I have also increased the water hardness from 1 to 6 by adding a net bag of crushed coral to the filter, and the results are superb. The PH of the aquarium has increased slightly from 7 to 7.5, but presumably that will decrease as more co2 is added. The harder water is also more suitable for the fish and shrimps I have. So many thanks, guys.

 

[merlinblack]

Why wouyld you need to add CO2, if the water is very soft then their should be plenty of CO2 available provided you arent sparging it all away by using airstones or spraybars. CO2 is acidic so if you add carbonate then you will neutralise some or all of of the CO2 making it unavailable for most plants . Plants do need some calcium etc so it wouldnt harm to raise the hardness a litlle but not too much. I use RO water and blend with my very hard water and also add a bit of K2CO3 as well as plants need K. A cheap and natural way of adding CO2 is to feed the fish.

 

[Truck]

Why wouyld you need to add CO2, if the water is very soft then their should be plenty of CO2 available provided you arent sparging it all away by using airstones or spraybars. CO2 is acidic so if you add carbonate then you will neutralise some or all of of the CO2 making it unavailable for most plants . Plants do need some calcium etc so it wouldnt harm to raise the hardness a litlle but not too much. I use RO water and blend with my very hard water and also add a bit of K2CO3 as well as plants need K. A cheap and natural way of adding CO2 is to feed the fish.

If you have soft water why on earth would you not need to add CO2 if it is required?! If you're using that table that compares KH and PH then it is not a very good way of doing things. how does feeding the fish add CO2???