Thanks for the movie thar
The difference can be amazing when you tweak the CO2
CORRECTLY.
Everyone thinks I'm nuts about CO2, but you see the largest most dramatic differences when you add this fertilizer.
And once you see spectacular pearling and growth, you should sit down and
remember it.
Then remember it again.
Just keep that one parameter in mind when anything goes sour.
Tweak that before trying anything to do with NPK.
NPK, Ca, Mg, Traces can be easily reset and tweaked(Large water change+ dosing them to non limiting levels asap afterwards). You KNOW those are in good shape after doing that.
The light is the same.
So that only leaves one variable in question: CO2.
The intense pearling and growth, without harming any fish, is the "test" that you have good CO2 once you rule out the nutrients/traces/lighting.
Thing is, measuring CO2 via the pH/KH has trade offs, same deal with the Drop checker, and bubble rates are not any better.
The best measure is really the plant growth rates/O2 production.
It's indirect, but it does measure precisely what we want to grow.
CO2 is funny, it can change dramatically in a few minutes, same with flow rates, and other parameters that are important to CO2/O2.
Regards,
Tom Barr