Is there a reason you're shooting for a PH of 6-6.2?

You really can't have it both ways without either Co2 or a lot of trouble and fluctuation with adding acids. That's why I'm asking. Wondering how important the PH is to you versus the KH.

What will you be keeping in this water?

This is for my A. javanicus. I am seeking to somewhat replicate the Black water pools, streams, rivers, etc of SE Asia. I want the Low Ph and generally very soft water--not just for replication, but for its antiseptic qualities also/mainly. I already add Humic acids and Tannins for their antiseptic qualities. I have been using Seachem's Acid Buffer to keep my Ph between 6-7 and I am already seeing the benefits--I believe: more time will tell. The Ph does get up towards 7, but overall has been staying between 6-6.4. From reading SE Asian Biotope info Ph gets quite low. Ph of 6 is something that I should be able to manage in an aquarium and I can adjust it down further from there with C02 if necessary. But I think Ph 6 will work fine--but its not looking like its going to work at all. Plus I would just like to understand this stuff out of GP.

I use C02 in the Plant Filter and the overflows/returns are under water--except for the overflow from the plant filter to the sump. Its just a water-level overflow and there is mixing of air and water and bubbling at the other end in the sump--So, I am assuming that I am losing some C02 there--if not most or all of it. In the main tank is a Limewood (coralife) airstone, so I am assuming that I am losing all of the C02 there. I also have a large mesh bag of Peat in the canister filter and another one in the sump return prefilter.

Hornwort in the main 40g tank and I just added FISA'a Weeping Moss to a very large rock. In the Plant filter is Hygro Polysperma and Hp 'ceylon', Anachrias and a small amount of Hornwort. All of the plants are doing fine--in the plant filter and main tank, but Gh is around 21 after I add Mg.

Setup is: 40g Tank>30g Plant Filter>40g Sump>back to Tank.

I don't know, but I believe at this point that High 02 levels are important. That is why I have the airstone running. The Hornwort is an Oxygenator, but it is just now getting any real mass to it--Its only been in the main tank for maybe 2 wks. I would like to remove the airstone completely, but I don't want to make too many changes at once--been there done that.

Aside from Ph and Kh---What Gh am I looking for for the Plants?

TIA

Can you use ADa Aqua soil?

That will get you down to about 5.0-5.4 or so.

I'd not use any KH addition, but you'll need to make a reference KH drop checker, these will work fine for such a set up with no tannins interferences.

KH is used for measuring the CO2 with respect to pH.

It has less of role otherwise........and is not, as near as anyone can tell and argue for, any significant role.

GH is a nutrient mix of Ca/Mg and the anions SO4/Cl so those are useful and required.

Adding MgSO4 and CaCl2 will take care of that.

So if you want, just take into account the GH.
That will give you the lowest pH possible, I doubt you need to worry so much about the pH.

Most fish do not care about that, they do care about purity of the water, NH4,Food, KH.

pH by itself is not that useful of a parameter, so please, do yourself and the fish a favor, do not place so much weight on it when it comes to breeding and fish health, it has much less meaning than most fish folks think.

I do understand they try to give them what is in nature..........but.........that assumes what is in nature is best, clearly that is not the case as all of our argiculture crops and liverstocks are raised much much better in the farms than out in the natural world.

We are much more farmers than we are God creating natural ecosystems.

I think it's much more useful to keep that in mind when culturing fish, plants algae etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr






Regards,
Tom Barr

Thanx Tom,

I understand the gist of what You are saying--especially concerning replication and focusing on one thing like Ph. However, in this case I am seeking the antiseptic qualities of a low Ph environment: the retarding of Bacterial and parasitic growth.

I'm not sure why I would Not be able to use Aquasoil and I will certainly keep it in mind. I may want to go down to a Ph of 5.5, but I really cannot see why that would be necessary. I've been keeping things in the 6-6.4 range and the effect seems positive at this point. But the changing out of the substrate would be very stressful for the A. javanicus (Aquatic Snake) and probably not worth the risk. I should be able to get down to Ph 6 without changing out the substrate--so, I am going to try that first.

My basic game plan right now is (from another Post):



Any Thoughts are Greatly Appreciated!

TIA

Well, you can if you desire........up to you really.
I do not think you will gain much from that, I do think you woudl gain more from excellent plant growth vs the pH game.

That will reduce parasites, as well as good feeding routines etc.
I've never had parasite issues with Apistos and I've kept them for many years.

Food has a lot to do with it.
I start with the base of the ecosystem: the plants, that's my foundation, then food for the fishes.

Regards,
Tom Barr