PH Too Low For Co2?

[waterfaller1]

Yesterday we were attempting to set up our CO2 from GLA. Ever since starting this new tank with amazonia & using RO water, the PH has been very low. It is now at 6.4. I am new to using CO2.I am confused now. Do I need to use treated tapwater, or 1/2 RO so my PH will be higher so that I can use the CO2? Should I use the RO with the Seachem Stability to add back certain needed elements? I have some, but have not used it yet. Is Stability safe with shrimp? How many factors affect PH? Temperature, food, bioload ?
Also, I notice when people speak of their GH and KH, they speak in low numbers like 4-5 etc. I have a GH/KH test kit by API, but the numbers according to the chart when I tested were KH 107.4 & GH 89.5. How do I translate these numbers?

[dougz]

You need to cut R/O water with tap water, until you have a ratio giving you a hardness of at least 3-4..

Not only do the fish and your plants need the micro nutrients that are in tap water, but without the bicarbonate buffers that tap water provides your pH can suffer rapid drops, casing death to fish and damage to plants..

107.4 = a dKH of 6, 89.5 = a dKH of 5.

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by waterfaller1

Also, I notice when people speak of their GH and KH, they speak in low numbers like 4-5 etc. I have a GH/KH test kit by API, but the numbers according to the chart when I tested were KH 107.4 & GH 89.5. How do I translate these numbers?

Divide the ppm by 17.86 to get degrees of hardness. So you have a dKH of 6, and a dGH of 5.

[waterfaller1]

Originally Posted by dougz

You need to cut R/O water with tap water, until you have a ratio giving you a hardness of at least 3-4..

Not only do the fish and your plants need the micro nutrients that are in tap water, but without the bicarbonate buffers that tap water provides your pH can suffer rapid drops, casing death to fish and damage to plants..

107.4 = a dKH of 6, 89.5 = a dKH of 5.

Is DKH 6 and Kh of 5 bad numbers? I have been using RO since sept 07'. No fish or plant death except a tiger lotus and a scarlet badis that jumped. Don't they get the micro nutrients from the seachem products I use? And doesn't the new tank presently get some of it from the amazonia aquasoil?

[dougz]

No, those are good numbers (anything above 3 is)..

Which is weird, as if you are using straight RO water, your hardness should be around zero..

???

Seachem Stability is for cycling the tank with fish.. There's no nutrients in it, I don't think..

Not sure about the aquasoil, either..

[waterfaller1]

I realized it's equilibrium I have not stability. I believe it is for putting certain elements back in the RO water. I just tested my tapwater and it is 7.6.
RO water 6.0
Present water in that tank 6.2
target 6.5

[waterfaller1]

Originally Posted by dougz

No, those are good numbers (anything above 3 is)..

Which is weird, as if you are using straight RO water, your hardness should be around zero..

Florida water is like liquid rock, that is why I use straight RO for the fw, and RO/DI for my sw tanks.

[waterfaller1]

Just did a 50% wc, used 1/2 tap & 1/2 RO. PH in tank 6.5. Guess I have to live with that. I used Prime, since I keep shrimp.

[dougz]

I realized it's equilibrium I have not stability

Ah.. That would explain it..

You are re-introducing hardness (minerals) with that stuff..

6.5 pH is not bad at all..