CO2 and PH bounce

[Dave62]

Hi all,

I've been reading up on MFK and PT sites about adding pressurized co2 for my 110g. I'm keeping eartheaters and other assorted tetras along with various low light plants. However, I want to experiment a little with co2 to see if I'll get better plant growth and help control algae. I realize co2 is only part of the equation, so more to read about nutrients.

I've read that inject co2 will lower your PH and that you have to monitor that. My question is the duration for the PH change - is it reduced only during the day when I'm injecting? Then does it bounce back up during the course of the night when co2 is off only to fall again the next day when co2 is on? If so, aren't these swings in PH stressful to my fish?

OR, is the PH reduction a relatively permanent one assuming I maintain the pressurized co2 during lighting hours, and off at night?

Thanks!

 

[kno4te]

It’s usually a slow gradual increase in the ph and shouldn’t bother the fish much.

 

[RyanScanner]

I’ve often wondered this too. I’ve set my PH controller to 6.8 and it’s always 6.9-7.2 in the morning.