Alright, I'm getting some Bolbitis heudelotii (african water fern), and from what I've read it's a fairly demanding plant that needs slightly acidic water.
I started my tank with tap water and I've been doing WCs on my tank with straight RO water for several weeks now (25-30% a week), and my pH has dropped to 7.5 from 7.9. That's still pretty basic.
I've taken my tapwater to the LFS to have kH tested and it was at 4 dkH. I figure if I've changed 25% of the water with RO water 4 times, I should have about 32% of the original water, putting the kH at around 1.3 give or take. That's low, isn't it? However, if I raise it, my pH will go back up to 7.9. I understand CO2 decreases pH, but I don't think I have the money to install a pressurized CO2 system (and I'm not going to use DIY yeast CO2 for a 75 gallon tank)
What am I supposed to do? How are the plant's natural waters acidic, if not by extremely low kH? Will my bolbitis do ok?
I haven't measured gH, but it should be pretty soft, and the bolbitis profiles I've read have said that like very soft-medium hardness.
I started my tank with tap water and I've been doing WCs on my tank with straight RO water for several weeks now (25-30% a week), and my pH has dropped to 7.5 from 7.9. That's still pretty basic.
I've taken my tapwater to the LFS to have kH tested and it was at 4 dkH. I figure if I've changed 25% of the water with RO water 4 times, I should have about 32% of the original water, putting the kH at around 1.3 give or take. That's low, isn't it? However, if I raise it, my pH will go back up to 7.9. I understand CO2 decreases pH, but I don't think I have the money to install a pressurized CO2 system (and I'm not going to use DIY yeast CO2 for a 75 gallon tank)
What am I supposed to do? How are the plant's natural waters acidic, if not by extremely low kH? Will my bolbitis do ok?
I haven't measured gH, but it should be pretty soft, and the bolbitis profiles I've read have said that like very soft-medium hardness.
