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Originally Posted by Crabby Jim  So the acidic nature of the water is helping the algae grow? and keeping my calcium down? Just so I am clear. Thanks again. |
Nope not really you water is acidic from lack of Carbonates.. That means there are none available to off set or neutralize the acids in the tank from animal waste and respiration and excess food and other waste being broken down to their base Carbon forms .. Thats what the Carbonates do as needed they are there to naturalize the acids like Tummy's for the tank rather then the Tummy..
So e need to keep the water from going to acidic here is where people screw up with P.H and over looking what really matters the DKH.. You can have a perfect P.h and low or no Carbonates.
Now when your animals take the Carbonates and Calcium in as a form of Calcium Carbonates using the Magnesium in the water there will always be one being used more then the other.. As a rule its always the Carbonates as that pulls double duty..
Algae is a plant that likes acidic and softer water . Like land plants all have a particular P.H or Carbonate range that suits them better .
Now as I said in the other post is Calcium and Carbonates are oppositely charged ions and they do not want to bond with each other .. Now being that you Carbonates have been used up the Calcium is not and that has gotten way above the Carbonates that will just make it a lot more difficult to raise the Carbonates back to proper levels , Unless you run the Magnesium levels up also.. I'd dare say they are also depleted..
Did any of this make sense ?? LOL This stuff bores me to tears its basically simple until its made complicated .. Like in High School Chemistry I was taught how to mix acids with water and I know what happens if you screw up I just don't care to know all the chemical symbols and why fores and how comes .. LOL Or a 10 page Science Thesis ..
I'll get him for telling! 
