Re: [AGA Member] CO2 concentration in Hard water

[john Glaeser <jglaeser@wisc.edu>]

REF:   "can plants do OK in harder or softer water? "

Hard water is good. My Madagascar Lace plants seem to like Madison, WI 
hard stuff (GH20+ / KH17) which includes a wealth of trace elements.   
Brightly lighted aquaria with fast growing plants metabolize real fast 
and can reduce GH to a great extent, (calcium for cell structure). 
Though fast working plants use lots of inoculated CO2, I think they 
concurrently get some of their carbon from KH (calcium bicarbonate) via 
biogenic decalcification. When this happens, KH is reduced as well. 
Pretty dynamic stuff.  Abundance of calcium (GH), bicarbonate (KH) plus 
traces helps to reduce risk of running into "limiting factors". With 
softer water, your optimum growth condition "window" is smaller, so to 
speak.

- John

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