plantbrain

You don't need to worry about the slight pH effect from substraste based peats.
If you really want accurate CO2 levels,m take the tap and take the tank water and sit them side by side and measure the KH/pH's and compare them to the table.

Both the tap and the tank water(with peat) will have precisely the same CO2 level.

Any differences in the pH can be substracted and adjusted for(assume the tap water has no peat influences on pH).

So the tap has a pH of 7.6/KH3 and the tank water a pH of 7.3/KH3, yo substract 0.3 units when you add the CO2.

Simple as pie.

As far as changing the stuff yearly? Naw, I would not and doubt that is needed with any of these porous iron rich substrates.
As far as not needing CO2, that can be said for any substrate.

Erik mentions boring into the grains more, but I do not think nor believe that means it's better or worse. Softer does not impy better.

Regards,
Tom Barr

aquaverde

This will come in handy. I can let the water in a currently-injected tank outgas before doing the measurements. There's a tank I need to do this to right now to verify some DIY levels. I added leonardite and peat to the substrate and am getting some leaching.

ShaneSmith

Is flordabase better or worse than Flourite in anyone's experience. I can get it for 9 dollars a bag and want to know if it would be worth it to change out a 50/50 flourite gravel mix for pure florabase.