Conversely, granite does not have minerals that contribute to alkalinity. Therefore, areas rich in granite have poor buffering capacity. Carbon Dioxide - Carbon dioxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced during the respiration cycle of animals, plants and bacteria, and through the burning of materials that contain carbon. All animals and many bacteria use oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Green plants, in turn, absorb the carbon dioxide and, by the process of photosynthesis, produce oxygen and carbon-rich foods.
Green plants carry on photosynthesis only in the presence of light.
At night they respire, or take up oxygen, and burn the food they made during the day. Consequently, more oxygen is used and more carbon dioxide enters waterways at night than during the daytime. When carbon dioxide levels are high and oxygen levels are low, fish have trouble respiring, and their problems become worse as water temperatures rise. Also, as carbon dioxide levels increase, pH decreases. Conductivity - Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical current.