Ed,
The original sticky Ben put up is confusing and leads you to think the aeration lowers T/A. It does NOT.

T/A is connected to pH, and when you lower pH it pulls down T/A. When you raise pH, it bounces back up again.


BUT, when you aerate, you gas off carbonic acid as CO2 (like making soda flat) and that allows pH to rise WITHOUT T/A going up with it. Waterbear has a great explanation of the chemistry in The China Shop.

BTW, Ed, that's got to be the absolute A-Number One UGGGLIEEST home-made fountain I've ever seen! Congratulations, guy! (though I think the monstrosity Robert DeNiro gives Billy Crystal in "Analyze This" has it beat hands down!)

But it's clever and practical and should work GREAT to gas off the carbonic acid and raise your pH--and that's really all that's important.

Carl