I was gonna say limestone or tufta, Texas sits on a giant limestone slab and any water that comes from an aquafer or well in just about any part of the state is liquid cement. IDK how much better it is than coral, but I do know that limestone is the reason most TX water is super hard and alkaline.
Need Help with Raising Ph, and keeping it constant
- Thread starter hbluehunter
- Start date
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwh2oquality.htm
Try reading here about a salt mix (marine salt mix, epsom salt, and baking soda) that you can use to raise hardness and pH. We're using it in our 1,000 gallon indoor pond with great results, and we're not even up to the recommended dosage yet (slowly adding mix). We started it because the pH was too low for our biological filter to function, and we were seeing ammonia (for about a month). Within four days, there is no more ammonia in the system. It is an excellent, easily measured, cheap way to raise hardness and pH. He gives suggestions on how much of the mix to use for what type of fish (we're using the community fish suggestion).
Try reading here about a salt mix (marine salt mix, epsom salt, and baking soda) that you can use to raise hardness and pH. We're using it in our 1,000 gallon indoor pond with great results, and we're not even up to the recommended dosage yet (slowly adding mix). We started it because the pH was too low for our biological filter to function, and we were seeing ammonia (for about a month). Within four days, there is no more ammonia in the system. It is an excellent, easily measured, cheap way to raise hardness and pH. He gives suggestions on how much of the mix to use for what type of fish (we're using the community fish suggestion).
Howdy,
What's your tap water kH and gH?
Contrary to what others say, I do not believe that crushed coral etc "dissolves" (or reacts) enough to substantially alter your pH - especially if you keep up a healthy water change regimen. You should look into the following:
- measure the actual pH of your tap (with a kit that reads low enough values)
- research the parameters of the natural habitats of your fish. I am not a ray guy, but I'd be surprised if they live in anything other than slightly acidic waters.
- it is most often better to keep fish in constant water parameters that may not be ideal rather than trying to continuously adjust water chemistry
- If indeed required, consider adding pH-increasing conditioners. That's best done in a flow-thru water change system with an automatic dosing device.
Best of luck,
HarleyK
What's your tap water kH and gH?
Contrary to what others say, I do not believe that crushed coral etc "dissolves" (or reacts) enough to substantially alter your pH - especially if you keep up a healthy water change regimen. You should look into the following:
- measure the actual pH of your tap (with a kit that reads low enough values)
- research the parameters of the natural habitats of your fish. I am not a ray guy, but I'd be surprised if they live in anything other than slightly acidic waters.
- it is most often better to keep fish in constant water parameters that may not be ideal rather than trying to continuously adjust water chemistry
- If indeed required, consider adding pH-increasing conditioners. That's best done in a flow-thru water change system with an automatic dosing device.
Best of luck,
HarleyK
Thanks for the advice, HarleyK i need to go and buy a Ph kit that goes below 6.0, i have 2 already but only go to 6.. I've never tested for kh & gh but i do have a kit that does so i'll have to read up on how to do the test.. I know i did test my water out of the tap and it was as low as my tank so i know that is where my problem is starting. Now i just have to figure out how to correctly raise my ph and keep it there..
The salt mix works. I used it and raised my KH to 3 and my pH to 7.2 (from 6 or, most likely, somewhere below that). I did it because my biological filter was completely screwed due to my low pH, and so I had low level of ammonia in my pond. 1 week later, no ammonia. I'd had that ammonia problem for a month, and nothing I could do was fixing it. This works -- I'd try it, if I were you. It's very cheap, also. And the amount of marine salt I added was 3/4 of a cup for 1,000 gallons. I also used 3/4 of a cup of baking soda, and 1 and 1/2 cups of epsom salt. It doesn't make the water that salty at all, and it raises KH and pH, and you can easily replace what you take out through water changes, becuase everything is measurable.
With a tank that big coral in your filter is not going do anything. If you want crushed coral to buffer your ph you need to make at least 50% of your gravel bed crushed coral. People think adding some to their filters will buffer the ph fine. If your ph is already neutral or high from your tap and you do regular water changes. Then it seems like its doing something. The truth is you need to add alot. I would say 150lbs or more. Then you can raise your ph with whatever ph up product you choose.
I have to run and grab some epsom salt and marine salt and give this a shot, so do you just add the mix once a week when you do a water change ???
Yep, just add enough of the mix for what you're taking out. If you don't have a container big enough to pre-mix the whole amount (I don't -- that would be 250 gallons LOL) just mix up a 5-gallon bucket with enough to "treat" all of the water you're adding, and add it slowly as you fill up. As the article states, you're only adding enough of the mixture for 1/4 of the tank's volume each time, so you don't stress your fish. On the 5th WC, you can then start just adding back what you're taking out.
Cool, thanks for your help.. yea i change out 150 once a week, so i'll just figure out how much a quarter of that is and give that a shot.. Thanks again..
