Lets see....
I use Diamond Crystal Solar Salt (water softener) you get at lowes for about $8 per 10lb bag.. 1 tbsp per 10g
I use Epsolm Salt (magnesium sulfate) you can get at wal-mart. 1tbsp per 10g
I use Baking Soda (sodium Bicarb) you can get at wal-mart. 1tbsp per 10g
A combination of these three puts the essential elements into the water as good as the already prepared buffers. Takes care of GH/KH/PH all in the same swipe.
PH-Baking Soda/Sodium Bicarbonate
We learned in school that water, or H2O, is composed of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Neutral water is given a pH value of 7.0. It contains equal amounts of hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-). Dissolved chemicals and minerals change the balance of those ions from a perfectly neutral state.
Increase the amount of hydrogen ions (H+), and the water becomes more acid ("low pH"). Increase the amount of hydroxide ions (OH-), and the water becomes more alkaline ("high pH"). The further these values rise or fall, the more acid or alkaline the water becomes.
***Normal ph in humans is 7.35-7.45; any change within this limit can result in metabolic/respiratory acidosis or metabolic/respiratory alkalosis****
So you can see how SENSITIVE our bodies are, imagine a fish which is about 500X smaller than us!!
African Cichlids need 7.8-8.2 for Lake Malawi; Tanganyikan cichlids is higher around 9
GH-Epsolm Salt/Magnesium Sulfate (Total, general or permanent hardness is represented throughout literature by the letters gH. It is determined by the concentration of calcium and magnesium salts, i.e. the amount of calcium (Ca++) and magnesium (Mg++) ions, which are dissolved in the water. )
KH-Rock Salt
(Carbonate, bicarbonate or temporary hardness is formed from the compounds of calcium and magnesium with carbonic acid, i.e. it is the measure of carbonate (CO3-) and bicarbonate (HCO3-) ion concentrations dissolved in the water. It is represented by the letters kH. As with calcium and magnesium, these compounds are also found in town, artesian (bore) and bottled water, and as such, their concentration is dependent on the source of the water and the treatment processes it has undergone.
Carbonate hardness helps stabilize the pH value and prevents dangerous drops in the pH value (acid drop or pH crash). It is sometimes referred to as alkalinity. An aquarium with a low kH level (50 ppm or less) will tend to be acidic. Aquariums with these characteristics are subject to rapid shifts in pH, if not monitored carefully. Water with a high kH level (> 200 ppm) usually has a high pH. The biological breakdown processes in an aquarium or pond, and the carbon dioxide consumption by plants, deplete the carbonate hardness resource in the water. Drastic changes in pH values can harm fish.)
******TEST YOUR WATER PARAMETERS to see how much of the above you actually need***********
