Augmenting pH

[laurenrocksth]

Maybe this should be in a different forum but... In a few weeks I'll be getting some nerites for my 55. My pH is currently 6.8 - 7.0. I plan to supplement the copious amounts of algae already present in the tank with calcium enriched snail jello and cuttlebone. However, I know that it's better to have a higher pH for the health of their shell. Since I won't be getting them for several weeks, I thought that I would start to augment my pH by adding some aragonite or crushed coral to the filter.

How do I go about this? I have an AC 70 HOB and a magnum 350 canister. Should I put it in a media bag and add it to both? Kind of in the dark on this one :)

[petluvr]

That's what I would do. What else is in the tank other than the algae you mentioned;)

[laurenrocksth]

It's a 55 with a pearl gourami, 5 banded rainbows, 8 cories, 1 upsidedown cat, and 2 featherfin synos

[petluvr]

Just add the CC into the your filters inside a media bag.

[Arakkis]

btw, snail jello will not work well as a food source for nerites. A piece of zuchini would work out better

[Blueiz]

I put a media bag with crushed coral in my mag 350 cannister, just kinda wrap it in the middle of the other filter media. Of course I have pretty much rigged my 350 to layer filter media in it. I dont have the carbon container in it, just the stariner that goes in the middle. I wrap filter floss, poy fill in it so I dont have to buy the blue filter sleeves.

[DoctaQ]

sea chem makes a alkalinity buffer thats supposed to keep ph around 8 or so
but thats if you dont mind dosing with every water change. your cuttlebone should already keep your water pretty hard, adding CC would make your Gh very high?

[DoctaQ]

sry for the double post but cories like soft - medium water. the alkalinity buffer increases your ph buffering capacity but doesnt raise your hardness.

[laurenrocksth]

thanks docta. i would rather use a more long term solution than a buffer that I had to add with every water change.

yeah, i kinda figured that the snail jello wouldn't be thier favorite thing... zuchini's a great idea. i'll have to try it :)

do you guys think that i would have a huge parameter shift with adding crushed coral?

[Blueiz]

It should increase your ph over a couple to a few days, the cc has to start to dissolve first..

[laurenrocksth]

ok cool. didn't want to go from 6.8 to 8 in 2 seconds :)

will it really be all that bad for my cories?

[Blueiz]

Nah..its not going to give you a huge ph jump. Unless you are trying to breed fish, or have fish that are very sensitive such as discus, most any ph you have that isnt extreme is going to be fine..