Natural solutions to Aquarium Problems

[FishmasteR2002]

I am sick of using chemicals to cure or fix a disease or problem. What are some natural ways if any to cure some diseases or change the hardness and PH of the water. Thanks in advance. :)

[RTR]

Since hardness is a measure of chemicals in the water (Ca++ and Mg++ for GH, CO3-- and HCO3- for KH), and pH reflects the balance of the carbonates and bicarbonates, just how un-natural are "chemicals"? And what would you consider natural? The carbonate/bicarbonate system is the buffering system of natural waters.

[carpguy]

There are a lot of natural solutions to aquarium problems, and IMHO they're generally preferable to the chemicals.

Premptively, good maintenance and good stocking go a long way. I think fish should be in something like their native water conditions, although many people have reported successfully keeping fish in nonnative enviroments. A quarantine/hospital tank is also a good idea (don't have one yet myself). Healthy fish should be able to keep themselves healthy (for the most part).

Salt and heat can be used to cure things like ich. Treatments for diseases may vary, but the SkepticalAquarist (skepticalaquarist.com) makes a strong case against using antibiotics in tanks at his site. They'll never go in mine under any circumstances. Algae can also be combatted by controling lighting. pH and KH can be adjusted up or down naturally and stablely.

Some chemicals (like dechorinators) will always be necessary, but I'd like to keep them as minimal as possible in my tanks.

EDIT: cross posting with RTR. Maybe chemical additives would be a better term -- I'd rather use crushed coral than pH Up to alter my buffering system.

[Rocketman]

Hey, as I recall from my High School Bio class, pH is a balance between Hydronium and Hydroxide atoms. When you measure the pH, you are measuring the total balance of Hydronium Atoms.

[carpguy]

Webster's has it as being from the French "pouvoir Hydrogene", or "Hydrogen power". I've also seen it anglicized as potential Hydrogen(-onium).

There is a lot of chemistry involved and its good to know it and be aware of what's happening. The point is well made, but I think FishMaster was really asking how to avoid Solutions-In-A-Bottle in favor of using the "natural" chemistry of a well-balanced tank.

[Rocketman]

What if you were to pour all you're replacement water into buckets, straight from the tap, a few days before you put it into your tank(s). This way, you can treat your water (ammonia, chlorine, chlorimines, whatever you dont want in your tank,) and add your pH chems there. This way, no one knows the difference when the water hits the tank a few days later.

[morleyz]

Originally posted by Rocketman
Hey, as I recall from my High School Bio class, pH is a balance between Hydronium and Hydroxide atoms. When you measure the pH, you are measuring the total balance of Hydronium Atoms.

What's a hydroxide atom? :D

[Ozma]

You know its that atom that sits between hydrogen and oxygen on the periodic table!

[Rocketman]

Yeah, I thought it was hydroxide, because I recognized the name and was pretty sure it wasnt hydrogen. Maybe it is? They say go with your first answer. I am positive, however, that pH is a measure of the concentration of Hydronium atoms in a solution, mixture, compound, whatever.

[RTR]

The pH definition is the power/weight of hydrogen ions in a solution, expressed as a log function, as has been stated. Hydrogen ion is H+, hydroxide ion is OH-.

Absolutely pure water, nothing but H20, is in fact HOH (same as H2O, just written out to show it is in fact a hydrogen and hydroxide combined).

A tiny, tiny fraction of water is ionized into H+ and OH-, and as those ions are balanced (equal), the pH would be 7.0, neutral.

Allow that ultrapure water to have contact with the air and CO2 will dissolve and a tiny part of it will form carbonic acid, H2CO3. The pH will be pushed to the acid side, pH <7.0.

Carbonates and bicarbonates in solution form a buffer system, resisting change in the pH of the water. The crushed coral mentioned before provides carbonates/bicarbonates for the natural buffering system of water. Add some crushed coral to that acid ultrapure water and some will dissolve. The quantity of carbonate/bicarbonate will determine the pH of the water after soultion. It will no longer be ultrapure water.

So CO2 and carbonates/bicarbonates together control the pH of most natural waters (blackwater has organic acids as the primary controller), and are used as well in planted tanks. Very soft waters may gain stability by coral or aragonite addition, but they will gain GH (Ca++ and Mg++) as well.

HTH

[Kit Walker]

I'd go with hydronium. The way I've always looked at it is the -log of H+. But getting back to the natural medications, last time I read the Melafix label it it said "all natural" and is based on Cajeput oil (not sure what a cajeput is though). So if you look around at your LFS I'm sure there are other natural based remedies.

[RTR]

Clove oil is natural as well, some folk use it to euthanize fish. Natural does not necessarily mean better, or worse, or more appropriate, or less appropriate. The questions of appropriateness and efficacy and safety all need to be addressed.

[wetmanNY]

pH: exponens Hydrogeni, i.e. "the inverse exponent of the hydrogen. ion"

Those guys in the back room at Webster's, they get stuck sometimes and make stuff up-- just like AquariaCentral!

[FishmasteR2002]

I wanted to thank you for taking interest in my topic. I have been getting sick of using a bottle of stinky chemicals to solve every little problem. I just wanted to know how to buffer the pH and keep my GH and KH levels normal in a more natural way. What are some ways of treating fungus and parasites naturally. I have used the salt and temperature method for ich and it has worked. Thanks again for the replies. :) :)

[wetmanNY]

Saprolegnia "fungus" responds to warmer temperatures, cleaner waters and salt.

BTW, do you all feel that hydrogen peroxide counts as "natural?" I use it to oxidize organics in the water and clean vague stale odors. All it has is that extra oxygen atom.

Peat water certainly is natural. Peat's humins chelate iron and other metals that count as micronutrients of plants but are stressful to the plankton and mildly toxic to fish.

Quarantine is a natural way to keep from introducing pathogens into your system.

I use more activated carbon and PolyFilter than most people. I'm always trying to remove stuff from the water.

Laterite in the substrate traps and holds phosphate. Good even in an unplanted tank to keep algae at low levels. Encouraging a healthy balanced plankton keeps water clear. But UV light is a perfectly "natural" weapon...

These are all part of a fairly "natural" repertory.