Water Hardness Issue

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MidnightPyro

AC Members
Jun 21, 2005
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Hey everyone, I was hoping someone could offer some helpful insight on this. I've been messing with aquatic plants and CO2 injection...before starting the CO2 injection finally via pressurized CO2, I tested water parameters (CO2/pH) and found a rather shocking issue.

Right now in the tank...(all measurements done with a AP Liquid Test Kit)
kH/GH both measured 12+ (the color kind of changed after 12 drops)
pH was 8.1

Right out of the tap..I used half hot/half cold like I do when I fill up the aquarium
kH/GH 8
pH was 7.8

while a pH swing of .3 in the tank isn't much of a problem, somehow the kH/GH is rising by 4. Last water change was 50% last Friday. While the fish seem to fine and I'm not aware of any ill side effects, such a fluctuation doesn't seem normal and might indicate something else wrong...

Substrate is 50% eco-complete/50% standard black PetSmart aquarium gravel...water is passed through the Eheim 2213 filter, just the Ehifimech, Ehifisubstrat, and filter padding...nothing special. I'm not too sure whether this kH/gH fluctuation is something that I should be concerned about, or if anyone had any advice on what to look to see if somethings causing it.
 

MidnightPyro

AC Members
Jun 21, 2005
210
0
0
It's the standard black PetSmart brand. I broke open a piece once before and it looked more like colored quartz than calcium carbonate, but I'm not too sure what they make that stuff out of. It's just kind of a dull, standard black...not like the shiny Estes gravel. I was kind of hoping PetSmart wasn't stupid enough to make their generic gravel out of calcium carbonate - I always thought it was quartz, but maybe someone else can offer some insight.

EDIT: Looking at the gravel, compared to the new stuff, it seems to be becoming more white and less dark black...I think the gravel might be the culprit...oh dear :eek:
 
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