Questions about raising kh- advice please

[happychem]

Monitor the pH and KH every couple days. Ideally the amount of crushed coral taht you've added should be in exact (or approximate) balance with the amount of buffer being consumed by bioacidification.

For the question. it depends on the size of your water storage bin. If you're using a large rain barrel, then get a powerhead to agitate the water, when it's time to change water you can use a tube attached to the powerhead outflow to fill the tank. Place the crused coral in a mesh bag, same as you would in your filter to keep it all together.

 

[Patricia]

For what it's worth: my well water runs about 8dKH, but I am growing Apple Snails in my Community tank, and other snails in my Molly tank, both of which can drop the tanks' dKH a degree a week. I use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to raise the dKH to 10, using this formula: 1 teaspoon baking soda per gallon of water will raise the water hardness 1 degree of KH. I check for tank water hardness, then add the proper amount of the sodium bicarbonate to the replacement water at weekly water changes. I also recheck the tank water hardness after a couple of hours circulation, to make sure it is where I want it.

Patricia

 

[Sploke]

Do you measure how this affects your pH as well as KH?

 

[hike13]

update

I put the crushed coral in on Sat or Sun (can't remember now) and have tested KH and Ph twice since then. PH has been holding steady at 6.6 :dance: and I actually got a reading on my KH test. I was beginning to think that the test kit was faulty. Anyway, KH was 2.5 dKH both times I tested. We'll see what happens when I test today and Saturday before I change the water but I'm happy so far. Usually by Wed/Thurs after a weekend water change my ph was already down to about 6.4 (or lower)

 

[hike13]

Another quick update to my old thread....

After approximately 3 weeks I'm happy with the results of the crushed coral. I have approximately 1 tablespoon in my filter and have done a few water changes and everything seems to be working well. My KH is holding steady at 2.5 and my tank ph has slowly come up to match my tap ph at approx. 7.0 (on a side note my tap water has been testing at a higher ph than previously) All in all things are going well. Fish are happy, I'm happy.

In regards to the coral does anyone know how long it lasts as far as helping my KH? Or do I just keep testing regularly and figure it out that way.

Thanks again happychem and Ash.

:thm:

 

[happychem]

Test pH and KH once per week before you do your water change. After a few more weeks if it's holding steady, you'll know that you've got it solid and you won't really need to keep testing, just the occasional (maybe monthly) check to make sure that everything's cool.

Keep an eye on the coral, I've had mine run out on me before. I caught it before anything drastic happened, but there was a moment of panic when I found the empty mesh bag.

 

[hike13]

Test pH and KH once per week before you do your water change. After a few more weeks if it's holding steady, you'll know that you've got it solid and you won't really need to keep testing, just the occasional (maybe monthly) check to make sure that everything's cool.

I've been testing 2-3 times per week just because I'm paranoid.

Keep an eye on the coral, I've had mine run out on me before. I caught it before anything drastic happened, but there was a moment of panic when I found the empty mesh bag.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I didn't realize that the entire ammount of coral would just dissolve. I clean the foam insert in my aquaclear at least every other water change so it shouldn't be too hard to keep an eye on.

 

[happychem]

Well, there's nothing *wrong* with testing 2-3 times per week, it's definitely adviseable right after you do something to change pH/KH. By this point though you should have a pretty good idea of how your pH is behaving and you can drop back to occasional testing to make sure nothing unexpected happens.