Serious hardness issue!

I

inxs

AC Members
Mar 25, 2002
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Litchfield, CT
www.picturetrail.com
I just set up my first african tank with crushed coral and tufa rock.

The water outof my tap is about GH 5 KH 7 PH 7.6 after a night in the tank the KH is the same , the PH went up to about 8.4 but the GH is off the scale at 45.

I tested and retested with 2 different testkits with the same results also tested and retested the source.

The CC substrate came outof a tank 6 months ago that was FILTHY, I washed it thouroughly before putting it in the tank.
I don't know if it would have anything to do with the hardness.

I expected it to go up to between 10-20 but not 45. No other additives were added (except aquasafe) the ammonia reads at 0.5 (expected) and no nitrites yet.

Is this safe , even for africans (malawi) and if not what should I do?
Thanks
 
Something is very fishy here. With this pH, there is no way for the substrate to dissolve that quickly (if at all).

And I can only see one way to increase GH that much and/or that quickly: use of very soluble salt of calcium or magnesium (something like Epsom salt or calcium chloride).

As for the change in pH, I suspect that you didn't outgass your tap water sample before taking the base reading. You must do it if you want to check the base pH level of your tap water. An excess of CO2 in tap water makes it more acidic. So the second reading (after your water was outgassed overnight in the tank) showed higher pH.
 
I find this strange as well. I used limestone in my Mbuna tank initially, and it did absolutely zip to my pH 7.4 water. Crushed coral raised the KH and pH somewhat, but essentially [reductio ad absurdam] Calcium carbonate doesn't dissolve in alkaline water[/reductio].

Is it possible for that much Ca++/Mg++ to dissolve in water?
 
thanks MP and Faramir - I did add some epsomsalt as one of the salts to try to rescue one of the red zebras I added - I believe she was infected from the store and the stress of the move just did her in quick.
I did add about 3 Tbs/10gal of epsomsalt (shouldn't elevate levels to that point though?)

I have added a lot more epsomsalt to planted tanks as part of PMDD without having elevated levels .

The CC was in the other tank for 6+ years and should be well leached out.

Is this hardness level harmful for Malawi Mbuanas?
Thanks
 
Let's do some maths.

Molecular weight of MgSO4.7H2O I make to be 150, give or take.

Mg is 24.

Therefore, 16% of the Epsom Salts is Magnesium.

Now, Epsom Salts have a density of about 1.6 kg/l. But given the air spaces in your spoonfuls, lets call it 1 for a ball-park figure. This makes life easier!

So. Three tablespoons per 10 gallons translates at about 1 per 10 litres, because there's about three litres in a US gallon, IIRC. So that's 1/10 tablespoon per litre, or about 1.5 ml/litre. That's assuming level tablespoons. If they're heaped, it could be double that.

So we have 1.5 ppt, or 1500 ppm. Of this, .16 is Mg, so that's 1500*.16 = 240ppm Mg, about 14 degrees.

So that's where some of it's come from.

Someone correct my maths if need be. What with the errors and roundings, it could be anything from 10-20 degrees, I'd imagine. And if the tablespoons are heaped - a lot more.
 
I don't think so - I've kept ordinary community fish in 600ppm - that's what it was out of the tap.

Nevertheless, it's easily diluted out a bit if it's mainly from the Epsom salts. I'd be inclined to get it down to normal Mbuna levels on first principles.
 
Hey inxs, I'd say you drove it up with the epson salts since our water is so soft. I use a 1/4 teaspoon of both epson and baking soda to 2.5 gallons of water for my african tank. This mixture brings my water to, ph 8.2, gh 12 and kh to 9 degrees. Our ground water parameters must be quite similar, being 6 miles apart. Yes, your high gh is safe, I've heard of higher. I thought 10 degrees was best? Check out chichlid-forum.com
 
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Hey fishlips - check out the cichlid tank at Bohemian Pizza - the jaguars just laid eggs.

I changed about 25% of the water and brought it down from 46 to 40 , still about twice as hard as I'd like it.

Ph went down to 8 and KH is still at 5 and holding.

I just moved a mile and the water is so different even though it is still town water. The water is much softer here than when I lived on South st.

BTW we are putting an order together for fancy plecos - PM me if you are interested , Bigger order=cheaper price.
 
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