Still waiting and waiting and...

[kaceyo]

Day 15,and counting.I got my order from Big Al's with a 100W ViaAqua heater(which I'm half expecting to die on me,Carol) to replace the hang on type thats been on the tank.Got a 65oz jug of aquarium salt.A ViaAqua 480 pump for the water aging barrel(thinking now I shoulda got one size up?).A nitrite test kit which,15 days into the filter cycle,shows absolutly 0 nitrites(and waiting...)AND I got what I thought was a simple KH builder(my water is 1dKH) called PH Stable by Kent Marine.The list of ingredients includes carbonic acid mono.salts.Isn't that a PH lowering agent?.The product info said nothing about acids or changing the PH.Can I use this as a KH builder or should I bag it and get R/O Right or ?.I looked for a product called KH Builder as suggested but couldn't find it.Well...I think I'll go do a nitrite test and look at it under an actinic light to see if I can get a positive reading.Thanx, Kaceyo

[Valik]

Keep with it you will get your cycle soon:) One way to slightly speed it up I have read about and it seemed to help with mine, was to put extra air into the tank. I kept my tank at 80% full so the aquaclear made a cascade effect and I put 2 airstones in there. My tank cycled in about 14 to 17 days. That was on no borrowed tank media or cycling agents(I hear they don't work other then biospira)
Matt

[mikeos]

Ph stable sounds like a buffer to me, not what you want realy.

[kaceyo]

It is a buffer.With a PH of 7.8 and KH at 1dkh I am concerned about PH crashes and/or fluctuation.The PH Stable says its for raising KH and to add it before adjusting PH(which I'm NOT going to adjust)but then says it has carbonic acid mono..!So,can I use it as a KH builder w/out it raising PH and if I do will it and aquarium salt be enough for my super soft water to grow out my new Discus?I think thats what i'm thinking.If I'm not looking at this correctly please let me know. Thanx Kaceyo

[kaceyo]

Oops,exchange "w/out raising pH" on prev. post to "w/out lowering pH".In fact I'm testing it to see how much it actualy does lower pH,if at all.Why would they put carbonic acid in a product designed to increase KH anyway?Its not supposed to be a pH adjuster.Kaceyo

[ed8t]

I use pH Stable and it keeps my pH levels rock solid. I don't think you can increase KH without raising pH to some degree unless you use other buffers that contains phosphates. My aged water is 7.2 and with the addition of pH Stable it rises to 7.6 to 7.8. I maintain my KH at about 4 dH, water out of the tap is 0 dH.

Check out this for more info to increase your mineral content:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=15776

If you would rather use an off the shelf product to increase TDS I use R/O Right, Seachem Equilibrium I heard is a good product too. When I get my big tanks, I'll use the bulk raw stuff.

[Cosmo]

Kent RO Right is for adding GH, not KH. It's contains "nearly neutral" salts, to add minerals etc but does a lousy job of KH buffering. Kent PH Stable is a KH buffering agent that RAISES PH, yes, it does contain salts and will add to your overall TDS sof factor that in to the equation, but, it's phosphate and nitrate free (as is RO Right), so you don't add any food for algea to grow on. Kent makes two buffers to lower PH, one contains phoshates while the other is phosphate and nitrate free ( I don't need to lower my PH so I don't remember the name of the good one - check their website).

I use nothing but RO/DI water (no tap at all) and use both of these products all the time. Sometimes I'll add some Electro Light for added minerals, and, always add Kent Discus Essentials for trace.

Yes, it will take you some time and testing to get the mix right for your fish and tank. Trial and error, just make sure you have the testers to make sure you don't punish your fish while your searching for the formulation - they are both very potent, doesnt' take a lot to throw your parameters off in a big way.

My dish have been living happily in this mixture for about 8 months now and seem to love it.

Remember - test test test as you find your way to the formula that works for you.

Another note - don't use Seachem buffers - they are phosphate based... yuck.

Jim

PS. Disclaimer - I do not work for Kent, nor do I receive any monetary renumeration for writing this ..... lol

[kaceyo]

Thanks to all.I just have on odd situation with ph of aged water being high while the water is very soft.I need to raise kh and gh w/out raising pH,and still keep it simple.No I'm not testing with fish in the tank.I'll get it figured out eventualy,with testing.I have a clearer idea of what I need if not the exact solution.I may have to settle with pH between 8 and 8.5.Thanx,Kacey

[Valik]

Wierd it is unusual to have water with that high of a ph in washington. In three locations I have never had water over 7.2 aged.
Matt