Raising hardness

[moik]

Hello, looking for additional ways to raise hardness of water for raising fry up...Others ways beside crushed coral or RO waste water...Just trying to find ways to maximize minerals for the fry's growth..

[brewmaster15]

Hi Vince,
You can use a commercial product like kents discus essentials or its cichlid one...

Personally I like to use calcium chloride to bump up the calcium levels...you can buy it pure as a salt water reef supply...but most snow melts are based on it... I use the dow brand here...its also sold as a calcium feed suppliment at livestock suppliers.

Magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) will bump up the hardness as well.

hth,
al

[LizStreithorst]

The crushed coral will raise your kH. If you want additional gH there's a product called Barrs gH Booster. Contains Posassiuim Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, and Calcium Sulfate. $5. for a lb. http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=cats&Edit=2&EditU=1&Regit=2

[tdiscusman]

I use calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate (epsom salts) with ratio of 4:1 to raise hardness. For calcium chloride, you can find it's the main ingredient in some ice melter products such as Prestone Driveway Heat, Downflake, Peak Ultramelt etc.

If your water straight out of tap is low in TDS, You may consider adding some baking soda to raise the KH so that PH would be stable.

HTH
Tony Nguyen

[moik]

Thanks for the replies.I am just looking to raise GH to add some minerals in my water for proper fry development..

[kaceyo]

I use same as Tony and Al, Calcium Chloride and magnesium sulphate, at 4 to 1 ratio, in all growout tanks. Better known as Prestone "Driveway Heat" ice melter (pure Cal Chloride) and Epsome salt (Mag sulphate).

Kacey

[moik]

Do you use a gallon of aged water to dissolve/dilute it before putting into the tank?? Your saying 4:1 ratio,,your saying 4 parts cal.chlor to 1 part mag.sulf. to what gallon of water??? Please clearify your ratio please..I do not want to misconstrude anything here..Thanks..
I use same as Tony and Al, Calcium Chloride and magnesium sulphate, at 4 to 1 ratio, in all growout tanks. Better known as Prestone "Driveway Heat" ice melter (pure Cal Chloride) and Epsome salt (Mag sulphate).

Kacey

[tdiscusman]

I use same as Tony and Al, Calcium Chloride and magnesium sulphate, at 4 to 1 ratio, in all growout tanks. Better known as Prestone "Driveway Heat" ice melter (pure Cal Chloride) and Epsome salt (Mag sulphate).

Kacey

Hi Kacey,
Just an FYI, the 4:1 ratio, I've got that formula from reading one of your post :-). Here's in TX, the pure Cal Chloride was hard to come by, I've search for months looking for Prestone Driveway Heat and all kind of other ice melter which has pure Cal Chloride. Finally found some Peak Ultramelt at NAPPA automobile parts store.

Thanks
Tony

[kaceyo]

Do you use a gallon of aged water to dissolve/dilute it before putting into the tank?? Your saying 4:1 ratio,,your saying 4 parts cal.chlor to 1 part mag.sulf. to what gallon of water??? Please clearify your ratio please..I do not want to misconstrude anything here..Thanks..
The 4 to 1 ratio is for the dry mix. It can be 4 cups Cal to 1 cup mag or 4 tbsp to 1 tbsp etc. Then you figure out how much of that dry mix you need to add to give you the GH or TDS you want. If you want TDS at 300 you add a certain amount. If you want the TDS at 500 you add more. Then you desolve that amount in some water and add that to your wc water.


Hi Kacey,
Just an FYI, the 4:1 ratio, I've got that formula from reading one of your post :-). Here's in TX, the pure Cal Chloride was hard to come by, I've search for months looking for Prestone Driveway Heat and all kind of other ice melter which has pure Cal Chloride. Finally found some Peak Ultramelt at NAPPA automobile parts store.

Thanks
Tony

Glad you found it. I went through the same thing before I found the Driveway Heat. But it's worth it compared to paying for the lfs calcium that cost 10 times as much.

Kacey

[moik]

What TDS do you shoot for raising fry up??? sorry for all the questions..
The 4 to 1 ratio is for the dry mix. It can be 4 cups Cal to 1 cup mag or 4 tbsp to 1 tbsp etc. Then you figure out how much of that dry mix you need to add to give you the GH or TDS you want. If you want TDS at 300 you add a certain amount. If you want the TDS at 500 you add more. Then you desolve that amount in some water and add that to your wc water.



Glad you found it. I went through the same thing before I found the Driveway Heat. But it's worth it compared to paying for the lfs calcium that cost 10 times as much.

Kacey

[kaceyo]

I take it to 300ppm from 44ppm, which is what my tap water is. Some people take it as high as 500ppm.

Kacey

[moik]

Will do..I will hopefully get what I need tomorrow and do all my my testing and get to it..I am always curious how other people approach situations like this for example..I want to raise the hardness without raising pH. This sounds the best way.Never to old to learn something new or hear a different opinion..Thanks..
I take it to 300ppm from 44ppm, which is what my tap water is. Some people take it as high as 500ppm.

Kacey

[Jhhnn]

I think it all depends on the makeup of your tap water. My supplier, Denver water, gives very complete analysis of their finished product. Your supplier may do the same, if you're on a municipal supply.

I think that hardness may not be the term to use when you're talking about trace elements. Yeh, sure, hard tap water contains minute amounts of those, but simply raising the hardness with commercial salts may not provide the supplements you need or want in your particular situation.

I've been adding Seachem nourish to my food mixes to provide trace element supplements to my moderately hard tap water. Haven't had any fry, but the fish seem to like it in the food just fine, and I figure it can't hurt...

Dosing the water, I'd probably go with Liz's recommendation, maybe investigate another product from that site, the CSM+B plantex, use it sparingly...

[Eddie]

The crushed coral will raise your kH. If you want additional gH there's a product called Barrs gH Booster. Contains Posassiuim Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, and Calcium Sulfate. $5. for a lb. http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=cats&Edit=2&EditU=1&Regit=2

Great prices Liz! Thanks for the link. I'm paying more for Calcium Chloride and for less. :o


Take care,

Eddie

[kaceyo]

That is a good price. Though I'd probably continue to add some C. Chloride along with it. I used to use RO Right to raise TDS, thinking it added alot of calcium because it was listed on the label. I called and talked with a tec at Kent and was told it actually contained very little calcium and was mostly potassium and sodium.
So check into the products you buy as IMO calcium and magnesium need to be among the primary components.

Kacey

[moik]

bump

[roundfishross]

I forgott to mention sometimes I substatute 1 tbsp of c.chloride for 1 tbsp of the barrs gh booster so its 3tbsp of c. chlo, 1 tbsp of gh boost, and 1 tbsp magnesium. still shoot for the same yeild of 400ppm

[Eddie]

I use 2 products by Seachem, Reef Builder for KH and Reef Advantage Calcium for GH, dosed at least 30 minutes apart. ;) All in 1/2 teaspoons, much more concentrated than my prior method.

[roundfishross]

Eddie, how costly is this method and how long does the product last? I have been contemplating a switch.

[Eddie]

Eddie, how costly is this method and how long does the product last? I have been contemplating a switch.

Dude, I believe its more cost effective. You don't have some huge duffle bag of Calcium Chloride laying around either.

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefBuilder.html


Use half a level teaspoon per 150 L (40 gallons)

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefAdvCalcium.html


Use 5 g (1 level teaspoon*) per 150 L (40 gallons*)

[roundfishross]

gonna have to make an order .. I wish I could buy direct from seachem they are located 40 miles away in madison GA... the bag is definately in the way!!:D

[kaceyo]

Eddie,
How much of the R A Calcium do you have to add to raise the TDS by aprox 100ppm? I'm happy with the C.Chloride/Mag but if RAC is more economical then it's worth looking into.

[Eddie]

Eddie,
How much of the R A Calcium do you have to add to raise the TDS by aprox 100ppm? I'm happy with the C.Chloride/Mag but if RAC is more economical then it's worth looking into.

Hey Kacey, I haven't ever tried to gauge the amount per 100ppm but I know its tiny. I use the recommended amount or a little more to get my TDS up near 400-500.