Jump to content

How Much Tang Buffer Does it Take?


spedwards

Recommended Posts

Hi guys n' gals,

I have my tank running and cycling, as some of you will likely know. I am trying to get my water parameters up to scratch at the moment and have been using the Tanganyika buffers to raise the KH to 15 degrees to match the breeders water.

I was wondering how much Seachem Tangangika Buffer people have had to use to get the KH up to 15 degrees, it comes of the tap at 3 degree here and is taking a fair amount of the buffer to raise it. People around the Blacktown area would be especially helpful.

The tank is 340L, I've been adding 4 teaspoons per day for about 5 days and it's only just hitting 13 degrees. pH went right up after day 2 and has been stable since. Substrate is crushed marble, but as I understand it this won't have any impact until the pH drops down below 8, current (from memory) pH is between 8.4-8.8.

The process for adding and testing has generally been add the buffer at night and then test the following night (approx 24hrs, sometimes less, sometimes more...). I then have been adding more buffer after completing the tests to continue to raise the KH. Is has been increasing but much slower then expected, I have been dosing on the low side of the directions though. Does this take a longer than 24 hour period to take full effect?

I'm not overly concerned about the rate of increase, I expect it should be pretty spot on tonight or tomorrow night, but I expected it to move a little faster and use less. What will the boss think when she see all the empty Tang buffer jars lying around shock.gif

Cheers

Jon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hear ya Jon. I remember having a horrible time trying to adjust my kH levels the first time I used Tang buffer. Like you I also did all the playing around before I got the fish, and man, do you go through that buffer bigsmile.gif . It normally stabilises about 24 hours after you add it, so don't test and add, more than once a day. I also remember going through heaps of kH test solution laugh.gif . What I found is that it took a while to fiddle and get it right, but once it was right it pretty much stayed there. Just make sure the kH stays stable for about two days to be sure.

What I recommend you do is buy a 4kg tub of Tang buffer. I'll pm you the name of a place that is cheap.

After you get your tank levels right, Jim's advice to me was to buy a 220l water change drum, heat it to 25 degrees, aerate it and add the salts and buffers to it. This way when you do your water changes the parameters in your tank are the same as the water you are changing.

The procedure for preparing the drum is as follows.

1. Fill with water

2. Add 5 teaspoons of Cichlid Lake Salt

3. Leave overnight

4. Add 3 teaspoons Tang buffer morning and night for 3 days.

I keep the air stones and the heater on for the whole time, and don't forget to add your Prime a little while before you do your water changes.

This gives me a kH of 15.

Others have success by just doing water changes from the tap. I have always done it this way with great success.

Good luck,

Jamie smile.gif .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks all! It's good to know that I'm not going crazy. I'll keep at it then thumb.gif

I haven't got the Cichlid Lake Salt, these are obviously reccommended if you are using them Jamie. Is there a way to measure these in the tank or do you just dose per instructions?

I've got a tub ready to go for water changes, I'm already getting in trouble for taking up space and the tub hasn't even made it indoors yet rolleyes.gif

I've noticed a certain theme to the fish keepers that have responded to this one. I guess there are only a few fish that people would worry too much about getting the KH perfect...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont try to get mine perfect anymore, instead I try and keep it constant. I add two tablespoons to 180L and it does the trick.

Josh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah definately use the salt as well, as per instructions on the container. You don't go through this stuff as quick ie you only use 5 teaspoons in the drum as opposed to 18 of buffer.

It is also worth noting that we add the salt a day apart from the buffer. Otherwise when you add your water, it will look like you just dumped a kilo of flour into your tank wink2.gif .

PS Just adding to what Josh said. I don't test my water for kH and gH before every water change either. I just add the 5 and then the 18 since in the past when I have checked it has been fine, similar to how Josh is fine with his 2.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what Jamie and I do with our buffers and salts is based on what Jim and Nigel has told us and it works. Just don't try to change it too much when u have got things stable.

i use a digital scale able to measure 0.1g.

In a 220L drum i add 45g of Seachem lake salt and the next day i over 4 days 112g of Seachem tanganyika buffer.

It is cheaper in the long run to get a 20kg bucket of buffer but that could set u back up to $600!!!! Bear in mind this is Ryde water and could be different from Blacktown water so check your kH and Gh.

Aline...i thought u use much less buffer than any of us? LOL.gif

Good luck!

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

60 shock.gif

I had enough trouble slipping one under the radar!

Sure enough, tonights KH test brings back 15 degrees. I will keep an eye over the next couple of days but I think I've now answered my question!

If I have my start day right i have used about 120g - 140g to get it this far. Doing a 120L water change, i'll need to add about 40g-50g to the water change tub to reach the desired level and about 33g of the Cichlid Lake Salts.

I will have to do some testing, but I'm on track now thumb.gif

Does this stuff have a shelf life? A group buy of a 20kg tub could be a way to save us all a little money!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being involved with your partner in this hobby definately has it's pluses thumbup.gif but also it's downs dry.gif - it also doesn't help that both of us like completely different things that all require minimum tank size of 4' and even better still 5' & 6's woot.gif

We are just in the process of a long journey in the completion of our fish room in the hope of regaining our double garage but somehow I feel that the cars will once again find their way onto the driveway in the not too distant future LOL.gif

Sharing a tub is feasible, however there are a few people who sell it in kilo lots at a reasonable price (contact Gav on this forum) thumbup.gif

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What causes the KH value to drop? My pH has stabalised to about 8.2 now, but the KH has dropped down to 13 degrees.

I haven't added anything except food to the water since I reached 15 degrees. The only thing that's going on is the cycle working it's way through, is there are relationship between higher nitrites / nitrates and a reduction in the carbonate hardness?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it maybe the substrate I notice you are using crushed marble. I think that type of substrate is reactive and maybe impacting on the buffer. If not then there is something else in there that is what type of rock is in there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From my readings on crushed marble, it only dissolves in an acidic water. Once the water reached a neutral pH (or there abouts) it should play no role in the buffering.

The rocks are mainly sandstone, though some more "bush rock" type was snuck in by my "assistant".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Further reading tends to indicate that all of the food decomposing in the tank and nitrates (in the form of nitric acid) would be contributing in the KH dropping.

I think I will let things roll along until the cycle completes and then worry more about stabilising the chemistry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...