carbonate hardness for tropheus

[sasfish]

HI and first of all thank you for having me.

My question is:

I have an aquasonic kh tester and I tested my tank today to find if I was within the requirements of a tangankan rift tank. I use coral sand and bits of broken coral as a buffer. The tank is a 4 x 2 x 18 with a 3x18x18 sump and an auqapro 1200 filter. The tank is quit heavily loaded but I do weekly water changes using prime and watch closely. The fish are Ikola,maliro,milti,blue osolatus, maswa, black calvus and puntatus. (Sorry about spelling but I’m to lazy to look them up.

My reading on the test was 6 drops at the 10 ppm scale ( I am not even sure this is the right way to test. Could someone help clarify this testing unit as well as how much generator to add at one time. PH seems to be steady at 7.9.

[kilroy]

HI and first of all thank you for having me.

My question is:

I have an aquasonic kh tester and I tested my tank today to find if I was within the requirements of a tangankan rift tank. I use coral sand and bits of broken coral as a buffer. The tank is a 4 x 2 x 18 with a 3x18x18 sump and an auqapro 1200 filter. The tank is quit heavily loaded but I do weekly water changes using prime and watch closely. The fish are Ikola,maliro,milti,blue osolatus, maswa, black calvus and puntatus. (Sorry about spelling but I’m to lazy to look them up.

My reading on the test was 6 drops at the 10 ppm scale ( I am not even sure this is the right way to test. Could someone help clarify this testing unit as well as how much generator to add at one time. PH seems to be steady at 7.9.

On my test kit and others I have used before, one drop usually = one degree of hardness. You add the drops and shake each one until it changes colour. That's how you get the result.

[sasfish]

Hi thanks but the result being , the number of drops x 10 being the parts per million. This part I get, the part that has me at a loss is witch one to use 10 parts or 20 parts and if I need to rise the hardness how much do I raise?

[Josh]

Basic maths will tell you that 6 x 10 = 60, so your tank is at 60ppm

A tang tank should be between 250-350ppm (from memory)

I dont know what generator is? If you mean buffer then I found follow the instructions on the container of what ever stuff you are using

I think you measure in 10ppm increment for 10ml of water and 20ppm for 5 ml of water (depending on test kit). Alos the istructions in the box should tell you this as well.

[sasfish]

Thanks for the math lession . Haha. I deserve that.

The generator is a carb hardness generator made by aquasonic. I will assume that I can go with the rise in kh by 20ppm in one shot then.

[oakes]

I would raise it by no more than 20ppm each day or two. Just follow the instructions on the container. pH may rise a little as you go. Once you get results over 100ppm test in 20ppm increments to save time and chemicals. I used to keep my Tangs at 140ppm - 180ppm without any probs, though as Josh said they probably like it even higher. pH tended to stay around 8.1.

I have to say i am a little surprised with your reading of only 60ppm given you use coral sand and i assume tap water (as opposed to rain water). I would recommend also using rift lake salts (if you don't already) as this will also improve buffering, provide added minerals and reduce the amount of generator you need to use long term.

[Barca888]

I had limestone and aragnite sand and had lower carbonate hardness. Apparently the carbonates can deposit on the coral instead of leeching. That's why it's best to have the coral substrate as filter media or crushed clam shells.

[sasfish]

Now that was helpful. I have gotten it up to 80ppm now and around 8.1ph holding. I try abit more tomarrow.