Cycling new tank. soft/acid water.

[fishgeek]

i would have thought if you have partyicularly low kh water then just adding a bit of any old carbonate
so baking soda being bicarbonate should be just fine

these secret ingredients , aren't they just what make up ideal water....
so pure water plus a kh of about 3? to stop pH bouncing around

what else do we need low conductivty therfore not too many ions of any type

 

[aspen]

>>'But with little or no hardness, how do you keep PH stable???? Stable PH is important isn't it???'
>>'3 grams of calcium sulfate, 1 gram of calcium chloride, and 1 gram of magnesium sulfate per 20 gallons of RO water.'

everything you need is right here. add a little, or add a lot. for not so many bucks you can treat thousands of gallons.

i have never used it, but i've heard that bicarbonate of sodium is a bit flakey.

from this link:

http://www.nitrogenorder.org/lessons/household.shtml

Calcium chloride may be sold as a granular de-icing mixture at hardware stores; also sold as moisture absorbant in smaller containers.

Calcium carbonate chalk, marble, limestone - find these and you've found calcium carbonate.

Magnesium sulfate "Epsom Salt(s)," often found at grocery store or drugstore; pottery supply; photo chemical; may also be sold as fertilizer.

rick

 

[ronv]

Trevor, nitrate is not causing the PH crash. The tanks are still cycling. Nitrate is not present. Ammonia is causing it. What you said is good news tho. Water changes, I can do. So after I get a handle on this, maybe everything will settle down. Several of my tanks have completed cycling now, with the help of baking soda... Fishgeek, baking soda does work. It raises KH and stabalizes PH, but PH is now about 7.8 or so. ( not good ). Aspen I'll try to find the chems. you recommend. I have ordered ROright. I'll keep experimenting. With yalls help, I'm getting there. Thanks.

 

[ronv]

Forgot to add. Several of my tanks now have a healthy layer of plants floating. I'm slowly ( as time permits ) adding lights in my fishroom. About 1/3 are done now. I think the plants are helping also...

 

[fishgeek]

great link rick
now i can start experimenting round the house and try to blow myself up

 

[aspen]

plants help a great deal to quicken up the cycling process, they come with bacteria all over them ime.

the sources for these chemicals they describe may be a bit dicey to use in a fish tank- MAYBE. but remember, you are adding 1 gram in 20 gals of this and 3 grams of that. what impurities could be in calcium carbonate? a little bit of salt or some rocky mineral as an imputity maybe, but there isn't going to be any cyanide or anything like that right?

rick