raising the water hardness level

[glitcher]

I'm setting up a new tank, thinking of making it an all-male peacock tank, and I'm considering altering my water parameters. Normally, I avoid messing with them, but I'm thinking of making an exception this time. My water's soft - 1-2dH KH and 4-5dH GH - so I want to raise the hardness. Has anyone got any advice on the safest, most consistent ways to do this? I've come across Epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda a few times, would be great to know how well they work.

[kingrise]

I'm setting up a new tank, thinking of making it an all-male peacock tank, and I'm considering altering my water parameters. Normally, I avoid messing with them, but I'm thinking of making an exception this time. My water's soft - 1-2dH KH and 4-5dH GH - so I want to raise the hardness. Has anyone got any advice on the safest, most consistent ways to do this? I've come across Epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda a few times, would be great to know how well they work.

Crushed coral or cuttlebone are great options for a more natural approach. They're both effective at raising hardness levels, and they're also beneficial for the tank's overall ecosystem. I've had good experiences with crushed coral in the past, it's a slow and steady way to increase the hardness without causing any drastic changes.

[boomer]

To effectively increase your tank's hardness, you'll need to focus on boosting both calcium and magnesium levels. Epsom salt, while useful, only contributes to the latter, along with some sulphur. Bicarbonate of soda offers temporary buffering, but it won't have a lasting impact on your GH.

I've had success with using calcareous sand, specifically designed for rift lake cichlid tanks. This approach worked well for me back in the 80s when I was keeping livebearers and rift lake cichlids, as my source water was extremely soft with a low pH. Another option is to use rift lake cichlid salts, which are mineral-based and not sodium-based like common salt. If you decide to go with these salts, be sure to prepare the water for water changes outside of your tank to ensure a stable environment.

[glitcher]

I'm setting up a new tank, thinking of making it an all-male peacock tank, and I'm considering altering my water parameters. Normally, I avoid messing with them, but I'm thinking of making an exception this time. My water's soft - 1-2dH KH and 4-5dH GH - so I want to raise the hardness. Has anyone got any advice on the safest, most consistent ways to do this? I've come across Epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda a few times, would be great to know how well they work.

Crushed coral or cuttlebone are great options for a more natural approach. They're both effective at raising hardness levels, and they're also beneficial for the tank's overall ecosystem. I've had good experiences with crushed coral in the past, it's a slow and steady way to increase the hardness without causing any drastic changes.

Thanks for the info. I'm just wondering, do you add crushed coral or cuttlebone to the filter, or mix it into the substrate? Also, with my regular 50% water changes, I'm concerned about pH swings - will I need to take extra precautions to minimize these fluctuations each week?

[glitcher]

To effectively increase your tank's hardness, you'll need to focus on boosting both calcium and magnesium levels. Epsom salt, while useful, only contributes to the latter, along with some sulphur. Bicarbonate of soda offers temporary buffering, but it won't have a lasting impact on your GH.

I've had success with using calcareous sand, specifically designed for rift lake cichlid tanks. This approach worked well for me back in the 80s when I was keeping livebearers and rift lake cichlids, as my source water was extremely soft with a low pH. Another option is to use rift lake cichlid salts, which are mineral-based and not sodium-based like common salt. If you decide to go with these salts, be sure to prepare the water for water changes outside of your tank to ensure a stable environment.

Thanks for the info... so, it seems like GH is the priority for rift cichlids over KH. Combining Epsom salts and calcareous sand seems like the most straightforward approach to me - would that work? I'm a bit hesitant about using those premade cichlid salts, mainly because I think the cost would add up pretty quickly.

[glitcher]

To effectively increase your tank's hardness, you'll need to focus on boosting both calcium and magnesium levels. Epsom salt, while useful, only contributes to the latter, along with some sulphur. Bicarbonate of soda offers temporary buffering, but it won't have a lasting impact on your GH.

I've had success with using calcareous sand, specifically designed for rift lake cichlid tanks. This approach worked well for me back in the 80s when I was keeping livebearers and rift lake cichlids, as my source water was extremely soft with a low pH. Another option is to use rift lake cichlid salts, which are mineral-based and not sodium-based like common salt. If you decide to go with these salts, be sure to prepare the water for water changes outside of your tank to ensure a stable environment.

Thanks for the info... so, it seems like GH is the priority for rift cichlids over KH. Combining Epsom salts and calcareous sand seems like the most straightforward approach to me - would that work? I'm a bit hesitant about using those premade cichlid salts, mainly because I think the cost would add up pretty quickly.

[boomer]

I'm setting up a new tank, thinking of making it an all-male peacock tank, and I'm considering altering my water parameters. Normally, I avoid messing with them, but I'm thinking of making an exception this time. My water's soft - 1-2dH KH and 4-5dH GH - so I want to raise the hardness. Has anyone got any advice on the safest, most consistent ways to do this? I've come across Epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda a few times, would be great to know how well they work.

GH is vital for all fish, regardless of whether they require specific minerals in the water to function properly or not. For rift lake cichlids, these minerals are essential, while soft-water species can be slowly harmed by their absence.

Calcium and magnesium are both crucial, with coflake providing the former and Epsom salts providing the latter. However, there are other minerals at play as well. If you decide to use additives, it's essential to use the right ones to avoid putting your fish at risk. Measuring the effects of coflake and Epsom salts can be challenging, as both will increase GH, but it's difficult to determine by how much and which one is contributing more.

Rift lake sand, on the other hand, offers a permanent solution. The calcium, magnesium, and other minerals in the sand are slowly dissolved over years, providing a stable environment. CaribSea makes a range of sands suitable for different species and lakes, and they claim these sands can last the life of the aquarium.

[BadgersSong]

I've found that Seachem's cichlid salt is a convenient option for adjusting water parameters. It contains a balanced mix of minerals, making it easier to maintain stable levels. I've had positive experiences with this product when keeping rainbowfish, and it might be worth considering for your peacock tank.

[glitcher]

I've found that Seachem's cichlid salt is a convenient option for adjusting water parameters. It contains a balanced mix of minerals, making it easier to maintain stable levels. I've had positive experiences with this product when keeping rainbowfish, and it might be worth considering for your peacock tank.

I've come across Seachem's cichlid salt before - I generally like their products, but I find them to be a bit pricey. I'm concerned that using this additive for my 250l tank might become expensive in the long run, especially considering my regular water changes.

[glitcher]

GH is indeed crucial for all fish, regardless of whether they require mineflakes for physiological function or not. For instance, rift lake cichlids need these mineflakes, while soft-water species will be harmed if they're exposed to them.

It's worth noting that coflake is essentially calcium, whereas Epsom salt is magnesium. However, there are other mineflakes at play as well. If you're considering using additives, it's challenging to measure the effects of both coflake and magnesium accurately. This is because GH will increase with either, but it's difficult to determine the extent of the increase and which one is responsible. To avoid putting your fish at risk, it's best to use the right additive. Cichlid salts, for example, can be measured accurately.

In contrast, using rift lake sand is a more permanent solution. The calcium and magnesium in the sand are slowly dissolved over the years. CaribSea offers a range of sands suitable for different species and lakes.