Water Hardness - Aquarium Advice

gdeboeck · 09-03-2003, 06:48 AM

A 55 US gallon tank with 8 Africans; 2 sharks; 2 catfish only one week old has nitrite 0.5-1.0 although a Nitro-Zero filter has been added 48 hours ago. How much time does it take to bring nitrite down?

Also carbon harness in this tank is 125 [acronym:fa0c647504="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:fa0c647504] and general hardness 215 [acronym:fa0c647504="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:fa0c647504]. Is that OK for the Africans?

In another 10 US gallon tank (well established) I have one Tiger Oscar, 4 inches. Plenty of rocks, no plants The carbon hardness is 7 dKH and 30 (?) dGH. Is this too high? What effect have the rocks?

madasafish · 09-03-2003, 09:18 PM

Gdeboeck,

African cichlids like hard water. Your water is quite hard--215 [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33], or dGH of 12. This is excellent. Is your tap water naturally this hard? If so, excellent. You're in a perrfect [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="General Hardness"]GH[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33] condition. ACs generally like a hard, alkaline water with a dGH of 10-15 (some 10-20), and a pH between 7 and 9. 8 is a usual pH for these guys.

As far as I understand it, ACs also like a high carbonate hardness. Many rock sellers online sell "African Cichlid Rocks," limestones (Calcium Carbonate), which will increase pH, dGH and dKH. It looks like you have a moderately high dKH, 7 dKH or 125 [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33]. This is fine, though some might say to raise it.

Rocks that are carbonates (i.e. limestone) will certainly increase parameters as I mentioned above. Most aquarium rocks are sold to be neutral, though, and probably won't affect your dGH and dKH too much.

You've gotta get your convention down, though. You seem to be confusing yourself by using both the German hardness system (dGH) and the parts-per-million system. Use one or the other...

Oh, and it's "carbonate" hardness, [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="By the way"]btw[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33]. Carbon is an element, carbonate is a molecule (anion) which includes carbon.

One question: what are your pHs on the two tanks? The cichlid tank should have a high pH around 8, but your oscar tank should be mildly acidic (pH of 6.5 or so). The oscar is a South American cichlid, and they generally like acidic water, though they can tolerate a pH of up to 8. Consider getting a piece of driftwood. Also, consider getting a larger tank soon. Oscars, when older, need a very large tank. If you keep them in a small tank, you will stunt their growth (but you probably know that).

Lastly, this like will give you an idea of [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="General Hardness"]GH[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33], pH for ACs: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/s...=21&pCatId=831

Good luck.

e-cat · 09-03-2003, 09:24 PM

get a bigger tank for that oscar now, 10 gallons is way too small for a 4" oscar, get atleast a 55gal but someing with a 18" width is better.

09-03-2003, 06:48 AM	#1
gdeboeck Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Virginia USA Posts: 6	Water Hardness A 55 US gallon tank with 8 Africans; 2 sharks; 2 catfish only one week old has nitrite 0.5-1.0 although a Nitro-Zero filter has been added 48 hours ago. How much time does it take to bring nitrite down? Also carbon harness in this tank is 125 [acronym:fa0c647504="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:fa0c647504] and general hardness 215 [acronym:fa0c647504="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:fa0c647504]. Is that OK for the Africans? In another 10 US gallon tank (well established) I have one Tiger Oscar, 4 inches. Plenty of rocks, no plants The carbon hardness is 7 dKH and 30 (?) dGH. Is this too high? What effect have the rocks? __________________ Guido

09-03-2003, 09:18 PM	#2
madasafish Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NY, NY Posts: 2,260 Images: 73	Gdeboeck, African cichlids like hard water. Your water is quite hard--215 [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33], or dGH of 12. This is excellent. Is your tap water naturally this hard? If so, excellent. You're in a perrfect [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="General Hardness"]GH[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33] condition. ACs generally like a hard, alkaline water with a dGH of 10-15 (some 10-20), and a pH between 7 and 9. 8 is a usual pH for these guys. As far as I understand it, ACs also like a high carbonate hardness. Many rock sellers online sell "African Cichlid Rocks," limestones (Calcium Carbonate), which will increase pH, dGH and dKH. It looks like you have a moderately high dKH, 7 dKH or 125 [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33]. This is fine, though some might say to raise it. Rocks that are carbonates (i.e. limestone) will certainly increase parameters as I mentioned above. Most aquarium rocks are sold to be neutral, though, and probably won't affect your dGH and dKH too much. You've gotta get your convention down, though. You seem to be confusing yourself by using both the German hardness system (dGH) and the parts-per-million system. Use one or the other... Oh, and it's "carbonate" hardness, [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="By the way"]btw[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33]. Carbon is an element, carbonate is a molecule (anion) which includes carbon. One question: what are your pHs on the two tanks? The cichlid tank should have a high pH around 8, but your oscar tank should be mildly acidic (pH of 6.5 or so). The oscar is a South American cichlid, and they generally like acidic water, though they can tolerate a pH of up to 8. Consider getting a piece of driftwood. Also, consider getting a larger tank soon. Oscars, when older, need a very large tank. If you keep them in a small tank, you will stunt their growth (but you probably know that). Lastly, this like will give you an idea of [acronym:9a7dcf4a33="General Hardness"]GH[/acronym:9a7dcf4a33], pH for ACs: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/s...=21&pCatId=831 Good luck. __________________ [acronym:3ff24413a5="Malaysian Trumpet Snails or Multiple Tank Syndrome, depending on context"]MTS[/acronym:3ff24413a5] is a blessing, not a disease.

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09-03-2003, 09:24 PM	#3
e-cat Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Posts: 1,091	get a bigger tank for that oscar now, 10 gallons is way too small for a 4" oscar, get atleast a 55gal but someing with a 18" width is better.