Aragonite

[Hairy_Harold]

My tap water pH is around 6 by my test strips so obviously I need to raise it a fair bit for african cichlids. I've been reading and it seems that adding aragonite/calcium carbonate as a subtrate raises the pH to around 8 and adds a buffer to keep it there. Is there any way to calculate what will happen or is it just trial and error?

The tank already has substrate and wasn't really keen on changing and for the simple fact that aragonite is frigging expensive. Can I just fill a basket in my canister filter with it and still get the same affects? It seems that after time it will dissolve and will need to be replaced with water flow over it which I don't see as too much of a problem.

[krap101]

During the summer, the Home Depot here stocks Aragonite for around 3-5$ a bag. I checked the other day, and they were out, so.. :P

Its under something like "White playsand" and it reacts with vinegar so you'll know.

Another option is to put a bag of aragonite in your filter or in a bag in the tank, and it'll raise your pH and buffer it. Obviously, theres less aragonite in the bag than there would if you changed substrates, but I used the playsand for my brichardis and it worked out fine. (if you do end up switching, dont forget to do it in stages to seed the bacteria)

[Hairy_Harold]

I think I will just fill one of the baskets in the filter, i'm guessing that the water flow will compensate for the amount. I am wondering how people raise there ph aswell so far i've found that aragonite will buffer the pH and raise it to about 7.6. Will just adding some basic pH up or african cichlid buffer max raise it to about 8.5 and keep it there?

[Hairy_Harold]

Ended up going to a different lfs much more helpful, they actually have seachem products. The place I was going to before didn't even have a display tank :|, this one had 2 marine displays, africans, a giant gourami, sea urchins god knows what else.

Walked out with some seachem stability and a 10kg bag of crushed coral. They showed me the sump they use for all there african tanks, the bio material was just large crushed coral so i'm filling my canister with that. He tested the pH and was 8.4 with one of those digital tester things.

[Wy Renegade]

Hey Harold, it won't last as long as the denser CC, but crushed oyster shell will work the same way.

[GhostKnife]

All ph up/down products are temporary and you will have to continuously use them. Generally* in most cases the fewer chemicals the better.