Adding Gh

[DSenn]

This question is specifically for Purrbox because she answered this question before, but if anyone else has advice, feel free.

Purrbox, you recommended a product for raising the GH, but I can't find the thread at this very moment, and I was wondering if you could post that site again. Would this product be alright to use with my R.O./Tap water mix?

 

[DSenn]

I found it Purrbox. It is Rex Grigg's "Grumpy's GH Booster For Raising GH". But my question is still the same: is this alright to use with R.O. water (or a R.O./tap mix)? This is also not a plant tank that I am looking to raise the GH in. Does that matter with this product?

I also heard to use sulfates 'with caution.' Are sulfates a concern?

 

[Purrbox]

Sulfates are actually one of the nutrients used by plants. Normally it doesn't have to be dosed separately because it is dosed with many of the other nutrients.

For specific information on using that particular GH booster with RO Water, I would recommend contacting Rex Grigg directly. Since I've never used RO water or a GH booster I don't have any direct knowledge on their use together. There is also a similar GH booster available on Planted Aquarium Fertilizer which was developed by Tom Barr. Again you could contact Tom Barr directly for more information. He's got a forum that is well updated from what I've seen. Both should be able to provide you with excellant information on their GH boosters including first hand experiance.

 

[DSenn]

Purrbox-

I checked that site out. I assume what I need is 'Barr's Gh Booster'?

I'm curious Purrbox...what kind of water do you use, tap? If so, what is your hardness and pH? Do you do anything special?

 

[neilanh]

Is there a particular reason you're wanting to adjust your gH?

 

[DSenn]

Because I mix my tap with R.O. and the GH of my tap has dropped recently. I currently have 1-2 dGH in my tank. I'm not worried about it. My fish are fine, but I wanted to up it slightly.

 

[Purrbox]

Purrbox-

I checked that site out. I assume what I need is 'Barr's Gh Booster'?

I'm curious Purrbox...what kind of water do you use, tap? If so, what is your hardness and pH? Do you do anything special?

Barr's GH Booster would be correct.

I'm just using my tap water without any adjustments whatsoever. Last time I tested it, about 2 years ago (I really should do some current tests), it had 1.2ppm Ammonia (Chloramines), 0ppm Nitrite, 26ppm Nitrate (agricultural area), 0.6ppm Phosphate, 140ppm GH (7.86 dGH), 60ppm KH (3.37 dKH), 7.6 pH. Since I inject 30+ppm CO2 (probably closer to 40+ppm) into all my aquariums, the pH ends up in the low to mid 6's.

 

[DSenn]

It sure sounds like CO2 is the magic bullet for lowering pH. See, this is why I am using the R.O. water for my tank WITHOUT plants...no CO2 injection. The thing is that the lowest I could possibly go would be a pH of 7, which would leave me with 1dKH. That's as far as I could strip it. To get my pH down any farther would require CO2 injection, correct? That's what it sounds like.

Now, if I were doing a plant tank, I wouldn't have to use as much R.O. water. A 50/50 mix would put me around a 7.6 pH (like you) and I could lower it below 7 with CO2 (like you). CO2 is what makes the difference.

Can you tell me how much GH soft water fish like tetras really NEED? Like I said, the GH in my tap has dropped recently, so that when I do my normal mixture of R.O. and tap, I am left with only 1dGH. Is this a concern? Before I had around 2dGH, and I'm sure my tap GH will go back up...but really, how much GH is necessary?

I also have R.O. Right which I could use for GH, but it never reads on my test kits, no matter how much I use. It is very frustrating.

 

[Purrbox]

Can you tell me how much GH soft water fish like tetras really NEED? Like I said, the GH in my tap has dropped recently, so that when I do my normal mixture of R.O. and tap, I am left with only 1dGH. Is this a concern? Before I had around 2dGH, and I'm sure my tap GH will go back up...but really, how much GH is necessary?

Unfortunately since my main focus is plants, this isn't a question that I'm going to be able to answer for you. Hopefully someone that is more familiar with Tetras will chime in.

I do know that most fish are able to adapt to most tap water conditions reguardless of whether or not it is ideal. After all most aquarium fish are several generations away from their natural environments and may have never seen the soft water that is supposed to be ideal for them.