# ADA Aquasoil?



## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

I have very hard water out of the tap here. PH is around 8.2 I have been looking at everything from using RO units (but am told I cannot use straight RO for shrimp), to using ADA Aquasoil and CO2 to lower these readings. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or maybe some setup advice from how you did it?
Thanks

Irish


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## frugalfish (Apr 20, 2005)

What shrimp are you intending to keep?

Why do you need to lower the hardness and pH?

What's wrong with diluting your tap water with R/O to create the parameters you are after? No need to use it straight although it can be done.

R/O can be reconstituted to create disired parameters.

Need more specifics to help you out.


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## Ankit (Dec 9, 2006)

ADA Aquasoil and drift wood will both lower the pH, I'd recommend those options since it may lower it enough for you to continue using your normal tap water creating a very stable environment not requiring many additives.


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

frugalfish said:


> What shrimp are you intending to keep?
> 
> Why do you need to lower the hardness and pH?
> 
> ...


1) Bee shrimp (currently)
2) My tap water's PH and hardness are to high to keep shrimp healthy or alive.
3) If I am going to dilute RO water with tap water, whats the point?
4) reconstituted? How?

Irish


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

Ankit said:


> ADA Aquasoil and drift wood will both lower the pH, I'd recommend those options since it may lower it enough for you to continue using your normal tap water creating a very stable environment not requiring many additives.


Good idea. How much does driftwood actually lower PH though?

Irish


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## Satirica (Feb 13, 2005)

irish said:


> 1)
> 3) If I am going to dilute RO water with tap water, whats the point?
> 4) reconstituted? How?


Numbers 3 and 4 are related. If you use RO water -- I'm not saying you need it just if you use it -- then you need to put some nutrients and ions back into the water. RO water is virtually nothing but pure water, and not much grows or does well in it. There are products such as RO Right that are designed for this purpose.

The cheapest way to do this is to mix part RO water with part tap water. That puts nutrients and ions back into the water. You can control pH, KH and GH in the final mix by changing the ratio of RO to tap water.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

For the purpose of lowering pH for your shrimp these methods have worked well for me, each dropping the pH from 7.8 to 6.6. 

1. Fluval Peat granules as media (turns water teacolored)
2. ADA Aquasoil
3. Injecting CO2 via pressurized
4. Malyasian Driftwood 8 inches (didn't lower it by alot, maybe about .2) 

The above is in not in any particular order. For long term, and easiest method is to use the Aquasoil. But the most effective pH lowering method that many fish breeders use is the sack of peat granules in the media area. Though it turns the water tea colored and needs to be replaced every month, it created a stable pH for the whole month until replacing with a fresh batch for me.

-John N.


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

Satirica said:


> Numbers 3 and 4 are related. If you use RO water -- I'm not saying you need it just if you use it -- then you need to put some nutrients and ions back into the water. RO water is virtually nothing but pure water, and not much grows or does well in it. There are products such as RO Right that are designed for this purpose.
> 
> The cheapest way to do this is to mix part RO water with part tap water. That puts nutrients and ions back into the water. You can control pH, KH and GH in the final mix by changing the ratio of RO to tap water.


Ok I get it now. Thank you.


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

John N. said:


> For the purpose of lowering pH for your shrimp these methods have worked well for me, each dropping the pH from 7.8 to 6.6.
> 
> 1. Fluval Peat granules as media (turns water teacolored)
> 2. ADA Aquasoil
> ...


Hmmm...
I might actually be able to just use my own water if I use ADA, some driftwood, and use CO2. If not, I can mix to perfection with RO. Thanks alot.
I think I was trying to make it too complicated 

Irish


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## Ankit (Dec 9, 2006)

Yeah, driftwood won't make a very large change, but depending on the size of the tank it can make the difference between doing well to thriving for the inhabitants.


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## mrbelvedere138 (Jan 18, 2006)

When you say out of your tap, that can be misleading. Let your water sit for a day. Then measure pH. Mine's 8.0 out of the tap. It's around 7.5 when it sits. This is because water companies degas the CO2 out of their water to reduce corrosion.


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## irish (Aug 12, 2006)

mrbelvedere138 said:


> When you say out of your tap, that can be misleading. Let your water sit for a day. Then measure pH. Mine's 8.0 out of the tap. It's around 7.5 when it sits. This is because water companies degas the CO2 out of their water to reduce corrosion.


That has never even occured to me. Thanks I'll do that.

Irish


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