# using antacids!?



## braveotter (Mar 19, 2010)

Has anyone used tried using CaCO3 tablets aka tums to increase GH and KH of my tap water (NYC water is 3 and 3 to start out)? I know that also increases pH, but I plan on using vinegar (titrated slowly) to decrease and stablize my pH. Has anyone tried this before? If they have or have not, what would I need to worry about and add to my tank. I really don't know where to get MgSO4 and CaCl, so I'm going to try to avoid those for now, let me know if this will work.


----------



## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Wel, I've never even given that a thought, but it sounds pretty interesting and would certainly add some minerals to the tank, especially if you have any snails.

One question though - will no plants do well in the hardness you mentioned? 

I don't ask to try and make a point; I am really curious. This is the second time in two days I've seen mention of trying to alter the water parameters by adding stuff to it and I've never even tested mine. I likely won't test the water, but I am pretty curious about the significance. I know certain species like certain things (that's why I just used a bajillion or so plants and let survival of the fittest take over), so is it a certain species you are wanting to grow, or is a 3 GH and 3 KH reading bad news in general?


----------



## braveotter (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi Mudboots, 

I am kinda using the same strategy you are, I got a bunch of different plants in my 10 gal, and hoping that most survive. I'm aiming for a GH and KH of around 8, since aquatic plants in general seem to do better with that.


----------



## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Easy cheap source is Epsom Salt for MgSO4. Check Edwards posts regarding PPS. Calcium and Mg in the right values is important. The value is just to be present in the water column at some value around 4:1 Most plants will do great down to 4dGH and above up to around 8-10dGH. Plants don't care much regarding KH values.


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

There are a few highly specialized plants that will only thrive in really soft water. Isoetids (If I spelled it right) and Toninia (Again, spelling?) are a few examples. 

Do not chase pH. Set the GH and KH where you want it for plants and fish, and let the pH do whatever it wants. 

I suppose you could use Tums or Calcium as sold for vitamins (calcium carbonate, Oystershell) as a source of calcium and carbonate, but I think there are cheaper and perhaps better alternatives. 

Oyster shell is sold as grit for caged birds. Large pieces for chickens will dissolve slowly, finer paticles like sand for Budgies and similar small birds will take effect faster. Add this to the filter in a nylon stocking, a few tablespoons for a 10 gallon, a cup or more for a 100 gallon tank. 
Crushed Coral will have a similar effect. 
Limestone fine gravel or sand will also do the same thing. You could add crushed coral or limestone to the substrate, or limestone rocks as part of the decor. 

Any of the finer materials can be kept in the filter to stabilize the water chemistry. 
When doing a water change I would add something to the water to make it more like the tank water so there is not a swing in water chemistry with every water change. 
Seachem Equilibrium will add Ca, Mg, K and a few other minerals. This will raise the GH, and provide many of the minerals that most plants need. Otherwise, Epsom salt is a good source of magnesium. Look into other sources of calcium that will dissolve faster and are aquarium safe. Calcium chloride might be an answer. Highly likely you will have to add more fertilizers such as phosphates, potassium, iron and trace minerals. When the water is so soft, most of the other minerals are also in short supply. 
To raise the KH I use baking soda. 

For my Lake Tanganyika tanks I use Seachem Equilibrium and baking soda to raise the GH and KH to the correct levels. For some other tanks where I want just a small increase in GH and KH I will use the same products, but a smaller amount. No need to play around with acids to try to balance the pH anywhere. The correct KH will set the pH pretty well. Adding more acidic materials (vinegar, pH Down...) just messes with the action of the carbonates. Don't go there. 

Peat moss will add organic acids, much better than vinegar to slightly lower the pH, if you are keeping fish from black water rivers and streams. It may also remove some of the minerals you are adding (Ca and Mg, perhaps)

Do not chase pH. 

Test these options in a bucket to see how much of each you need to get the effect you are looking for, and run the tests out for a week or two to see if they are stable. Set up a few buckets and run a few recipies at the same time. Set up an air pump with a manifold and a stone in each bucket to keep the water moving, or a very small pump (table top fountain size) in each bucket. 
Test GH, KH and pH, and TDS if you have a meter at the begining, then daily for a couple of days, then about twice a week for a couple of weeks. If the numbers stay the same or show a very slow shift, less than 10% change over the 2 weeks, then you have a mix that is stable enough to work in an aquarium. Now add some CO2 and see if it stays stable. The pH should drop, but then stay at that lower number as long as the CO2 supply remains consistant.


----------

