# GH Booster



## JHG123 (Jun 14, 2010)

Can someone explain to me what GH Booster does and how a boost in GH helps other things?
Thanks


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

All GH Boosters contain calcium, magnesium and potassium which are macronutrients that plants need. Some GH Boosters also contain iron and manganese which are two micronutrients. Seachem's Equilibrium is an example.

Macronutrients: N, K, Ca, Mg, P, and S, and
Micronutrients: Cl, Fe, B, Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo, and Ni

Calcium and magnesium in GH Boosters are the two main elements that determines the amount of 'general hardness' that the water has. Here are some very good articles about water hardness and how it applies to planted aquariums.
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/khgh.html
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/


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## ray-the-pilot (May 14, 2008)

GH is a primitive and arcane water quality parameter. It dates back to the 19th century when people were trying to figure out why some water worked well with soap and some didn’t. Because they didn’t understand the underlying cause of the problem they invented “general hardness.” GH simply was an empirical test to find out how much soap you needed to wash your clothes well. 

Eventually water scientists figured out that the problem was caused by calcium and magnesium. They would have liked to simply state the concentration of calcium and magnesium in water but this did not easily relate to the practical problem of how much soap you needed to clean your clothes. 

Being ever so inventive, they simply created the imaginary GH scale:

GH = 2.5(Ca) + 4.1(Mg) in ppm of CaCO3

This scale solves the practical problem of how much soap you need to wash your clothes using the concentrations of calcium and magnesium.

OK I’m an aquatic plant grower. What do I care about washing clothes? I only care about how much calcium and magnesium is in my water! 

Anything that raises GH is BS. Such a product should state the amount of increase in Ca and Mg.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Sometimes Epsom Salt is advocated as an additive to raise the GH in an aquarium. Sure, it does. The GH test tube will change color when you add Epsom salt to the tank. 
BUT it is adding only magnesium. No calcium. 

Plants and fish need both, and in a reasonable ratio. 

When you are raising the GH you are not just looking for a certain color in the test tube, but are trying to add the correct minerals to the aquarium. 
To do this properly it would be most helpful to know the levels of Ca, Mg and other minerals so that you can add the right amounts of each item. 

Most fish and plants are not so particular that the recipe needs to be perfect, but adding all of one mineral (magnesium) and none of the other (calcium) would only be right if your water was really deficient only in magnesium. 

Add carbon to the list of macros.


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## DavidZ (Jan 22, 2009)

What happens when you add CC or baking soda?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi DavidZ,

I believe the following applies:

If by CC you mean Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), it will raise both dKH (PH) and dGH (but it has no Magnesium - Mg). Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) will raise the dKH (PH) but not the dGH or at least not significantly, it has no calcium or magnesium in the formula but it does have sodium.


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## DavidZ (Jan 22, 2009)

CC - Crushed Coral
Will that work?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi DavidZ,

Coral is basically composed of calcium carbonate.


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