Using Crushed Corals to maintain KH

[wongteeliang]

Hi,

Crushed Corals:
1)How much crushed corals should i put into my filter for a 4 x 1.5 x 1.5 tank to maintain around 3 dKH?
2) Do i put the crush corals before or after the filters (Jebo Ext Cannister)?
3) Can use any crushed corals from LFS?
4) Any impact on shrimps?
5) Will KH reach a steady-state or keep increasing?



Baking Soda:
Because of the rate of evaporation, i top up abt 2L of water daily.

1) Will KH decrease over time if we use Baking Soda to increase KH?(because of daily top up of water)

[juggler]

1. Put a handful in a mesh bag in the filter to try first. Then test the kH over next few days. It will rise slowly. A value above 2 or 3 dkH is good enough.
2. Anywhere in the filter will do.
3. Yes. Egg shells or even sea shells. I found that crushed sea shells provide more "kH" than the chunky coral chips sold at LFS.
4. Shouldn't have impact on shrimps. In fact, should be better as the corals also provide Ca and Mg to help them build their shells. The Ca and Mg is also useful for plants so we don't have to dose for them too.
5. Depends on how much corals you used. Will rise very slowly steadily if no water change. But will weekly water change, it is quite low. I used to have a whole substrate of coral chips in my tank and the kH rose to 11 dkH without water change. But nowadays I only got 2 to 3 dkH with the handful of coral chips in my filter.

Baking Soda: Tap water has almost 0 dkH so topping up water won't have effect on the kH.

[wongteeliang]

1. Put a handful in a mesh bag in the filter to try first. Then test the kH over next few days. It will rise slowly. A value above 2 or 3 dkH is good enough.
2. Anywhere in the filter will do.
3. Yes. Egg shells or even sea shells. I found that crushed sea shells provide more "kH" than the chunky coral chips sold at LFS.
4. Shouldn't have impact on shrimps. In fact, should be better as the corals also provide Ca and Mg to help them build their shells. The Ca and Mg is also useful for plants so we don't have to dose for them too.
5. Depends on how much corals you used. Will rise very slowly steadily if no water change. But will weekly water change, it is quite low. I used to have a whole substrate of coral chips in my tank and the kH rose to 11 dkH without water change. But nowadays I only got 2 to 3 dkH with the handful of coral chips in my filter.

Baking Soda: Tap water has almost 0 dkH so topping up water won't have effect on the kH.

Hi Koah Fong,

1) You were comparing crushed seashells with chunky coral chips, have you tried crushed coral chips?
2) Anyway both corals and seashells contain CA and Mg right.....?
3) Is the mesh bag you mentioned readily available in LFS?