A painful experience on soil

[xconnect.]

Wa bro that is rock hard man I suggest water changes with distilled water (5%) every week to slowly reduce gh and can you give us a full tank shot so maybe we can see what is contributing to this super duper high gh

[chansl]

As you request sir.

I think you just right click and open in a new tab . Should be able to view

[reiner09]

Hi guys

Thank for your great inputs. Learnt alot. I just bought a few test kit to test.

Gh: 8 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KH: 1
ph:6.5 near 7
Ammonia: 1
Nitrite : 0.5

Tap water
GH: 4 !!!!
ph:7.5
kh: 1-2

Errmm, i think the GH is tooo high for crs. I have not add crs so no worry guys ( learnt my mistake for my cherry). I just add the soil yesterday so i think they need time to cycle. The GH value is due to the bonsai structure i place in ( those branches with a heavy rock attached so that it will sink ). If i remove the structure and place a drift wood instead. Will the GH level drop automatically or must i change water again ?

Please feel free to comment. Thank you very much

if there are no shrimps in there just do a huge distilled water change, and adjust according to the gh you want.. or you might consider using mosura softwater too...

[chansl]

if there are no shrimps in there just do a huge distilled water change, and adjust according to the gh you want.. or you might consider using mosura softwater too...

If i change the water, will the gh still remain that high even with the structure in there? Thank you

[reiner09]

If i change the water, will the gh still remain that high even with the structure in there? Thank you

apparently the structure is leeching positive 2 ions( eg . mg2+ and ca2+) into the water( observing the fact that the water's gh crept from 4 to 8 )..so the answer is a yes. After you lowered it using distilled water but still having your structure inside you will most probably end up having your gh creeping up again..so just remove it..

[chansl]

apparently the structure is leeching positive 2 ions( eg . mg2+ and ca2+) into the water( observing the fact that the water's gh crept from 4 to 8 )..so the answer is a yes. After you lowered it using distilled water but still having your structure inside you will most probably end up having your gh creeping up again..so just remove it..

Roger Sir .. If i add drift wood instead. I can assume that the ph will drop with the GH maintain at its level right?

[reiner09]

Roger Sir .. If i add drift wood instead. I can assume that the ph will drop with the GH maintain at its level right?

Driftwood is safe..just make sure you soak(assuming a new driftwood) before using to remove some of its' tannins..else your water will turn brown if the tannins leeching rate is high..

[xconnect.]

I cannot see XD iPhone how bout you whatsapp me pic? My num. 96701405

[Matt]

if there are no shrimps in there just do a huge distilled water change, and adjust according to the gh you want.. or you might consider using mosura softwater too...

Mosura Softwater will not pull down GH if there are other buffering factors in the tank. If Softwater manages to pull GH down from 8-4, most likely, the pH will crash down to about pH4 or 5.

[Navanod]

GH 8 is high but not immediately fatal so don't be too alarmed. We have folks coming here with GH values in excess of 15 some time ago. Heh.
GH 6 would be a safe number to aim for in the short term once the funny rocks are out of the tank.

On the other hand, I need to confirm that you have no shrimps in that tank now? You mentioned the boss compensated you for some lost shrimps and I would not be surprised that shrimps are dying if your tank still has 1ppm of ammonia.

Ammonia is 1000 times more toxic than nitrate so even 1ppm is very deadly, especially to shrimps.

[reiner09]

Mosura Softwater will not pull down GH if there are other buffering factors in the tank. If Softwater manages to pull GH down from 8-4, most likely, the pH will crash down to about pH4 or 5.

whether the gh will decrease depends very much on rate of ion exchange of the softwater resin(amount of resin , amount of water flowing through it per unit time) VS the leeching rate of that structure. For a shrimp tank, rocks that leech ions into the water is very much discouraged as it makes parameters very difficult to control The usage of softwater is usually applied without a contradicting factor.. else it will lose the whole purpose of applying it..

Though the usage of softwater is possible, i don't encourage using it directly in a tank but rather for just age-ing of water. From what i experienced, the gh of a 20L pail dropped from 6 to 4 while ph only decrease from 7.5-7.1 in 2 days( aerated the pail water with an airpump tube placed directly below the sachet of softwater)..so it still very much depends on the kh of your water as well as the amount that is applied to the water. When applied directly into the tank with faunas ,you must be extra cautious to monitor the parameter changes though..

If there are no livestocks in the water it doesn't really matter if the ph crashes, just add in more treated tapwater and you will be more or less done..in singapore it is more difficult to bring down compared to bringing it up...

[chansl]

No worry sir . The boss will compensate me with shrimps. But the shrimps have not arrived. Even they arrived, i know that it is pretty bad to put them in, knowing them will die for sure. I am just thinking should i have aura blue shrimps or crs from him instead. HAHAHA

Anyway, may i know if the ammonia will be removed after i let it cycled longer or should i change water again? Please advise. Thank you very much

GH 8 is high but not immediately fatal so don't be too alarmed. We have folks coming here with GH values in excess of 15 some time ago. Heh.
GH 6 would be a safe number to aim for in the short term once the funny rocks are out of the tank.

On the other hand, I need to confirm that you have no shrimps in that tank now? You mentioned the boss compensated you for some lost shrimps and I would not be surprised that shrimps are dying if your tank still has 1ppm of ammonia.

Ammonia is 1000 times more toxic than nitrate so even 1ppm is very deadly, especially to shrimps.

[Navanod]

Chansl, for that you will have to read up on nitrogen cycle and how to cycle your tank properly. This info can be easily found on google so I don't think we need to repeat that here.

Ammonia anD nitrite must be both zero before the tank is considered safe for shrimps.

[chansl]

Riger Sir. Ya , i will wait for that to happen before i add in any shrimps. It is just sometime, hand itchy, very very tempted to. No worry, i will control. I had cycled my tank for 1 month plus but kept redo because of soil and ph level. Now is GH. Faint . This will probably be the 8 times i do water change and rescape my tank . haha

Chansl, for that you will have to read up on nitrogen cycle and how to cycle your tank properly. This info can be easily found on google so I don't think we need to repeat that here.

Ammonia anD nitrite must be both zero before the tank is considered safe for shrimps.

[Matt]

whether the gh will decrease depends very much on rate of ion exchange oKf the softwater resin(amount of resin , amount of water flowing through it per unit time) VS the leeching rate of that structure. For a shrimp tank, rocks that leech ions into the water is very much discouraged as it makes parameters very difficult to control The usage of softwater is usually applied without a contradicting factor.. else it will lose the whole purpose of applying it..

Though the usage of softwater is possible, i don't encourage using it directly in a tank but rather for just age-ing of water. From what i experienced, the gh of a 20L pail dropped from 6 to 4 while ph only decrease from 7.5-7.1 in 2 days( aerated the pail water with an airpump tube placed directly below the sachet of softwater)..so it still very much depends on the kh of your water as well as the amount that is applied to the water. When applied directly into the tank with faunas ,you must be extra cautious to monitor the parameter changes though..

If there are no livestocks in the water it doesn't really matter if the ph crashes, just add in more treated tapwater and you will be more or less done..in singapore it is more difficult to bring down compared to bringing it up...

I guess like what you have mentioned, the decrease will be a huge variable depending on aerations/ water flow to create the ions exchange but also to consider existing conditions of water & parameters.

I am using Softwater in my aging tank as well, coincidentally in the exact same method as you have mentioned. My GH hangs around 3-4 while my pH is at a stuttering 4.5-5. My aging tank's volume is equivalent to a 2ft tank, approx 45L, and I am using only 1 flat tablespoon worth of resin.

[newlife]

1) remove the bonsai rock display and place it in living room for display

2) since there is not shrimp in it right now....do a Hugh 80% w.c

3) measure your Parameter again after 3 or 4 days


Your gH should decrease....let it run for another 3-4 days....
Do a test again...if your gH is rise again.... Then there must be some stuff in your tank that affect the rise.

[chansl]

Thank sir. Just wondering how do I lower my Ph more as even with new soil,I think my Ph is are 6.8 h 6.5.how would I age my water?can I just just add Ph down to my tap water?thank

1) remove the bonsai rock display and place it in living room for display

2) since there is not shrimp in it right now....do a Hugh 80% w.c

3) measure your Parameter again after 3 or 4 days


Your gH should decrease....let it run for another 3-4 days....
Do a test again...if your gH is rise again.... Then there must be some stuff in your tank that affect the rise.

[newlife]

Thank sir. Just wondering how do I lower my Ph more as even with new soil,I think my Ph is are 6.8 h 6.5.how would I age my water?can I just just add Ph down to my tap water?thank

Peat Moss....
but to be frank....
if this would to happen to me....with soil yet can't buffer the pH.....
then add soil in...defeat the purpose...

now yours is total Gex??

[Zenith82]

No worry sir . The boss will compensate me with shrimps. But the shrimps have not arrived. Even they arrived, i know that it is pretty bad to put them in, knowing them will die for sure. I am just thinking should i have aura blue shrimps or crs from him instead. HAHAHA

Anyway, may i know if the ammonia will be removed after i let it cycled longer or should i change water again? Please advise. Thank you very much

Just curious, the boss offering to compensate Aurora blue or CRS? So I assume the shop is GC? Or is there other shops that carries Aurora blue shrimps also? If other shop care to share where? If not convinenent to share here can PM me?

[chansl]

Yes. 8 kg of gex red.maybe the high gh lvl contributed to the rather high Ph?should I mix Ada soil?

Peat Moss....
but to be frank....
if this would to happen to me....with soil yet can't buffer the pH.....
then add soil in...defeat the purpose...

now yours is total Gex??