# White buffering sand UK?



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

Can anyone recommend a good pH-buffering sand which comes in white and is available in the UK? I can find either white with no buffering, or buffering that's not white...

Thanks for your help.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

but the white with no buffering. u can put a media bag of crushed coral in your filter to buffer if u want


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

Yes, crushed coral in the filter might be the best option, maybe with some limestone as decor. I've never done that before though, and have no idea how much to add in a 600-litre tank? With the sand, I know if I put 50-60 kilos in it will buffer it to a perfect 8.3. Job done.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

can i ask what type of stock will be in this tank?


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

There'll be Jacobfreibergi Eureka, Steveni Taiwan Reef, Aulonocara Sunset, OB Fire, Fryeri Blue Ice and a Red Top Hongi, a total of about 20.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

i have a mixed african tank roughly the same size as yours. i have pool filter sand for substrate (no buffering quality). i use a baking soda, salt (red sea aquarium salt), and epsom salt in all my african tanks. the baking soda helps with buffering along with a bag of crushed coral that i have in an hob fiter. i use a media bag with about 2 cups of crush coral in an ac 110. when doing water changes only replace the baking soda, salt, epsom mix for water that u physically took out. evaporeated water will leave these things behind. however, if u are buying these fish from lfs or local breeders then i wouldnt be to concerned about it anyway. most likely these fish have been bred and kept in commercial water. i would only be concerned if u had wild caught fish. malawi fish will generally adapt to most water parameters as long as introduced properly. malawi tend to be pretty hardy. i think itcomes down to consistancy. whatever your water parameters are its all about keeping it constant. the fluctuations is what will kill. the best way to keep constant is to not alter in the first place because water always wants to go back to its original state.


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

Yeah, I love the hardiness of the Malawis, especially after having discus (you just need to fart the wrong way with discus and they're off their food for a fortnight). These boys just get on with it, no trouble whatsoever, even in a mixed tank.

I already have the fish in my other tank, which I want to thin out a lot, so it's just a case of lifting them over. That tank's at pH 7.3 though, until I can change the substrate to a buffering one, so I'm hoping the shock won't be too bad on the ones I'm moving. Knowing their hardiness, though, I don't perceive any problems, so I'll just watch them closely.

Thanks for the tip, but I don't want to go down the same route as you with baking soda etc because I do A LOT of water changes (a habit from my discus days, but a good one), and can't be bothered with the hassle every time. If I get some buffering sand, it'll do all the work for me, although the initial cost is admittedly a bit hefty compared with your solution.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

in that case i would go with aragonite. its white, it buffers, and its expensive. remember though, buffering agents wont necessarily raise ph all that much. a buffer is designed to maintain the ph that already exists. therefore, any ph that u want that is different than what u get out of tap will still have to be changed and then maintained by buffer. for example. if your tap is 7.6 then its always going to try to go back to 7.6 regardless of what u add to raise it. to maintain anything other than that 7.6 requires a buffering agent to due so. if the tap is 7.6 and u want 8.6 then just adding buffering substrate wont do it. u will need to first add something to raise ph (like baking soda) and then your buffering substrate will maintain the 8.6.


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

Oh, right, thanks for the pointer, because that's not the way I understood it. The sands I'm looking at all "buffer automatically for the life of the aquarium", which could be taken to mean that it raises it for you and keeps it there. Still, adding baking soda just once wouldn't be much of a hassle.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

u will still have to add baking soda at each water change to compensate for the new water. if tank is 8.6 and u add 7.6 tap then it is going to cut the ph down. the buffer sand is designed to keep it constant between water changes, but u have to make new water same ph as existing to keep at 8.6. without buffer sand it would drop back doen to 7.6 in a couple days, but buffer will keep it constant until next water change whether it be two days or two weeks


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

I see. Bit of a hassle, that, when you change a lot of water. Thanks for putting me right.


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