# Question on raising Kh & adding Iodine in Tanganyikan aquari



## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Hello,

I have a few questions on raising Kh and adding table salt/iodine in a Tanganyikan 140 gallon aquarium.

My tap water is extremely demineralized. The Kh reading in my tap water is 2 or about 35ppm. My aquarium water usually reads between 5 and 7 or 85 and 120ppm. My substrate is Caribsea africal cichlid sand which is crushed aragonite I believe. I also have a few big dead corals and reef rocks inside. I've read Kh should be over 9-10 for tangs? Is that correct and how can I raise my Kh? Should I add some crushed coral in a media bag and try and fit it in my canisters? My Tap water's Gh is around 6-7, and aquarium water is usually around 11-13.

I once added a bunch of epsom salt and it raised my Kh to 10 or more and Gh to 24...

Also, I read on animal-world.com that it's good to add some table salt for iodine to aid with the cichlids thyroids. Is this correct and hiw much table salt per gallon and frequency?

This is what is says:

"Salt is sometimes used as a buffering agent to increase the water's carbonate hardness. An alternative buffering approach is to use a chemical filtration method, where they water passes through layers of crushed coral or coral sand. Interestingly, Tanganyikan cichlids also need iodine for the thyroid to function properly to regulate growth and development, and which can be achieved by adding iodized table salt to the water. Although rift lake cichlids need hard alkaline water they are not found in brackish waters.

Provide a sandy or very small sized gravel substrate. Sand used for salt water tanks can help keep the pH up as well as the addition of crushed coral. Crushed coral and aragonite sands do tend to dissolve easier than salts".


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Baking soda is what I've used in the past, but my water is actually quite good out of the tap here, I only add epsom salt for my Tropheus and water conditioner. Epsom salt only for the possible help in keeping their digestive tracts moving.

I've come around to trying to keep things as simple and consistent as possible, even if it results in water that is not "Perfect by the book" for my fish. Tank raised fish are a lot more forgiving to water parameters than are wild stock.


----------



## Machismo (Feb 24, 2016)

I settled on Africans because of the water quality where I live, the Water is perfect for them PH 8.2 KH 12 AND GH 18. I was thinking about Discus, did a ton of research but then decided it would be way too much work plus expensive having to get an RO unit tp strip minerals, re mineralize the water and do daily water changes to grow out little ones cause the Adults are crazy expensive. During that Time I was able to get a formula to re mineralize RO water to get the perfect water for raising Discus Fry and Adults. Its comparable to Sea Chem replenish but is cheaper in the long run to buy the elements and make it yourself.

12.2 ounces calcium chloride
2.2 ounces Epson salts (Magnesium)
0.08 ounces potassium sulfate
.5 ounces aquarium salt
I also add a pinch of manganese sulfate as a trace element.

The Recipe can be doubled or whatever you like.

I'll PM you where to buy all this stuff.


----------



## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Guys thank you very much for the information.

Hi Nodima: Does Baking soda raise Kh only or does it raise the Gh and PH as well?

Machismo: Thanks for the PM, do you know which of those 5 elements would raise Kh only?

I believe the Seachem Cichlid Trace has them as well.

I forgot to mention I also have Seachem Cichlid Trace http://www.seachem.com/cichlid-trace.php, Seachem Cichlid Lake salt http://www.seachem.com/cichlid-lake-salt.php, and Seachem Malawi/Victoria Bufferr http://www.seachem.com/malawi-victoria-buffer.php, as I want my PH to stay around 8.2-8.4 not over 9 if I use the Lake Tanganyika Buffer http://www.seachem.com/tanganyika-buffer.php.

I am basically just wanting to raise my Kh by 5 and Gh by about 3. Which one of these 3 products do you think would accomplish that? I will also ask in the Seachem forums.

Thanks.


----------



## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Found a very nice informative article here:

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisio ... d-Hardness

Water Quality - Total Alkalinity and Hardness

More confusion exists between hardness and alkalinity than any of the other water quality parameters. This is because most hardness and alkalinity comes from limestone or dolomite sources in nature. Limestone is calcium carbonate, and dolomite is a combination of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. Water passes through the rocks in the ground as it makes it way to rivers and lakes, and picks up minerals on the way. When limestone and dolomite dissolve in water, one half of the molecule is calcium or magnesium (the "hardness") and the other half is the carbonate (the "alkalinity"), so most of the times they are equal. However, they are very separate measurements, and have very different importance for the aquarium.
Total Alkalinity: Total alkalinity is the measurement of all bases in the water and can be thought of as the buffering capacity of water, or its ability to resist change in pH. The most common and important base is carbonate. Total alkalinity is expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). In the aquarium industry, total alkalinity may be referred to as "carbonate hardness" or "KH," which is often measured in degrees (dKH) rather mg/L or ppm. One dKH is equal to 17.9 mg/L or 17.9 ppm.
Waters that have moderate to high levels (50 mg/L or greater) of total alkalinity and total hardness (see below) usually have a neutral to slightly basic pH. The pH is more stable and does not change greatly throughout the day because the presence of carbonates and bicarbonates neutralize, or "buffer," the carbon dioxide and other acids in the water.
There are many reactions in aquariums that produce acids, and others, like biofiltration, that directly use carbonates. Over time the alkalinity can be "consumed," and if alkalinity is depleted, the pH of the water in an aquarium can plummet causing extreme stress or death to the fish and adversely affecting biofilter function. Alkalinity can be easily replenished in an aquarium by periodically exchanging a portion of the tank water with new water with a moderate total alkalinity or by adding chemical buffers, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), to the water.
One place where total alkalinity is very important is when copper is used as a treatment for algae or parasites. Total alkalinity should be measured before copper is used in an aquarium, as the toxicity to fish is directly related to the total alkalinity. Copper should never be used with fish if the total alkalinity is less than 50 mg/L. Copper should not be used in aquariums with plants or invertebrates unless they are first removed from the tank. For more information on treating with copper, see the UF-IFAS publication "Use of Copper in Freshwater Aquaculture and Farm Ponds.".
Total alkalinity should be tested once a month to ensure levels are sufficient for the tank's fish inhabitants as well as for biofiltration. More frequent measurements (every week or every other week) may be necessary if alkalinity is less than 50 mg/L, stocking density or feeding rates are high, or if water changes are not done regularly. Prior to each copper usage, total alkalinity should be tested to prevent copper toxicity.
Total Hardness: Total hardness is the measurement of divalent cations (+2 ions) in the water and, like total alkalinity, is expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). In the aquarium industry, total hardness may be referred to as "general hardness" or "GH," which is often measured degrees (dGH) rather than mg/L or ppm. One dGH is equal to 17.9 mg/L or 17.9 ppm. The two most common elements that contribute to hardness are calcium and magnesium.
Total hardness is particularly important when spawning fish and raising fry because calcium is critical to egg, bone and tissue development. However, some tropical aquarium species that originate in areas with extremely soft water may require low hardness water to spawn and develop, so it is important to know the specific requirements for each species that will be spawned or maintained. Hardness ranges from 10mg/l to over 400mg/l depending on the region it comes from. Tropical rainforest rivers like the Amazon may have less than 10 mg/l, and the rift valley lakes of Africa can reach 500mg/l.
Total hardness should be tested once a month in most aquariums. However, if one is breeding fish or raising fry, total hardness should be tested more frequently.


----------



## Machismo (Feb 24, 2016)

I think the Calcium chloride relates to hardness but i'm not positive. I think the other elements are trace elements but I think they all play a part in KH, GH and PH. This formula was developed by a Professor at University of Utah he keeps and breeds Discus.


----------



## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Thanks again, another great link by the way, everything good & useful about African Cichlids seems to come back to this website  http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/w ... mistry.php


----------



## Machismo (Feb 24, 2016)

easywolf31 said:


> Thanks again, another great link by the way, everything good & useful about African Cichlids seems to come back to this website  http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/w ... mistry.php


Glad to help man. since this Formula is comparable to Seachem Replenish you could get a bottle of it and test on a 5 gallon bucket of aged water to see what it does to your Chemistry. If you had a 50 Gallon aging barrel that would be perfect! I'm curious as to what the results would be. With your KH and GH being pretty low on the acidic side I suspect your PH is low as well, what is it?

Like I said in an earlier post this re mineralization formula was used to bring RO water up to around a PH of 7.2 for discus Juvies. The KH and GH would just take care of themselves it's the PH that was the focus. The minerals included in the formula would add correct balance for Fish Health and buffering capacity. As you probably know the harder the water the less of a chance of having a PH crash, another plus with Hard water Fish.

As the Fish produce Nitrates the water becomes more Acidic eating away at the Carbonate buffering capacity. Those of us that have hard water out of the Tap don't have to worry about PH crash as long as weekly water changes are being done. The Professor went by his PH level in his tanks as to when to do water changes. Once the PH began to get to around 7.0 he'd do a water change which was about every other day. In the Adult tanks water changes were not as frequent because they weren't being fed 5 time a day so they produced less waste. It was fascinating to me at the time. 
I have a water softener so I had to plumb a water source of hard water in the utility room. The Night before I do a water change I fill my 55 Gallon aging Barrel with a air stone and heater. The PH out of the Tap is 7.4, once it gasses off it's 8.2. I have a 125 Gallon Tank.


----------



## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

You know, it's weird my pH is 8.2-8.4 coming out of my washroom tap and my kitchen sink is 7. Kh 2 and Gh 5.

I have never seen my aquarium water under 8 - 8.4 pH, 4-6 Kh and 8-13 gh though. I think the aragonite african cichlid sand is really helping out. Maybe the big dead corals and reef rocks too.


----------



## Machismo (Feb 24, 2016)

easywolf31 said:


> You know, it's weird my pH is 8.2-8.4 coming out of my washroom tap and my kitchen sink is* 7. Kh 2 and Gh 5.
> *
> I have never seen my* aquarium water under 8 - 8.4 pH, 4-6 Kh and 8-13 gh though*. I think the aragonite african cichlid sand is really helping out. Maybe the big dead corals and reef rocks too.


That is weird. I'm surprised that the sand and coral is having that much of an effect on it. Have you tried aging some water with an air stone for at least 8 hrs to see what you get? 
I'm no water expert but it seems strange that the PH is 8 - 8.4 with 8-13 GH. The most important thing is stability, my water is 45 degrees out of the Tap so I have to heat it in an aging Barrel before doing a water change, while doing that with the Air Stone it gasses off so the fresh water going in matches what is in the Tank as far as PH and temp goes. If you are adjusting the temp out of the tap and going directly to the tank with a 40 to 50% water change IMO that is quite a swing that could lead to stress.


----------

