# epsom salt to raise GH? good or bad , a good subsitute?



## kevinnn (May 16, 2007)

I have been using the buffer receipe on this site with fine results. I heard though and cant remember where that using epsom salt to raise GH could cause something with acid. I just want to see if anyone knows anything about this in any detail? Thank you in advance. :fish:


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

I agree, the buffer recipe works wonders. There is no acid in that mix. The pH shows that. Any pH above 7.0 is known as alkaline or basic. Under 7.0 is considered acidic. The buffer recipe will get your pH between 8.0-8.5. there is nothing acidic about that. GH is water hardness which CAN NOT go up if water is acidic. It only increases as the pH increases. These parameters go hand in hand and work together.


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

smellsfishy1 said:


> The buffer recipe will get your pH between 8.0-8.5. there is nothing acidic about that. GH is water hardness which CAN NOT go up if water is acidic. It only increases as the pH increases.


 Although pH and hardness generally go hand in hand, it is possible to have acidic water that is hard. That being said, that buffer recipe is not going to make your water become acidic. That would only occur if you have some other factor involved that would conteract the buffering capacity of the buffer recipe.

The most important thing you can do for you fish is keep the water quality constant. A pH above 7.5 that is constant would be better than a pH that yo-yos up and down from 7.5 to 8.5 at every water change. The same is true for hardness, keep it constant. Adding crushed shells/coral or holey rock (limestone) to your tank can help maintain a higher pH/Hardness with out big swings in water quality.


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