Hardness increasing

[Slaphppy7]

Black sand with a layer of organic potting soil under it.

Is there potting soil that isn't organic?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Is there potting soil that isn't organic?

I think in this case it means all-natural, with no synthetic ferts or vermiculite or anything like that. Just nice, rich dirt.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I think in this case it means all-natural, with no synthetic ferts or vermiculite or anything like that. Just nice, rich dirt.

Ahhhh, gotcha...

 

[Byron]

The soil can make a difference, it is not inert. put some of the soil in a bucket with tap water and see if there is over time any increase in GH.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

The soil can make a difference, it is not inert. put some of the soil in a bucket with tap water and see if there is over time any increase in GH.

Good idea, but I don't have this soil anymore; we used the rest of it in the garden.

I think I'll try a huge water change to get the water soft again, them do a better job monitoring it over time and see what happens. Whatever the cause, it seems to me that more frequent or larger water changes should keep the value closer to the tap water. Further thoughts?

 

[Byron]

Good idea, but I don't have this soil anymore; we used the rest of it in the garden.

I think I'll try a huge water change to get the water soft again, them do a better job monitoring it over time and see what happens. Whatever the cause, it seems to me that more frequent or larger water changes should keep the value closer to the tap water. Further thoughts?

I definitely agree with the principle that the more water changed the more often, the more stable the chemistry and healthier the fish. This assumes paramters are the same or nearly so.

 

[Naughts]

Further thoughts?

I don't think you told us if you have any rocks? Or ornaments?

I'm sure you are cognisant of this for when you increase the water changes but parameter changes should be done gradually where possible.

I would be testing more regularly and recording the results to see if this helped explain the issue or rule things in or out.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

No rocks or ornaments.

Since my tank water is so much harder than my tap water, I will have to change it fairly gradually, testing regularly. I think a series of 30-40% water changes over a series of several weeks should do it.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, here's a possibility. A few months ago, I had a fairly severe trumpet snail outbreak. I added three assassin snails and they went to work. I just discovered, under the dense plant growth, the trumpet snail graveyard. Many, many, little trumpet snail shells. Probably hundreds. This is the stuff of trumpet snail horror movies. Could all those tiny shells be hardening the water?

 

[JuiceBox52]

Well, here's a possibility. A few months ago, I had a fairly severe trumpet snail outbreak. I added three assassin snails and they went to work. I just discovered, under the dense plant growth, the trumpet snail graveyard. Many, many, little trumpet snail shells. Probably hundreds. This is the stuff of trumpet snail horror movies. Could all those tiny shells be hardening the water?

Hmmm interesting theory! I know people will add shells and crushed coral to harden the water and raise the PH.

 

[StevenF]

Well, here's a possibility. A few months ago, I had a fairly severe trumpet snail outbreak. I added three assassin snails and they went to work. I just discovered, under the dense plant growth, the trumpet snail graveyard. Many, many, little trumpet snail shells. Probably hundreds. This is the stuff of trumpet snail horror movies. Could all those tiny shells be hardening the water?

It is possible for the hells to harden the water. If you water has more sulfur than the plants need. The excess sulfate will etch the shells releasing the calcium and magnesium from the shells, Resulting in a GH increase. Examin the shells, If portions of the shells have holes missing with round edges it chould have eroded. If portions appear to be broken with sharp edges it probably wasn't acid errosion.
.. .

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I don't really think that's what's doing it; I just don't have any better ideas.

I have a siphon coming in next week, and I'll start doing bigger water changes. I've been doing them with a 1/2 gallon pitcher, which will be rather inefficient for larger changes. I'm actually thinking about rehoming a lot of the fish in this tank anyway and going back to my original stocking (blue rasboras, dwarf kuhlis P. cuneovirgata, and Betta rubra or imbellis), so I might just drain the tank and fill it with new water when the time comes.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Do you by any change have snails, either intentionally or otherwise? What about inverts?

I wrote that before I read about the snails above. I have a few planted tanks where i have assassins and shrimp as well as heavy planting. My water is on the soft side, neutral pH and TDS in the low 90s recently and low 80s before that. I was having plant and invert issues. So I picked up a bottle of SeaChem Equilibrium which raises GH. I did not want to raise my GH, just to provide the stuff for the snails, shrimp and plants to use.

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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 in 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.

from https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Reso...m-Water-Quality-Total-Alkalinity-and-Hardness
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"While shrimp, crabs, and snails don't have bones, they do have a strong outer shell (exoskeleton) made of calcium carbonate."
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You found the cause