How to harden soft water?

[SABWARNER16]

I have a 29 gallon tank with 6 danio, one mollie (two died), 2 platies, 15 ghost shrimp and 3 snails. Our tap is very soft and ph is 8.2. They’re showing signs of distress (shimmies off and on) and I’ve learned from here that I need to harden the water. I was recommended by someone on here to do crushed coral but before I spend the money on that, is there anything else I can try like a calcium supplement?
also if I try coral, is the attached picture one that would work?
None of my LFS have the GH/KH test kit in stock so I’m waiting for it to get here on Monday.
tank is cycled. Just tested again: ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate ~5

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Crushed coral sand and calcium-rich rocks like tufa rock and limestone can help raise the hardness of your water.

I hear something called a “EcoBioBlock” works? You attach it to an air pump:

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjfh7_vjajrAhXFPa0GHW9fD_sYABAFGgJwdg&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQOD2830Ba1hTHth-Kn6Ss0lo60m9KPn6cj_KS4M0rgLumbPWKee7DOJFkFsmnv56ZWZ7HyZTv-sLISstn4SFhpo&sig=AOD64_0sUXAmBtYl6XG8v59B_Y0x8eNXXQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwix2LXvjajrAhWOHzQIHYZGAO0Qwg96BAgNEBY&adurl=

(I have never used this though...)

 

[SABWARNER16]

Crushed coral sand and calcium-rich rocks like tufa rock and limestone can help raise the hardness of your water.

I hear something called a “EcoBioBlock” works? You attach it to an air pump: View attachment 113532

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjfh7_vjajrAhXFPa0GHW9fD_sYABAFGgJwdg&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQOD2830Ba1hTHth-Kn6Ss0lo60m9KPn6cj_KS4M0rgLumbPWKee7DOJFkFsmnv56ZWZ7HyZTv-sLISstn4SFhpo&sig=AOD64_0sUXAmBtYl6XG8v59B_Y0x8eNXXQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwix2LXvjajrAhWOHzQIHYZGAO0Qwg96BAgNEBY&adurl=

(I have never used this though...)

Well I’ve actually had the bio rock in for a month now and still having the problem lol. There’s a pic attached.
can I get limestone rocks from amazon?

 

[Naughts]

Crushed coral sand and calcium-rich rocks like tufa rock and limestone can help raise the hardness of your water.

I hear something called a “EcoBioBlock” works? You attach it to an air pump: View attachment 113532

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjfh7_vjajrAhXFPa0GHW9fD_sYABAFGgJwdg&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQOD2830Ba1hTHth-Kn6Ss0lo60m9KPn6cj_KS4M0rgLumbPWKee7DOJFkFsmnv56ZWZ7HyZTv-sLISstn4SFhpo&sig=AOD64_0sUXAmBtYl6XG8v59B_Y0x8eNXXQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwix2LXvjajrAhWOHzQIHYZGAO0Qwg96BAgNEBY&adurl=

(I have never used this though...)

This link to the Ecobioblock claims to reduce cloudiness.
The OP wants to increase water hardness,

 

[Naughts]

A GH booster increases hardness. A solution of Epsom salt adds magnesium sulphates. Or could you source some tap water with a high GH?

 

[AbbeysDad]

I would use Seachem Equilibrium.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I would listen to AbbeysDad

 

[SABWARNER16]

I would use Seachem Equilibrium.

I want to thank everyone for the help, I appreciate it so much.
I have heard a lot of people using this, do I just add it to the water each time I do a water change?

 

[Byron]

There are two ways to increase GH. One is to use a mineral salt mix, the other is to use a calcareous substrate. Mineral salts refers not to common table "salt" but the salts of minerals such as calcium and magnesium (primarily these two make up GH and are needed by hard-water fish species). There are rift lake cichlid mineral salt mixes that work for this. However, all water for water changes must be prepared outside the aquarium in a container, then added to the aquarium once the GH is where you want it. This avoids significantly differing GH/KH/pH which may harm fish. This requires extra effort, and expense.

Equjilibrium was mentioned, but Seachem told me this is not for fish, just plants that need a boost of some minerals like calcium and magnesium. Their Replenish is aimed at fish, not plants. Now, I have no idea what the difference may be, this is what their technician told me when I asked about the two products and could they be interchanged.

Using a calcareous substrate is easier because it is permanent. I did this with dolomite back in the 1980's for a tank of livebearers and another for rift lake cichlids. You need a calcareous substrate that is calcium and magnesium; crushed coral is just calcium.

 

[SABWARNER16]

There are two ways to increase GH. One is to use a mineral salt mix, the other is to use a calcareous substrate. Mineral salts refers not to common table "salt" but the salts of minerals such as calcium and magnesium (primarily these two make up GH and are needed by hard-water fish species). There are rift lake cichlid mineral salt mixes that work for this. However, all water for water changes must be prepared outside the aquarium in a container, then added to the aquarium once the GH is where you want it. This requires extra effort, and expense. Using a calcareous substrate is easier because it is permanent. I did this with dolomite back in the 1980's for a tank of livebearers and another for rift lake cichlids. You need a calcareous substrate that is calcium and magnesium; crushed coral is just calcium.

Okay do you have any brand recommendations for the calcareous substrate?

 

[Byron]

Okay do you have any brand recommendations for the calcareous substrate?

No because I never needed to do this (except back in the 1980's and I used dolomite, but I have not seen dolomite substrates for years. You cited a CarribSea substrate earlier, but I couldn't find much info, but I see CS make several substrates including one for rift lake cichlids, might look at those. You want a substrate that will dissolve calcium and magnesium. A sand is better than a gravel, if you have fish like cories, loaches. But then such fish should not be in this tank anyway as they are softer water.

 

[mbsqw1d]

There are two ways to increase GH. One is to use a mineral salt mix, the other is to use a calcareous substrate. Mineral salts refers not to common table "salt" but the salts of minerals such as calcium and magnesium (primarily these two make up GH and are needed by hard-water fish species). There are rift lake cichlid mineral salt mixes that work for this. However, all water for water changes must be prepared outside the aquarium in a container, then added to the aquarium once the GH is where you want it. This avoids significantly differing GH/KH/pH which may harm fish. This requires extra effort, and expense.

Equjilibrium was mentioned, but Seachem told me this is not for fish, just plants that need a boost of some minerals like calcium and magnesium. Their Replenish is aimed at fish, not plants. Now, I have no idea what the difference may be, this is what their technician told me when I asked about the two products and could they be interchanged.

Using a calcareous substrate is easier because it is permanent. I did this with dolomite back in the 1980's for a tank of livebearers and another for rift lake cichlids. You need a calcareous substrate that is calcium and magnesium; crushed coral is just calcium.

Would there not still be a need to prepare the water outside of the tank in some way if only the calcareous substrate was used?

 

[SABWARNER16]

I just saw from Aquarium Co-Op that they use equilibrium or Wonder Shells, I’m thinking of trying the shells first.

 

[Byron]

Would there not still be a need to prepare the water outside of the tank in some way if only the calcareous substrate was used?

I wondered about that too, but it never seemed to matter. The thing about the substrate in the tank is that it increases GH, KH and pH, and the buffering capacity of the KH is high. This resists changes due to softer water.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I wondered about that too, but it never seemed to matter. The thing about the substrate in the tank is that it increases GH, KH and pH, and the buffering capacity of the KH is high. This resists changes due to softer water.

I expect you wouldnt run into any trouble so long as you weren't performing a large (90%) water change for whatever reason.