When I had aragonite (and dolomite some years prior) in a mesh bag in the filter, it kept the pH around 6.6 which was my aim. The GH did not rise much at all, which I didn't want (soft water fish). When I had the substrate composed of dolomite (aragonite is much the same thing and more attractive) it raised the GH and pH sufficient that I had livebearers for several years, and even a tank of rift lake cichlids. This was back in the 1980's and I didn't measure GH back then, but I would expect the GH was certainly adequate for the fish since they lived for several years. I cannot remember what the pH got up to, but I didn't fuss over it so long as it was in the high 7's or higher, and I remember it was that.
The GH is the most critical aspect here, as livebearers must have calcium and magnesium in the water in order that their physiology can function normally. In soft water they will be debilitated, weakened, and slowly die. I would use a calcareous substrate, as it is the most inexpensive, is reliable and lasts for years and years.
On the Flourite appearance, this would be quite different under water and certain light, I found out. It was not black but a dark grey, and every bit of detritus showed up. I tried it, but it didn't work, it harmed the fish, the plants didn't benefit...why bother?
Byron.
Thanks again, Byron. I've finally been able to connect the plumbing and fill the tank. I found some nice-looking aragonite sand (Classica is the brand), but I only bought one 10kg bag because of all the sand I've already got at home, including a 10 kg bag of Red Sea Reef Base, which is aragonite sand.
The Red Sea Reef Base is extremely white, so I'm not going to use it. I've used the 10kg of Classica Aragonite sand and 20kg of Pisces Coral Sand (it's 99.8% CaCO3). I already regret using the Coral Sand, as it is extremely fine and the water is glowing white under the lights, plus it's way too white. I might scoop out as much of the white sand as I can, and replace it with more Classica Aragonite, or mix something darker in to it. Since I can't have catfish, I'm wondering whether to get a darker substrate with bigger pieces, if they'd sit on top of the sand, and if the aragonite will still do its GH-raising job from below it. (Would it?)
How slowly will the GH etc take to rise with the aragonite? It is rising. When I first started filling the tank, with just some minimal coral sand in it (from the display - I got most of it out but not all), plus appropriate doses of Prime & Flourish (for the drift wood with anubias & moss) the water parameters as per an API 5 in 1 test strip were:
pH 6 - 6.6
KH 40
GH 0-30
It stayed half full with an air pump (not the filter yet) & under lights (only during the day) for a couple of days until I managed to hook everything up, rinse & put in the sand, fill the rest of the tank & sump and turn everything on. I put in the appropriate extra doses of Prime & Flourish, plus some 'ViviD' the local fish shop gave me (now I forget what it's for), and turned on the heater & sump filter pump.
1 day after turning everything on, the water parameters (test strip again) were:
pH just shy of 7.0
KH 40
GH 30-60
The temperature wasn't rising much (24C), but according to the cycling guide on this forum that's enough to start cycling, so I added approx 33mL of .02% ammonia. Half an hour later the API Ammonia (test tube) test read 2-4 ppm ammonia.
Eight hours later (just now) the water parameters (test strip) are:
pH 7.0
KH 80
GH 60
So the pH, KH & GH are all going up. I haven't put in any of the blue crystals that every single fish shop says to use. They raise the GH (but not the KH). I'm starting to wonder if that's why so many Melbourne fish stores caution against using aragonite; perhaps they're also using the blue crystals.
When I had aragonite (and dolomite some years prior) in a mesh bag in the filter, it kept the pH around 6.6 which was my aim. The GH did not rise much at all, which I didn't want (soft water fish). When I had the substrate composed of dolomite (aragonite is much the same thing and more attractive) it raised the GH and pH sufficient that I had livebearers for several years, and even a tank of rift lake cichlids. This was back in the 1980's and I didn't measure GH back then, but I would expect the GH was certainly adequate for the fish since they lived for several years. I cannot remember what the pH got up to, but I didn't fuss over it so long as it was in the high 7's or higher, and I remember it was that.
The GH is the most critical aspect here, as livebearers must have calcium and magnesium in the water in order that their physiology can function normally. In soft water they will be debilitated, weakened, and slowly die. I would use a calcareous substrate, as it is the most inexpensive, is reliable and lasts for years and years.
On the Flourite appearance, this would be quite different under water and certain light, I found out. It was not black but a dark grey, and every bit of detritus showed up. I tried it, but it didn't work, it harmed the fish, the plants didn't benefit...why bother?
Byron.
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