Limestone !!!

Teammuir1

Here is a Question that I have not been able to find the answere to

Cichlids need High Alkalinity .. I have seen that people have stated that they used
Limestone but there is no mention as to HOW MUCH limestone is used....

So I took a Ph reading before I put 11pds of Limestone in the tank....
and after 2 days
The Ph reading has only increased a small amount.....

So if someone has used limestone let us know how much was used and how long did it
take before the PH stabilized and how much did it go up?

THANKS
Ron

Teammuir1

I also forgot to post a picture of the 120 Gallon Cichlid tank.

I have not finshed the canopy as of yet.. but I built the bottom stand myself.

it should be a real looker once the canopy is finished....

Attached Images

120 gallon filled with fish a.JPG (91.2 KB, 39 views)

Teammuir1

Here is another Pic of the 120 Gallon

its the newest Pic I have just took min ago ...lol
it has more fish and more rocks.

Attached Images

120 G Cichlid tank with big rock a.JPG (79.0 KB, 40 views)

mollies

I have a ? how wide, tall, and deep is your tank. To me i looks like a 75 gallon. Aside that, you can get PH up, if thats what your trying to do. I wouldnt think that lime stone would rais it that much as with any rocks but they do a little. What is your PH reading?

MoneyMitch

well how fast the ph changes depends on your gh and kh AKA Buffering capacity. Its diffrent for everyone since all of our sources are diffrent. i would get a gh kh test kit and the more drops it takes to change color the higher the buffering capacity of your water. look at buffering capacity as a sponge, it soaks up x amount of acids/alkalines or w/e untill your ph will move. you might wanna add some more limestone if you need a higher ph faster. Money

MoneyMitch

i dont mean to step on your toes here mollies but, i wouldnt add any chems directly into the tank cause they can change the ph way to fast and send your fish into shock. i would do it in a bucket and not in the actuall tank.

Teammuir1

mollies

The Tank is a 120 Gallon... 48in long 24inch tall and 24inch deep
The PH before adding the rock and a water change was 7.4
the PH now 2 days later is at 7.6
This is a picture of my 75 gallon
I DO NOT want to raise the PH in a hurry I understand and know this...
but I honestly would have expected to raise the PH higher than it did.

I have not nor will I use Chemicals to raise the PH....I have been reading
as many articles as I can find about raising PH....but none AGAIN have
answered my questions....

I have tested the GH and KH ... and honestly it will take more than
12 drops to change the colors.... and then I am not so sure that
the TESTing FLUID is CORRECT.... lmao...
WHAT I MEAN IS THIS....
my bottles KH has Orange drops in it the paper work states that you keep
adding drops till the color changes from BLUE to YELLOW.
The GH bottle has GREEN drops in it and the paper work states that you
add drops till the color changes from ORANGE to GREEN.....
I tried this test the other day..... I added like 13 drops and just GAVE up.... thinking
that something was WRONG.....

Attached Images

75 gallon a.JPG (65.4 KB, 36 views)

mollies

I dont disagree. You are A 100 percent corect. It was just the sugestion. lol You know what your talking bout so. i will leave this one to you. No harm no foul. My ph in my tap is high enough so i dont need to add any thing. 8.4. so im in the clear.

mollies

You have nice tanks yes you will want to wait a couple of weeks to test youph again. If in 2 day went .2 then in a couple weeks it should be up to. 7.8 to 8.0 hopfuly.

Teammuir1

mollies

Thanks for the kind words.... I was thinking myself the very same as far
as checking the PH.... I normally check my water every week.... so I have
made myself a Chart.... I am curious to see how much the PH actually goes up
and stabilizes....