How Much Crushed Coral Should I Put In?

[Joinerlavin]

Hi, so I have been having problems with my KH and have a reading of 0 in my tap water.

So I have bought some crushed coral and some ankle stockings so that I can put it inbetween my filter sponges in my fluval 2 filter.

How much coral should I put in the stockings to get my KH up so that it stables my PH??? My tank is 10 gallons.

Thanks

 

[drobbyb]

It won't take a lot, just fill it until it comfortably fits inside the filter.

 

[Joinerlavin]

should i fill it so that its roughley the same size as the filter sponges and flat, or like a bag at the bottom How long will it take to see results? thanks

 

[drobbyb]

It takes some time to see results. Some say 2 weeks but there is a measureable effect in less time.

When I put it in my filter, I based the amount on the size of the media it was replacing. For example: I have an Aquaclear 70 on one of my tanks. I run crushed coral in this filter and I based the size of the bag by the size of the carbon packet it was replacing.

 

[OldMan47]

What you are trying to achieve is enough carbonate dissolving all the time to keep up with the carbonate you remove with water changes. If you do weekly water changes, by the end of 2 or 3 weeks you will be seeing about what you can expect to see long term. If you are doing daily water changes, your final level will be different and you will know what that is at the end of a week. The carbonate gradually dissolves over time and the water changes constantly remove some, you are trying to get a value that is high enough to prevent a pH crash but low enough for the fish to be comfortable, with your personal maintenance practices. Any value based on someone else's will not be quite right but might get you close enough to start with.

 

[drobbyb]

Couldn't have said it better OM47.

 

[rdd1952]

I agree with what OM47 said. I will add that for a 10 gallon tank, a teaspoonful should be a grcious plenty. It really doesn't take much.

Also, depending on the fish you plan to keep, you may not need to mess with it anyway. Most community fish such as tetras, corys, rasboras, etc. are fine in acidic water, even down to 6 or below. My GH & KH are the same as yours at 0. My 20 gallon tank runs about 6.2 and my 75 about 6.4. Never had any problem with it that low.

 

[Joinerlavin]

ok cheers, well i put a fist full in the filter last nite, so If you say a teaspoon then a handfull would be way too much, what should i get my kh up to for gouramis?

 

[rdd1952]

It would depend on the type of gouramii you want but from what I've seen and read, most of them have a very wide pH range so even a pH as low a 6.0 or as high as 8.0 would be fine for most species.

 

[Joinerlavin]

ok thanks

 

[Joinerlavin]

ok so my fishless cycle is complete now, so if I empty all the water, which i have to do to get rid of the nitrates and then fill it back up again, and get the fish the next day, there wont be enough minerals from the coral in the water would there in one day? if you know what i mean.

 

[drobbyb]

If you are getting your fish local, they may already be adjusted to your water. A waterchange will bring you closer to you native conditions. This might be a good idea to change the water first depending upon their conditions compared to yours.

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, your newly filled tank after a 75% plus water change would basically be at tap pH which is most likely what the local fish would also be in so you shouldn't have an issue there.