I am having difficulties finding a mineral additive for my 10g guppy tank. I need this to make my water more hardy as it’s generally soft water provided in my local area. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thank you.
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Get a Rift Lake water conditioner. It is a white powder sold by most pet shops or you can buy it online. It will increase the GH, KH and pH. At full strength it will increase the GH by about 400ppm. Depending on what your GH is will determine the dose rate you use. Livebearers need a GH around 200-300ppm (250ppm+ for mollies).
You have to mix the water and Rift Lake conditioner up for about 24 hours before using it. The best way to do this is to fill a big bucket with tap water and add the appropriate amount of Rift Lake conditioner. Aerate the mixture for 24 hours and then use it to do water changes. If you have chloramine in your tap water then you should add a dechlorinator about 30minutes before using it.
Are you in the UK?
Rift Lake cichlid salt should be the same as Rift Lake water conditioner. It should contain calcium and magnesium chloride, and calcium and magnesium carbonate/ bicarbonates, as well as a few other minerals.
The only other way to increase GH is to add limestone, sandstone, dead coral skeleton, coral rubble or shells to the aquarium. They are calcium based and will raise the pH to about.8.5 and will slowly increase the GH. But it will be slow, so don't expect a sudden jump in GH if you use any of these. They will help but they aren't as good as the Rift Lake conditioner.
Is this OK Colin - https://seachem.co.uk/product/seachem-cichlid-lake-salt/
It's available on Amazon and Ebay, and various on-line shops. One of those is Maidenhead Aquatics, but I know that not all products are stocked at every branch.
Or is this better since guppies come from central America - https://seachem.co.uk/product/seachem-americn-cichlid-salt/
This is also on Amazon, Ebay and several on-line shops.
But don't forget that if you add Rift Lake salts, you won't be able to keep soft water fish like neons.
The SeaChem cichlid lake salt should be fine.
My guess is both of those SeaChem products are the same thing with different labels. They just use a lower dose rate for the American cichlids and a higher dose rate for the different African Rift Lakes.
You find out what your current GH is and add enough of the Rift Lake salts to increase your GH to about 200-300ppm.
Is there a possibility that adding the salt could raise the GH and PH too much?
Yes.
You would need to experiment in a bucket of water to find out how much of the salts you would need to add to get the GH to where you want it. Once you know how much to add to get the right GH you would then prepare the water change water in advance adding exactly the right amount of salts to keep the GH exactly the same at every water change. You would never be able to use just plain water again as this would change the GH.
This is why we always say it is easier to keep fish suited to your water
read post #2.Does the salt have to be dissolved when added?
it doesn't say what's in it but it looks like it buffs KH not GHDoes this look suitable? Thank you for your help. https/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-Aqua...973194&hash=item260223c541:g:AroAAOSw5-lbkl02
read post #2.
it doesn't say what's in it but it looks like it buffs KH not GH
read post #2.
it doesn't say what's in it but it looks like it buffs KH not GH