What rocks will help harden my water ?

"Alan Silver"
wrote
in message ...
Hello,

I'm contemplating a cichlid tank, but have very soft water. My LFS
suggested using a crushed coral substrate and rocks of the sort that
you
see in marine tanks as these would help harden the water.

Trouble is, I don't like the look of these rocks. They are too light. I
want something darker to contrast with the fish. I was wondering about
slate or granite (both of which seem to be common decoration for
cichlid
tanks).

Anyone know if these rocks will be as effective as hardening the water
as the marine rock ? If not, any other suggestions ?

TIA

--
Alan Silver

Neither slate nor granite (of conventional compositions) will harden your
water. Calcium is typically seen as a white mineral in rocks, corals,
shells, bones etc.

A quick list of water hardeners : argonite, dolomite, limestone, coral
and tufa stone (all of these as stones or ground into a substrate), utah
ice and petrified wood (calcified). I've never seen the colour of
argonite. Utah Ice is almost transparent but I've been told that it only
affects gH and not kH. Dolomite can have a greyish hue. Petrified wood
is shades of brown and would look very attractive, but is somewhat
expensive. There are also chemical methods to harden water (which I have
no recommendations to make), or you can pre-harden the water in a storage
tank, or use the choosen minerals in a sump filter to continuously harden
the water. I'm not aware of any other options. hth

NetMax

In article , Alan Silver wrote:

I'm contemplating a cichlid tank, but have very soft water. My LFS
suggested using a crushed coral substrate and rocks of the sort that you
see in marine tanks as these would help harden the water.

These may harden the water somewhat, but don't expect miracles. A
Cichlid "Salt" or buffer mix will work better.

A simple test is to put a few drops of vinager on the rock. If it
fizzess then the rock probably contains calcium carbonate. Calcium
carbonate will harden the water.

Just use crushed coral or coral sand to harden your water. A good inch or
so should leach enough hardness to make the water desireable for your fish.
You can use granite stones to create the ground cover for the fish.

Fishboy


"Alan Silver"
wrote in
message ...
Hello,

I'm contemplating a cichlid tank, but have very soft water. My LFS
suggested using a crushed coral substrate and rocks of the sort that you
see in marine tanks as these would help harden the water.

Trouble is, I don't like the look of these rocks. They are too light. I
want something darker to contrast with the fish. I was wondering about
slate or granite (both of which seem to be common decoration for cichlid
tanks).

Anyone know if these rocks will be as effective as hardening the water
as the marine rock ? If not, any other suggestions ?

TIA

--
Alan Silver

I have seen black marble in headstone shops. They often have scraps you
could breakup. Lots of limestone and dolomites are dark in color. What
part of the world are you in.

Bob
"Earl D Fitzgerald" wrote in message
...
Just use crushed coral or coral sand to harden your water. A good inch or
so should leach enough hardness to make the water desireable for your
fish.
You can use granite stones to create the ground cover for the fish.

Fishboy


"Alan Silver"
wrote in
message ...
Hello,

I'm contemplating a cichlid tank, but have very soft water. My LFS
suggested using a crushed coral substrate and rocks of the sort that you
see in marine tanks as these would help harden the water.

Trouble is, I don't like the look of these rocks. They are too light. I
want something darker to contrast with the fish. I was wondering about
slate or granite (both of which seem to be common decoration for cichlid
tanks).

Anyone know if these rocks will be as effective as hardening the water
as the marine rock ? If not, any other suggestions ?

TIA

--
Alan Silver

Most of our cichlid buddies will acclimate fairly well to your water. I
guess it just depends on your choice. A lot of the Africans really could
not care less, as do the New World types. If you go for Apistos, Angels,
and Discus than your in real luck already.

Just because you read about folks producing liquid rock for their fish does
not mean its actually required to raise them effectively. The safest bet is
usually what your tap brings.

I would suggest buying a TDS meter (conductivity meter). Its the choice of
experience in the prevention of blowing out your fishes gills due to extreme
osmotic shocks. Many here just keep ranking about pH shock and virtues of
maintaining pinpoint pH accuracy, when really its the osmotic pressure thats
of most concern. Covers the Old and New Tank syndromes fairly well and is
of great importance when acclimating fish.



"Alan Silver"
wrote in
message ...
Hello,

I'm contemplating a cichlid tank, but have very soft water. My LFS
suggested using a crushed coral substrate and rocks of the sort that you
see in marine tanks as these would help harden the water.

Trouble is, I don't like the look of these rocks. They are too light. I
want something darker to contrast with the fish. I was wondering about
slate or granite (both of which seem to be common decoration for cichlid
tanks).

Anyone know if these rocks will be as effective as hardening the water
as the marine rock ? If not, any other suggestions ?

TIA

--
Alan Silver

In article , NetMax
writes
Neither slate nor granite (of conventional compositions) will harden
your water. Calcium is typically seen as a white mineral in rocks,
corals, shells, bones etc.

And therein lies the problem. The rocks the LFS suggested were white as
well. Don't like them. I want dark rocks to contrast with the fish.

From other posts, it looks like it might not be such a problem if I have
the crushed coral substrate, and maybe put some in the filter to enhance
its effectiveness.

Thanx to all who responded, just 'cos I only replied to some doesn't
mean the rest of the posts weren't helpful !! All appreciated.

--
Alan Silver

In article , Earl D Fitzgerald
writes
Just use crushed coral or coral sand to harden your water. A good inch
or so should leach enough hardness to make the water desireable for
your fish. You can use granite stones to create the ground cover for
the fish.

That sounds like the advice I wanted to hear !!

Seriously, if the coral is going to do the job on its own, then I don't
need to worry about getting the right rocks. I can just choose what
looks best.

Thanx for that

--
Alan Silver

In article , Robert
Flory writes
I have seen black marble in headstone shops. They often have scraps
you could breakup. Lots of limestone and dolomites are dark in color.
What part of the world are you in.

I'm in NW England. I have a friend who deals in stone, so I should be
able to get some bits of marble, granite, you name it.

Thanx for the info

--
Alan Silver

In article , Stan
writes
Most of our cichlid buddies will acclimate fairly well to your water.
I guess it just depends on your choice. A lot of the Africans really
could not care less, as do the New World types. If you go for Apistos,
Angels, and Discus than your in real luck already.

I'm looking at Pseudotropheus saulosi amongst others. I think they were
all Malawi ones. I'm getting a bit confused with all of the names !! I'm
used to tropical fish that have simple names like guppy and gourami.
These long Latin names are doing my head in !!

Just because you read about folks producing liquid rock for their fish
does not mean its actually required to raise them effectively. The
safest bet is usually what your tap brings.

Understood, but I'm trying to do what's best for my fish. There's no
point in dumping them into water that's very different from their ideal.

Having said that, the ones I would be buying will have been in local
water anyway, so it might not be such a problem. Don't know if the LFS
do anything special to the water in the cichlid tanks.

I would suggest buying a TDS meter (conductivity meter). Its the
choice of experience in the prevention of blowing out your fishes gills
due to extreme osmotic shocks. Many here just keep ranking about pH
shock and virtues of maintaining pinpoint pH accuracy, when really its
the osmotic pressure thats of most concern. Covers the Old and New
Tank syndromes fairly well and is of great importance when acclimating
fish.

Sorry, you lost me a bit here. What is osmotic shock ? Never heard of
this before. Is it something I need to worry about ?

Thanx for the reply

--
Alan Silver

Limestone I've heard is good for raising hardness, or real corals, dead
corals, but they will dissolve over time... mine did...
"Alan Silver"
wrote in
message ...
Hello,

I'm contemplating a cichlid tank, but have very soft water. My LFS
suggested using a crushed coral substrate and rocks of the sort that you
see in marine tanks as these would help harden the water.

Trouble is, I don't like the look of these rocks. They are too light. I
want something darker to contrast with the fish. I was wondering about
slate or granite (both of which seem to be common decoration for cichlid
tanks).

Anyone know if these rocks will be as effective as hardening the water
as the marine rock ? If not, any other suggestions ?

TIA

--
Alan Silver