KH, GH and aquasoil

[Mattant1984]

Hi all,
My water straight out of the tap is fairly hard with a KH of 11 and a GH of 15.

Ever since I've been using Tropica aquasoil it has helped to soften the water which is great and when the aquasoil was first added the KH was 3 and GH was 7.

These values have slowly been going up and currently my KH is 7 and GH is 12.
I am assuming the soil will stop softening the water over time and I will eventually be back to tap water values in the tank??
Why does the soil do this?

What would be the best way to keep my water softer? Cutting with RO or adding something else?

Many thanks

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I am assuming the soil will stop softening the water over time and I will eventually be back to tap water values in the tank??
Why does the soil do this?

The Aquasoil will eventually stop "working", this is because it works <"via ion exchange"> and all the <"protons (H+ ions) in the soil"> will have been exchanged for <"calcium (Ca++) ions from the tank water">. This ion exchange will <"reduce dKH as well">, because the addition of protons ("acid") will <"convert some the dKH (the HCO3- ions) into CO2"> which will outgas.

What would be the best way to keep my water softer? Cutting with RO or adding something else?

<"Rain or RO">. Unfortunately <"adding things"> won't help.

I use the coffee analogy, once you've added coffee to water it is impossible to go back to it being just water, you can make the drink sweeter be adding sugar and milk, but everything you add gets you further away from it being plain water. Some fish are happy in "white coffee", some in "black coffee" and some only in water. The "easy" fish tend to be ones that "drink" everything.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mattant1984]

Hi all,

The Aquasoil will eventually stop "working", this is because it works <"via ion exchange"> and all the <"protons (H+ ions) in the soil"> will have been exchanged for <"calcium (Ca++) ions from the tank water">. This ion exchange will <"reduce dKH as well">, because the addition of protons ("acid") will <"convert some the dKH (the HCO3- ions) into CO2"> which will outgas.

<"Rain or RO">. Unfortunately <"adding things"> won't help.


cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel, so does it mean the nutrients in the aquasoil will deplete just as quickly??

Are there any easy ways to soften your water or would it be best just to let it eventually go back to the tap water parameters??

Thanks

Matt

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thanks Darrel, so does it mean the nutrients in the aquasoil will deplete just as quickly??

Unfortunately that is really a "how long is a piece of string" question?

The problem is that there are a lot of variables in ion exchange, and it will depend on the <"valency of the ion">, pH, the concentration gradient between ions in solution and ions held on the substrate, etc. I'd probably assume that nutrients will become depleted and that the substrate will stop being active, relatively swiftly, in hard water, but that would be an assumption.

Have a look at <"https://www.lenntech.com/Data-sheets/Ion-Exchange-for-Dummies-RH.pdf">.

These sorts of questions were partially why I went to using the <"Duckweed Index">, it means that you don't need to try and figure out if your substrate is exhausted etc. You just watch <"the Amazon Frogbit">, and feed it when it looks a bit pale <"The scientific background to the "Leaf Colour Chart""> easy-peasy.

Are there any easy ways to soften your water

The only way to get softer water is to either use rain or RO water as an ameliorant.

would it be best just to let it eventually go back to the tap water parameters??

Entirely up to you, <"hard water is fine for a lot of plants and fish">. I've <"always used rain-water">, but if I didn't have access to it? I would use our tap water (~17dGH & 17 dKH) and keep different plants and fish.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mattant1984]

Many thanks

Hi all,

Unfortunately that is really a "how long is a piece of string" question?

The problem is that there are a lot of variables in ion exchange, and it will depend on the <"valency of the ion">, pH, the concentration gradient between ions in solution and ions held on the substrate, etc. I'd probably assume that nutrients will become depleted and that the substrate will stop being active, relatively swiftly, in hard water, but that would be an assumption.

Have a look at <"https://www.lenntech.com/Data-sheets/Ion-Exchange-for-Dummies-RH.pdf">.

These sorts of questions were partially why I went to using the <"Duckweed Index">, it means that you don't need to try and figure out if your substrate is exhausted etc. You just watch <"the Amazon Frogbit">, and feed it when it looks a bit pale <"The scientific background to the "Leaf Colour Chart""> easy-peasy.

The only way to get softer water is to either use rain or RO water as an ameliorant.

Entirely up to you, <"hard water is fine for a lot of plants and fish">. I've <"always used rain-water">, but if I didn't have access to it? I would use our tap water (~17dGH & 17 dKH) and keep different plants and fish.

cheers Darrel

Many thanks Darrel,

I do think I should give the duckweed index a good go as the more I've looked into it it makes sense. Would you say amazon frogbit is the best one to use for this??

I will stick with the tap water then and let the aquasoil do its thing for now.

Many thanks

Matt

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Would you say amazon frogbit is the best one to use for this??

It has a <"number of advantages">, so Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) is definitely my preferred "Duckweed".

I do think I should give the duckweed index a good go as the more I've looked into it it makes sense.

I'm <"obviously biased">, but it works. The only real revision I've made since I swapped from Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) is that I've been using a <"hybrid version"> where I add iron (Fe) regularly.

At some point I'm going to try <"mixing in Red-root Floater"> (Phyllanthus fluitans) in with the Frogbit.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mattant1984]

Hi all,

It has a <"number of advantages">, so Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) is definitely my preferred "Duckweed".

I'm <"obviously biased">, but it works. The only real revision I've made since I swapped from Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) is that I've been using a <"hybrid version"> where I add iron (Fe) regularly.

At some point I'm going to try <"mixing in Red-root Floater"> (Phyllanthus fluitans) in with the Frogbit.

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel, I will get some frogbit and give it a try, I'm currently using an auto doser so can just up the ferts easily if the frogbit is looking like it needs it

Also how much frogbit should I add to start with??

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Also how much frogbit should I add to start with??

Single Tropica pot <"Limnobium laevigatum - Tropica Aquarium Plants">? or <"possibly members have some spare">? I have some spare if nobody else offers.

It is going to <"grow pretty rapidly"> with reasonable nutrients, so a lot of members will thin theirs every week.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mattant1984]

Thanks Darrel, I thought it might be a fast grower. If you have a couple of portions spare I would definitely take you up on the offer just let me know how much you want for postage etc 😉

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thanks Darrel, I thought it might be a fast grower. If you have a couple of portions spare I would definitely take you up on the offer just let me know how much you want for postage etc 😉

PM me your address. Its £5 either to me or the forum. I can put some other floaters in as well, if you would like them?

cheers Darrel