sock full of reef sand for raising PH, GH and KH?

[HelplessNewbie]

I have an opportunity to get a good price on a certain "live" reef aragonite sand product (not sure if I can post it). I was thinking of putting a handful or even just a tablespoon in a sock as a cheap way to raise PH, GH and KH in my 10g (some plants) and 20g long planted. It is "live", will it and the fact that it is for reefs cause problems in my freshwater tanks?

I have crushed coral in socks right now, and that is probably going to hold for a long while. I am just planning ahead for replenishment time.

[Mmiller2001]

Why do you want to raise those parameters?

[HelplessNewbie]

My tap water is: 6.4 ph (or below, but I can't tell from test strip), 0ppm kh, 0ppm gh.

Have been having to add calcium carbonate powder often. GH is being rqised just fine by Equilibrium, but buffer is especially hard: ends up being zero when I test 2 days after adding calcium carbonate powder.

Am trying to get to 7.2 ph, 80ppm KH, and 75ppm GH mostly to help mystery snail (1 in 10g and will have future one in 20g).

10g has:

1 betta

1 guppy (might have 6 more added*, currently in grow out)

1 green neon tetra (may or may not have 5 more added)

1 mystery snail

20g has:

4 endlers

and will have in future:

6 pygmy cories

1 mystery snail

6 guppies (if green neon tetra school is completed in 10g*)

[Mmiller2001]

On 8/4/2023 at 5:45 PM, HelplessNewbie said:

My tap water is: 6.4 ph (or below, but I can't tell from test strip), 0ppm kh, 0ppm gh.

Have been having to add calcium carbonate powder often. GH is being rqised just fine by Equilibrium, but buffer is especially hard: ends up being zero when I test 2 days after adding calcium carbonate powder.

Am trying to get to 7.2 ph, 80ppm KH, and 75ppm GH mostly to help mystery snail (1 in 10g and will have future one in 20g).

10g has:

1 betta

1 guppy (might have 6 more added*, currently in grow out)

1 green neon tetra (may or may not have 5 more added)

1 mystery snail

20g has:

4 endlers

and will have in future:

6 pygmy cories

1 mystery snail

6 guppies (if green neon tetra school is completed in 10g*)

Just use potassium carbonate. Raises KH instantly and can be measured out to an exact ppm. It also will not effect GH already established with Equilibrium.

[nabokovfan87]

I've seen people use this method for keeping shrimp.  There's two main methods....

The goal for shrimp is to have very low PH and so bags of aquasoil are used if the bottom layer of substrate is not sufficient for the tank needs.  There is also this method of using an air pump and a holding container to make a type of UGF / sand filter.
 

Ultimately, I think it could work well for you.  As always start flow and try to place the bag near flow or at least not in a dead spot.  You'd want to try to avoid localized issues.... this is the same thing that people need to do with heaters.

 

[HelplessNewbie]

I decided to stick with crushed coral.