Remineralizing my tank

[Little Guys]

I am so thankful for this forum.  I have been told that my tank is mineral deficient.  This is based on a picture of my snails.  I still have a lot to learn and am doing a lot of reading.  I am asking for the best way to remineralize my tank.  Thoughts?

[Tony s]

what's coming out of your tap? ph gh kh. then we can work from that

[Tony s]

the next question is how much work you want to do. you can use chemical additives that allow you to target a certain gh  kh  ph (i do this). you have to be very consistent doing this.  or you can use a few products that you add and just monitor. they will dissolve on their own. and raise your gh. crushed coral or wondershells for those. they disappear as they're being used, and you just watch. those are probably the safest (not the cheapest) crushed oystershell or eggshell can work. cuttlebone can work. cuttlebone can go off if it's not prepared properly. 

[Little Guys]

On 4/5/2024 at 6:24 PM, Tony s said:

what's coming out of your tap? ph gh kh. then we can work from that

I have soft water out of the tap.  PH 6.4,Kh 0 and GH 0-25.  Just FYI - Nitrate 0, Nitrate10 and Clorine 0 as well as Amonia 0.  

[Tony s]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:44 PM, Little Guys said:

PH 6.4,Kh 0 and GH 0-25.

I think adding the crushed coral might be easiest. either mixing with the substrate or adding to your filter. what kind of filter?

[Little Guys]

On 4/5/2024 at 6:46 PM, Tony s said:

I think adding the crushed coral might be easiest. either mixing with the substrate or adding to your filter. what kind of filter?

I do  have crushed coral.  I may not be managing it correctly though.  I put some in my filter and some fell into my tank.  The GH went up to 150.    I also don't want to use chemicals.  I am willing to do the work, I just need to keep learning as this is my first tank.

 

Edited April 6 by Little Guys
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[JE47]

I mean your parameters would be great for certain softwater species like wild bettas or keeping Caridina shrimp if you wanted to go down those routes. For snails though those water parameter are not ideal crushed coral works or seachem equilibrium

[Tony s]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:48 PM, Little Guys said:

put some in my filter and some fell into my tank.  The GH went up to 150

well, you're most of the way there. put some in what they call a media bag. perforated to let water flow through but keeping the coral in one spot. gh of 150 is a good start, you may need closer to 200 with the snails

[Little Guys]

On 4/5/2024 at 6:50 PM, JE47 said:

I mean your parameters would be great for certain softwater species like wild bettas or keeping Caridina shrimp if you wanted to go down those routes. For snails though those water parameter are not ideal crushed coral works or seachem equilibrium

Thank you.  I am learning and appreciate the support here.

On 4/5/2024 at 6:51 PM, Tony s said:

well, you're most of the way there. put some in what they call a media bag. perforated to let water flow through but keeping the coral in one spot. gh of 150 is a good start, you may need closer to 200 with the snails

Thank you.  Question - I was told that crushed coral would also increase the KH.  It does not seem to have done so, is there anything else to do for that?

 

[Tony s]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:51 PM, Little Guys said:

I mean your parameters would be great for certain softwater species like wild bettas or keeping Caridina shrimp

yeah, it's all in what you really want to keep. and really most fish are adaptable anyway. and you can always change your mind. I think easiest is best. most people do best when it's easy. mostly that's using your own tap.

On 4/5/2024 at 9:51 PM, Little Guys said:

I was told that crushed coral would also increase the KH.  It does not seem to have done so, is there anything else to do for that?

nothing wrong with a higher kh. if that's what you're asking. kh will help to stabilize your ph. it buffers your water

[Tony s]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:56 PM, Tony s said:

does not seem

sorry reading error. kh should go up some with the crushed coral. but you'd have to used it for a while to see how much. and it's the gh the snails would be after anyways. so a lower kh would be fine

[Tony s]

The big thing here. figuring out what you would love to keep. if it's snails and guppies. that's great. if it's german rams and Apistogramma, also great. Once you know, there's a strategy for that

but, for now, with the snails, crushed coral in a bag would be good. 

[Little Guys]

Did not start out to have snails, I am sure you know how that goes.  I am actually trying to find someone in the Seattle area that would like them so I can cull.  Now that I have them it seems right to do what I can.

I started out to have Tetra and shrimp.

[Tony s]

On 4/6/2024 at 6:29 PM, Little Guys said:

Did not start out to have snails

Sometimes snails just hap🤣pen 

I like my snails. But they’re getting old now. Have to breed some gold or purple mystery ones next 

[Tony s]

On 4/6/2024 at 6:29 PM, Little Guys said:

I started out to have Tetra and shrimp

That sounds like a great plan. And in your water you could do the crystal red shrimp. Caradina. Neocaradina would like more hardness again. 
but good on you. Taking care of something you didn’t really want