Ira Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 I managed to find a place with dolomite in upper hutt. Unfortunately, they only had it in powdered form, I grabbed some powdered anyway since it was just $3. The woman there had never heard of it in tablets. She said the dolomite is just calcium and magnesium, so maybe I could get calcium tablets from a vet, so I went to a vet, they said to check a pet store. If they had what I wanted don't you think I'd have it by now? Anyway, went to a pet store and had a look. Looks like maybe turtle neutralizer tablets, the little turtle shaped white things, or goldfish oxy-shells or similar might be a possible alternative. They should do the job but I don't know how long they'd last and might get a bit expensive for long term use on a big tank. I grabbed 2 of them anyway, might as well give them a try. Anyone know how they make these things? They look like they're just something like plaster mixed with whatever ingredients. I wonder if I could mix a bit of plaster and water with the dolomite and form it into tablets. Don't know if that would dissolve right or be toxic to the fish or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cees Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Hi Ira, powder is to reactive for my purpose. I need a few rocks :-) Marble would probably do the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Hi Ira, Seems like you're having a few probs obtaining the stuff. I got it straight off the shelf at the Equestrian Supplies store. Personally I think you might be heading in the wrong direction adding this and that, but that is your choice and not for me to say. I think marble chips would be even harder to find, but why not treat the missus to a nice meal out of oysters and keep the shells. Some believe they are actually an aphrodisiac... You never know :) You could also ask around the restaurants that serve seafoods. I'm sure they would be pleased to dispose of their shells. As mentioned elsewhere, chickens and cage birds use the oyster grit, so the pet supplies may have some. Wonder if I could start a crushed oyster shell supply as a sideline. There seems to be lots of need for such things out there. How many hundred tons would you like he he. Regards, Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Just a footnote: I think you should establish what works in YOUR situation before going to any extremes. It may be that oyster grit or dolomite will not KEEP your pH at the level you want, so therefore you would be just creating futher problems and work for yourself. Possibly some form of rock might help in the situation you are in as an alternative to additives. There are many such rocks that would increase pH, but again, you would need to monitor your levels very carefully. Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 If it's something in the tank that's causing the PH to drop, I don't have a clue what it is, all the gravel, rocks, a few bits of driftwood, none should have any real effect on the PH. That makes the only other things going into the tank would be food, water(PH 7) and my fertilizer mix...Hmmm, I just tested the fertilizer mix and the PH is 2.6, ouch. I've never actually tested its PH before, but it never seemed to have an effect on the PH of the tank I put big doses of it in when I was testing it.. I also still had the PH problem when I stopped using it for 2 weeks because I ran out. (The plants definitely seemed to slow down and the algae went nuts) But, I've adjusted the mix a bit so maybe that's changed the PH a lot. I'll do a test to see what kind of difference a teaspoon makes in a bucket of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Looks like 1 tsp(About 5 ml) per 10 liters drops the PH to 5.85 from the beginning 6.9. So, if I scale that up to the size of the tank, that would be about 200ml per 400L. I probably add about 5 ml per day, so that would be 35ml per week which would make the concentration settle with 50% weekly water changes at about 70 ml per week. I don't know the exact math to convert what 1/3rd the 200 ml dose would do, but I'd make a guess it would be somewhere around halfway between the two, about 6.4. If I'm adding more than that, it could bring the PH lower. Guess I'll add the dolomite to the mix to bring it up to 7, might as well put it to use. If this fixes the PH problem I'm going to feel like an idiot. Oh well, fish wouldn't be nearly as interesting if everything worked perfectly the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 I recon you should open a fish cemetery down there Ira, you'd make a fortune. Sorry... Couldn't resist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Would people send me enough fish to make any money though? Cause, guppies don't really count and they're pretty much the only fish I have dying on a regular basis. How many fish have you lost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Hi Ira, here we are again he he. Just having a bit o fun Ira, but really just trying to ask you to be careful, without actually saying it, as I seem to get into heated arguments when I get involved with your tanks. My fish... I can honestly say that I personally haven't lost a single fish since setting up on the 3/7/02, but did lose a few in transit from a South Island delivery, which I put down to the mishandling by the courier service. Don't want to blow my own trumpet here, but if a fish of mine dies, I want to know the reason why, and if I know that it is not my fault and it appears to have died from some unknown cause, it gets disected (sp) and examined carefully until I find a reason, which I invariably do. I started doing this in the early days of my fishkeeping and it's amazing what the insides of a fish can tell you, especially under a microscope. As you know by now, I add nothing to my tanks.... nothing in the form of chemicals or other things, unless I HAVE to do it, and I cringe sometimes when I read what some people put in their tanks and sometimes wonder how their fish remain alive. I read your posts with interest, and you found what to me appeared to be the problem when you said your fertilizer was at 2pH. You also mentioned driftwood, which could also be adding to your problem. Dump a piece in a bucket for a few days and check the water for pH reading. This will tell you if the wood is affecting the water. Irrespective, dolomite will not cure your problem long term. Hope it comes right for you, Regards, Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted September 8, 2002 Report Share Posted September 8, 2002 er hem. Ira maybe you could check with Caryl re the guppys not surviving. Her problem turned out to be the gravel she had been sold for the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 8, 2002 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2002 That particular tank that the guppies were in actually has no gravel. Actually, the last guppy in the tank died a few days ago, all that's left are a dozen Panchax. I'm just going to turn it into a normal tank. Was thinking I might put in an undergravel filter with the 404 drawing water through it. I've never used an undergravel filter before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 8, 2002 Report Share Posted September 8, 2002 It wasn't the gravel Goldie - although it didn't help seeing as it was gravel meant for African set-ups so the pH kept hitting 8.0. I can kill guppies no matter what the pH! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted September 9, 2002 Report Share Posted September 9, 2002 :oops: apologies Caryl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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