David R Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 We're moving to our new house in a couple of weeks, and will be on rain water from now on! (will have to look at getting an extra tank installed so I can keep up the water changes to the new tank over summer). I'm just wondering how people get on with the low pH/KH/GH of rain water and what/if you use to buffer it. I'm going to be keeping mostly South American species [surprise surprise] so soft-ish water isn't a bad thing, but I will have a lot of wood in the tank so with the low hardness may need to add something to buffer the water to stop it crashing way too low. I'm also wondering about the lack of trace elements in the water too, wondering if I could use some of the products designed to buffer water for rift lake tanks but in a reduced quantity, or do I just chuck some coral in the sump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zuri08 Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I was on rain water at my place in drury the ph came out at around 6.8-7 i didnt use any buffers.Would ur drfitwood lower the levels that much that you would need to use buffers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstar99 Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 if you were just worried about the little that the driftwood may remove then some coral, lime stone in your filter would easily counter that. Id be surprised if you have to worry about it at all with the SA species. Just keep up the water changes to keep it stable. Otherwise baking soda for Kh, epsom salts for Gh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaSa Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I use 1 tea spoon of sea salt per 10l + a little bag (old sock) of Oyster Gritt behind the HMF. Seems to work okay, have to weed out a bucket of plants every week and the livebearers are breeding like mad JaSa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I just put a couple handfuls of coral/oyster grit in the filter which kept it about neutral. Though, I haven't checked the PH in 4-5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I use pipi and oyster shells in my sumps and canister filters. In some tanks I have crushed shells mixed with the substrate. If you have concrete water tanks you probably wont need to add anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan7 Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Maybe add an extra handfull of grit since your tank will be about 2000 odd litres! Just to be safe lol Problem is since your dealing with eventually such a large volume of water you dont want to be spending on chemicals/buffers each time you do a waterchange... Will get costly... Need a more permanent solution, like you say wood, and the suggested grit/coral? Put a small coral reef in your water tank? Your on rain water now yeah? How does a concrete tank effect the water chem? At my parents place the water always came out alkaline, but the driftwood brought it right back down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I'm not on rainwater (yet) but planning on using that nice sand I collected on the coromandel that contains around 20% shells.. It's so fine you can't tell its shells it just looks like sand. I think that will help keep the water stable but yeah as others have said why not just add some shells to your sump and have a bit more peace of mind. Have you bought a house or already built one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 How does a concrete tank effect the water chem? At my parents place the water always came out alkaline, but the driftwood brought it right back down. Be very minimal if it's an old tank, I think a lot of them are painted with something like pond paint on the inside anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted July 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Its a plastic tank, so that won't change the warer. I'm not on rain water now Duncan, water comes from either the wairoa river or poroti springs as part of the local irrigation scheme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 i would think oyster shells, slowly add them over time or coral. to slightly buffer the maybe even raise the water ph if its too low? also, old wood will not leech anymore tannins right? i would just crush or powder coral or oyster shells and sprinkle into the filter system slowly, and add it bit by bgit untill you get a good balance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 i have concrete tanks and it around 7 or a bit higher so no need to do anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 also, old wood will not leech anymore tannins right? Won't leech tannins, but will still soften the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I just use a handfull (or two) of crushed limestone in my filter on the 400l native, has been keeping the pH at about 7... /me goes to test out of interest Edit just tested at about pH6.8 - 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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