# Raising GH and KH and other questions (beginner)



## Andrew M. (Aug 28, 2012)

Alright so I decided to do my first large planted tank (low tech, 20 gal is big for me) over the holidays and after testing I found that my GH is 1, KH is 1, PH is 6.7. I know that plants need calcium/magnesium so I threw some crushed coral in the filter hoping it will dissolve. I'm not seeing any changes after a day and I don't want my plants to do die. I see some people using Epsom Salts to raise GH? What is it and where could I purchase some? People also say they use baking soda to raise KH. That I think I have. I also have a big bamboo shrimp in there and was looking to add amano shrimp in the future. If I wanted to add fertilizer would Seachem flourish kill these shrimp? Thanks.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

You can raise gh with seachem equilibrium (j&l aquatics in burnaby sells for good price), epsom salt (walmart, superstore pharmacy dept.). 

If you follow the dosing directions, your shrimps would be ok.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


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## Andrew M. (Aug 28, 2012)

Seachem equilibrium will not affect PH right? Just the GH.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Supposedly from seachem, equilibrium does not contain ingredients that will alter the alklinity. It only raises hardness of water.


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## fisherman (Apr 22, 2010)

i got a question... will the fish and plants do fine without buffering the tank??? i've been buffering my tank for about a couple years now but its becoming a pain in the ass.. first you need to premix the water in a rubber maid bucket and then you need to pump the water into the tank... water changes suck when you need to buff it...


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

fisherman said:


> i got a question... will the fish and plants do fine without buffering the tank??? i've been buffering my tank for about a couple years now but its becoming a pain in the ass.. first you need to premix the water in a rubber maid bucket and then you need to pump the water into the tank... water changes suck when you need to buff it...


Buffering tank helps prevent PH fluctuations and PH crashes. It stabilizes the PH better in the tank. Whether you want your fish to live in a stable environment is up to you. You gotta do what you gotta do to keep your fish healthy.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

You can just pour the buffer directly into the tank. Some people do not use alkaline buffer, they just put some oyster shell or crushed coral inside their tanks.


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