# Tropica soil with very hard tap water



## demetrisag (23 May 2021)

Hi all, I wanted to share a concern with you. I just started my aquarium, just hardscape for now until the nitrogen cycle complete. What I noticed is the substrate took my kh nearly to 0dKH! My tap water has 17dKh! I am kinda worried now, when I am doing 50% water changes won't the massive swing on KH affect my livestock? Especially if I do that everyweek?

Also when the buffering stops what can I do to keep plants and livestock happy?

Thanks!


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## Tom Delattre (23 May 2021)

I've been asking that around, including to George, Jurijs and Dennis Wong. Everybody told me it was nothing to worry about. I still have trouble wrapping my head around it.
Same question if you remineralize water with gh+kh : obviously the kh you add is "eaten away" by the substrate.

Envoyé de mon KB2003 en utilisant Tapatalk


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## demetrisag (23 May 2021)

I could I suppose use osmosis water and remineralize with just GH (seachem equilibrium) and let the kh be 0. But I want to avoid osmosis water. I want to use tap water, but the conditions the substrate creates don't seem to be compatible with my tap water


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## Tom Delattre (23 May 2021)

There are some answers here : Tropica soil PH buffering

Tropica soil PH buffering

Envoyé de mon KB2003 en utilisant Tapatalk


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## demetrisag (23 May 2021)

I know i have read it, there are some answers but not the answer I need 🤔


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## dw1305 (23 May 2021)

Hi all, 


demetrisag said:


> . I want to use tap water, but the conditions the substrate creates don't seem to be compatible with my tap water


All these active substrates work via <"ion exchange">, which means that the ions (Ca++. Mg++, HCO3-) your hard water will rapidly fill up the exchange sites and at that point the substrate will stop reducing the dGH and dKH.


demetrisag said:


> just hardscape for now until the nitrogen cycle complete


Just carry on changing water and your substrate will reach equilibrium with tap water a lot more quickly. You never need to use ammonia to "cycle" a planted tank, you just need to plant it and then wait until the plants are grown in before adding any livestock. 

Most of the advice you get about both <"pH stability"> and <"cycling"> is wrong.  Have a look at <"Dr Timothy Hovanec's .............">.

cheers Darrel


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## demetrisag (23 May 2021)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> All these active substrates work via <"ion exchange">, which means that the ions (Ca++. Mg++, HCO3-) your hard water will rapidly fill up the exchange sites and at that point the substrate will stop reducing the dGH and dKH.
> 
> ...


I have been reading that soil will take a long time to stop buffering what if I dont want to do all the water changes until it's depleted, would this be harmfull to my plants and fishes to do water changes with such a big difference at KH?


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## dw1305 (23 May 2021)

Hi all, 


demetrisag said:


> would this be harmfull to my plants and fishes to do water changes with such a big difference at KH?


The plants should be fine. It could be an issue with the fish if you <"kept Lake Tanganyika cichlids">, but not for nearly all other fish. It might also be an <"issue for snails">, but only in the short term until the substrate and water were at equilibrium (both <"fully saturated"> with Ca++ and HCO3- ions). 

cheers Darrel


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## demetrisag (23 May 2021)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> The plants should be fine. It could be an issue with the fish if you <"kept Lake Tanganyika cichlids">, but not for nearly all other fish. It might also be an <"issue for snails">, but only in the short term until the substrate and water were at equilibrium (both <"fully saturated"> with Ca++ and HCO3- ions).
> 
> cheers Darrel


Thanks for the reply Daniel! I was thinking about tetras, zebras, otos and shrimps (and maybe guppies)


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## Nick potts (23 May 2021)

demetrisag said:


> I have been reading that soil will take a long time to stop buffering what if I dont want to do all the water changes until it's depleted, would this be harmfull to my plants and fishes to do water changes with such a big difference at KH?


I don't think you will have any issues, the number of people using aqua soil and don't even bother checking KH.

If you really wanted to, you could make a very strong KH solution use that for water changes for a bit, it will soon deplete the buffering capacity.


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## demetrisag (23 May 2021)

Haven't thought of that. Would that be wise you think? Also This is not gonna affect the fertilizing properties of the soil i guess?


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## Nick potts (23 May 2021)

Shouldn't affect the ferts in the soil, it would happen eventually anyway, you'd just be speeding up the process.


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## Sean Scapes (19 Jun 2021)

I use tropica soil in my low tech tank. I have hard water and my current livestock aren't bothered by it. 

I keep Otis, zebra danio, tetras with no issues. My amano shrimp are happy also. I wouldn't worry much about it honestly.


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