Adjusting hardness in your aquarium

[Rastapus]

I actually have a question about buffering.

I have a 45 gallon tank (it's a little overpopulated right now, but I'm exchanging some fish this weekend for decorations instead), with no live plants in it as of yet thanks to my apple snails. My measurements for my freshwater tank are pretty stable. As of today my Kh is 3 (usually it's at 5), ph is 7. I can never read my Gh, although I'm thinking it's too low cause my snails are suffering. Nitrate is 20, nitrites and ammonia are 0, and I have .5 on my phosphates.

Now I do have some alkaline buffer and some aquarium salt, and I know it's good to add, although I'm not sure how often. I don't want to accidently overdose on the stuff by adding it too often, but I don't want to be not putting in enough either. Any suggestions?

Raeven,
You only need to add salt and Alkalinity buffer when you change water to maintain the levels. This is of course after you have buffered to the levels you want for the fish you are keeping. Always add them slowly over a period of days and once the levels are met, simply calculate how much buffer is needed based on the amount of water changed.

[neven]

1) I understand how the detris can help maintain good plant growth, but at the same time it drives up the TDS count which could affect fish after prolonged bouts of no water changes. The reason crashes can happen is because when there is no routine, it becomes really easy to get lazy and keep putting off a water change. With higher fish loads, the feedings will drive up the phosphates and nitrates. From personal experience, i used to not do regular consistent changes (aiming everying 2-3 weeks) and i often got lazy and would only snap back into it when stuff went wrong, it was just too easy to get distracted with kids. forcing myself to stick to EI dosing really improved my tanks and inhabitants were much happier.

2) I wasn't saying you thought your way perfect, it was meant to simply mean, it may be working but it might not be ideal. Some people (not necessarily you) take that as the only way (even me sometimes )

3) The stubborn statement wasn't about your attitude, it just meant: choose not to take the advice and stick to your ways, not implying anything negative about it, just hearing alternative views out and making the choice afterwards.

4) Alkalinity and not GH. Reason i mentioned that part was because its a common thing for people who are new to co2 to think that raising their KH will help them get a higher CO2 concentration thanks to the very misleading KH to CO2 relation chart.

5) Co2 lowers PH, alkalinity of water (KH) resists the PH swing, so by having a higher KH, the ph swings much less from day to night. With 0 alkalinity and co2 injection, it could more than a full point and harm the fish (not a risk with diy). KH drives up PH, but co2 keeps ph down, so you get the alkalinity without the PH that comes with it

[Paigee]

Ok Neven, I see what you're saying. Thanks for your thorough explanation!