Hawkman2000
Members
Bugdet?
Reed
Very Fishe
PFS - Pool Filter Sand. Works great and cheap
Veryfishe.com
Veryfishe.com
Hawkman2000
Members
Pfs is awsome. I prefer the mystic white from Dannys pool supply. The tan is nice as well, from leslies pool supply.
The only problem I see with pfs in aftican tanks is you would have to use something else to raise the ph. Like lace rock, or crushed coral in the filter. I'm sure many others here can provide many methods.
I would get 5 bags just to be sure.
Also recomend placing egg crate on the bottom of the tank before anything else. Got that idea from this forum. Work great.
The only problem I see with pfs in aftican tanks is you would have to use something else to raise the ph. Like lace rock, or crushed coral in the filter. I'm sure many others here can provide many methods.
I would get 5 bags just to be sure.
Also recomend placing egg crate on the bottom of the tank before anything else. Got that idea from this forum. Work great.
If you mix the Mystic white with some aragonite select it works great on the PH.
I scored 60lbs of pure white aragonite from Amazon recently for $12 per 20lb bag with free shipping (Amazon prime). If you go pfs maybe you could order a few bags of that aragonite to mix in with it. If you go to Danny's and get some mystic white pfs we could work out a trade for some of the aragonite I have. I need some of that pfs for the severum tank I'm setting up.
cabinetmkr39
DavidG / CCA Member
I just bought 50# bag of PFS in Edgewood Md. $12
I mixed Mystic White with Aragonite at a ration of 2 parts PFS with 1 part aragonite. When I do water changes I use seachem tang buffer and salts. I change 50% every 10 days and my ph locks in at 8.2-8.4 always. I only use 1 TBSP of each per 40 gallons.
so even after aragonite, one has to add buffers to maintain pH. i thought aragonite did that over a period of time n then one can just replenish with new aragonite after few months as the efficiency reduces.
DiscusnAfricans
Past President
I've never replaced any aragonite/crushed coral/holey rock. As long as its still present, it will still buffer, but the capacity is limited by the amount.
I have crushed coral or limestone rock in all of my African tanks, never replaced any, and I'm sure the pH is stable in the 8+ range. Can't say for sure because I never measure pH, but the fish are happy, so no reason to change anything.
I would stay away from the buffers added with water changes and just add more aragonite until you get the buffering capacity you want. After that, all you need is dechlor for water changes.
I have crushed coral or limestone rock in all of my African tanks, never replaced any, and I'm sure the pH is stable in the 8+ range. Can't say for sure because I never measure pH, but the fish are happy, so no reason to change anything.
I would stay away from the buffers added with water changes and just add more aragonite until you get the buffering capacity you want. After that, all you need is dechlor for water changes.
No worries. I continue to learn with each reply. Keep posting more. Where is Danny's Pool supply?
Also with the 2 part PFS/1 part Aragonite, is the hugh of the substrate still stay white? I want a more white substrate this next go around rather than with the crushed coral? It seems like the sand stays whiter than the crush coral.
A
Also with the 2 part PFS/1 part Aragonite, is the hugh of the substrate still stay white? I want a more white substrate this next go around rather than with the crushed coral? It seems like the sand stays whiter than the crush coral.
A
I have had no trouble with any of it staying white.
Terri
CCA Members
Undergravel filters, minus the lift tubes & often available used for mega cheap, also work well @ protecting the glass bottom of your tank.
Terri
CCA Members
BTW, you can also add a bag of substrate or similar calcareous buffer to the filter & replace some @ needed. I used to use crushed oyster shell, the kind sold for birds, as a buffer for my 1st tang tank--inexpensive & worked great.
