RE: Endler's livebearers

["Paul M. Carey" <careyfam3@home.com>]

Kathy,

I use Bicarb Soda in all my tanks.  I mainly use it to help buffer water and
to help with maintaining the PH.  I have not had a problem with ph dropping
or anything but I think that has a lot to do with filtration in general.

I use one tea spoon / 10 gals  and have found it to work quite well for us
in the last two years.

I also use Salt as well in the tank to keep the GH up.
Epsom's work well.  I don't filter with carbon on much of anything except
the eclipse which the Endlers are housed in and my Quarantine tank.

I have used crushed coral substrate but it eventually started to break down
and started to soften my water.  this was before I used Bicarb soda.  I have
had some strange experiences however and by no means see this as a normal
event unless someone else can say that they had similar happen to them?

I do frequent water changes weekly basis, about 10 to 20 % in all my tanks.
when I do them I always add bicarb soda.

Hopefully that will be helpful?

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gsas-board@thekrib.com
[mailto:owner-gsas-board@thekrib.com]On Behalf Of Kathy Olson
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2001 9:15 AM
To: gsas-board@thekrib.com
Subject: Endler's livebearers



Paul,

We had to leave pretty quick last night, but I wanted to hear how you
harden the water for your Endler's livebearers.  I heard about adding
Sodium Bicarbonate but not the ratio.

I thought it would be good for everyone (myself included) to hear an
alternative way to harden the water.


Thanks
Kathy