Benibachi soil question

[ronron]

Hi guys I've had my tank set up for about 10 months now and my gh has crept to 8gh I was wondering if that is because my benibachi soil has lost its buffering capabilities. Would you recommend using fulvic grain to hopefully bring it down to around 4 again? I currently use ro water with salty shrimp. I keep Taiwan bees but their colours don't seem as solid now either. Would this be because of the gh?

[shrimpstan]

maybe ur adding too much salty shrimp?

do u use a TDS/EC pen?

if the soil looses its buffering u would notice more a pH rise than GH.

when u over dose the salty shrimp the only thing besides TDS that increases is GH.

a friend has the same GH and higher with some really nice colouring so its not that either.

test all the WP because fulvic grain might not help you.

my guess is ur adding too much salty shrimp.

[BlueBolts]

Perhaps if you could post your WP, and even a pic of your tank, it may provide some clues ? Have you added any limestone, coral chips etc.... ?

[Sprae]

Benibachi soil shouldn't raise GH at all. Did you add anything before? Also how do you source your RO? as you may need to check that too.

I've had Benibachi for 2 years and I've only lost pH buffer = higher pH. GH is control more from water source as if you're using RO+SSM only then it should be GH 5-6.

[BlueBolts]

I've actually had the impression that the benibachi soils buffers both PH-6.4 and GH-4 ...

[ronron]

Thanks for the replies ill check the parameters tomorrow as I honestly didn't look after my tank for 4 months or so then realises my kk was berried and started looking after the tank again. Ill take pics of the kk that's lost it's colour and also some of the shrimplets.