Boosting GH - where to buy

[KLKelly]

I am now using my softened well water in my main tank - gh of 0 KH 14. 
For a month now I've been using city water - 0gh and 3kh in my small tanks.  I am having trouble with two rainbow tanks (bent spines) and I think it may be related to low GH.

What would be the safest way to increase GH.  I hear epsom salt and calcium chloride would be one approach.  I also hear calcium chloride is often sold as ice melter.

Any ideas?  Also - where could I buy it.  It would be for two ten gallons, a 20 gallon and a 90 gallon.

For the 90 gallon I'm thinking of mixing 1/2 softened and 1/2 unsoftened well water.  The rainbow fish were thriving when I switched from well water to city water so I'd rather keep them on city water.

Thanks guys

Karrie

[charlie]

Try any pool & spa store, they use it to raise the hardness of spas, i know the one on Hunt Club close to Costco sells it under the name "Cal Up"
Regards

I am now using my softened well water in my main tank - gh of 0 KH 14. 
For a month now I've been using city water - 0gh and 3kh in my small tanks.  I am having trouble with two rainbow tanks (bent spines) and I think it may be related to low GH.

  I hear epsom salt and calcium chloride would be one approach.  I also hear calcium chloride is often sold as ice melter.

Any ideas?  Also - where could I buy it. 

[BigDaddy]

You can buy gypsum (calcium sulphate) at brewing houses for literally a penny per gram.  I have 100g bottles here with .99 price tags on them.

[kennyman]

when you run water through a softener does it leave anything in the water in exchange for the stuff it removes?

[KLKelly]

It does... what I've been able to determine is that it adds salt.  In working out the numbers it would be at at 0.0084%.
I know there are systems out there that soften the water other ways but they are very expensive.

Thanks for all the recommendations.

Karrie

[BigDaddy]

Yup.. sodium.. which you don't need to really suppliment since there's already probably more than enough in your well water.

[artw]

I use Seachem Equilibrium

[damarech]

I use crushed coral as par of my substrate.This maintains a more even gh in the long term.
By trying to adjust water parematures with chemicals it is hard to keep the same values.And this makes you have to do water testing on an almost daly basis.
IMOA