quartz/lime question.

[cichlid_girl]

I went to a quary in Quebec and fished out some rocks for my cichlids to make some neat caves. I think that it was a lime quary because most of the quartz I got is covered in lime. I have cleaned most of it off, however in case I don't have it all off does anyone know if it will hurt my fish?

[cichlid_girl]

incase this helps anyone else, the answer is no it will not hurt cichlids. the lime raises the ph of the water, and the fish are loving their new caves.

[dpatte]

don't you hate it when you have to answer your own question

[artw]

I wouldn't mind some of those rocks.  is this quarry Morrisons quarry? (bungee jump place)

[cichlid_girl]

yes they are as a matter of fact. i drove in past the part where the bungee jump is. take the road on the right to a big flat section in the middle of where the roads in there split as the dump trucks still go down the road on the left. i know this sounds a bit vague but you will see what i mean when you get there. watch out cor the car sized puddles too.

[artw]

actually I go diving there in the summer so I know the area well..

[dpatte]

Morrisons quarry is a gypsum mine. gypsum is quite soluble in water, though Im not sure what the chemical composition is - it will certainly add hardness - probably calcium hardness.

[Anubias]

Gypsum is calcium sulfate, CaSO4. It will not raise the carbonate hardness or KH. However, it will raise the calcium hardness; hence, the GH.

[cichlid_girl]

i obviously dont know nearly enough about hardness then.
is that good? or bad?
whats the difference?

[Anubias]

KH or carbonate hardness is the buffering capacity provided mostly by the HCO3 ions. The GH is the amount of calcium and magnesium ions in the water. The KH is probably most important for us in Ottawa as the water has a low KH, and as the KH approaches zero, pH falls, sometimes very quickly. One should always have some buffering capacity in aquarium water. Rift Lake cichlid keepers prefer both a high KH and a high GH. They could tell you more about it than I.

Regards,

[artw]

I use Epsom Salt Baking Soda and limestone to raise GH/KH