# Heavy metals in aquarium? Best way to remove?



## kaldurak (May 2, 2010)

You can do a 100% water change and not harm your beneficial bacteria / cycle. Very little of the bacteria is in the water column itself - it's mostly all attached to surfaces of glass, gravel, plant, decoration and filter media.


Edit: and 3 weeks isn't a long time. A water change or two should clear you up.


----------



## adkaquascaping (Apr 14, 2018)

What they said. I'd just do big water change and test again after it's settled out. I've never heard of air bubbler raising pH. Co2 will lower it, but water change should be good for you. 

If youre running plants make sure your water has some buffering capacity. Otherwise in day when they're photosynthesizing AND respiring, the pH will rise. At night, when PS stops, and they are only respiring, the pH will swing down. If you don't have the buffering capacity in the water, that is 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


----------



## Dragon_Snail (Jul 27, 2018)

Thank you both @kaldurak and @adkaquascaping ! I'll do a full water change then and for buffering capacity, I don't think I've added in anything to manage for that specifically with my plants. Is there anything you recommend for that specifically?

https://www.algone.com/adjust-ph-aquarium was where I read that decreasing aeration lowers pH, so I assumed that if I turned off the bubbler that I would help lower the pH. If that's not the case I'd be overjoyed since I was really loving having the sound of a column of bubbles floating though the bowl


----------



## kaldurak (May 2, 2010)

I can't comment on buffering the water, I use inert sand and tap water and my pH is super low from co2 and Indian almond leaves.

I havent tested my gh/kh for a bit. Probably should, but my Cherries and Chilis are happy.

I change water 2x per week with EI dry fert dosing.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

I would ignore your pH, leave it at whatever it naturally settles at. However, it is worth checking your GH/KH just to check they are ok for shrimp moulting. Your water company may have a report that lists them or a local fish shop can usually do a test for you if you don't have a test yourself.


----------



## adkaquascaping (Apr 14, 2018)

If you have the GH/gh in water sufficient for shrimp you'll be fine. The kh specifically. 

We have super soft water. Like 1/0 gh/kh. Have to use buffers like seachem alkaline/acid buffers to maintain a range. And keep things alive. 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


----------



## Dragon_Snail (Jul 27, 2018)

@tamsin

That's a really good idea! I was able to find a sheet of my city's drinking water chemical analysis and the last recorded avrage GH was 154. I think that means for sure the high GH that was in my tank last time I tested was from having the pyrite in there for sure and that the hardness of my tap isn't something I should worry about too much? I don't think they have the KH available but when I tested it with the last strip I had in my home aquarium test kit, the color the KH spot turned was something that fell into the "ideal" color range, but once I buy more test strips I'll for sure test it again.

I've watch videos about how chasing pH is more harmful for the fish, and if you agree a pH of 7.8 is okay for cherries then I'll leave it alone, but I'm still a bit nervous it's too high. 
@kaldurak

I'm getting a piece of driftwood in a few days and I think that might be enough of a buffer? I had to order it in the mail though, my petco never has any in stock. I was doing once a week ,water changes but I'll switch to two a week if that's what's working for you. I do 50% of the water when I change. I think I need to change my fertilizer, I read that flourish is better than leaf zone since it has potassium and I'm noticing tiny holes on some of my leaves which I think is from lack of potassium?

Again thank you all so much, I honestly was such a dunce about water chemistry, but since starting this aquarium I feel like I'm understanding things a lot better than when I had to learn about it in school.


----------



## KevinC (May 24, 2004)

Pyrite won't dissolve in the water. It is iron sulfide - most sulfides are very insoluble. The higher GH reading could just be the difference between when the city tested and when you did.

FYI too - "heavy metals" generally means things like lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium. The GH test shows the total amount of calcium, magnesium, and iron dissolved in the water - so heavy metals won't show up in a GH test.

More directly - you're on the right track, but you can fret less about most of the water chemistry. Especially if you get the RCS locally, they should be adapted to local tap water already.


----------



## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

Your friend is right and Kevin C is totally wrong on this, get that pyrite out of there. Insoluble != inert.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_mine_drainage



> The chemistry of oxidation of pyrites, the production of ferrous ions and subsequently ferric ions, is very complex, and this complexity has considerably inhibited the design of effective treatment options.[6]
> 
> Although a host of chemical processes contribute to acid mine drainage, pyrite oxidation is by far the greatest contributor.


The sulfide oxidizes into sulfate (sulfuric acid) and it often does contain heavy metals, the lowered ph from sulfuric acid can make the heavy metals take their free ionic form.

I personally don't think you need to be worrying about your airstone raising ph or adding co2 or ph down at all, and for this purpose would advise against it. At least for RCS...


----------



## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

Sounds like your GH about right for cherries. Definitely don't fret on the pH, mine fluxates between around 7.7 and 8.3 depending on where in the light cycle it is (drops overnight due to the plants producing CO2) and the shrimp breed fine. It's low tech with no added CO2.

If you can get shrimps locally that's best as they'll be living in the same conditions. If not have a read on how to drip acclimate them.

Removing the rock and changing the water should remove anything. If you are worried you could also add a piece of polyfilter: Poly-Filter - Arcadia Aquatic and if you are still nervous about adding shrimp, you could also test with daphnia (live fish food) once you've cleaned in up. If they survive it's fine.


----------



## KevinC (May 24, 2004)

Wobblebonk said:


> Your friend is right and Kevin C is totally wrong on this, get that pyrite out of there. Insoluble != inert.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_mine_drainage
> 
> ...


My mistake - I was only considering solubility, not reactivity. I doubt that it occurs quickly (assuming a large crystal, not fine powder), but not worth risking.


----------



## Dragon_Snail (Jul 27, 2018)

@tamsin

Thanks for all your advice! I did a full water change and got some new fertilizer for my plants and got some more test strips. My Ph seems to have settled at 7.5 after the change and my GH is down to 120. They've got three little cherries at my local petsore and I'm tempted to bring them home, but I might end up waiting a few days. I'd try the daphnia but I don't think they carry them as a live fish food. But yeah! I think things are shaping up much better and I'm so happy! Again thank you so much to everyone who helped out!


----------



## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

I don't know if it's quite the same near you but near me the lady I do the most fish / shrimp trades with sells cherries better than the LFS for waaaay less (I don't need cherries I have hundreds of my own) but it may be worth it to try to find a local "breeder" (afaik she doesn't cull them really, but started with good stock) vs what are likely to be imported shrimp from the LFS. My LFS may be particularly expensive though fluval 3.0s are "on sale" there for like 50$ more than msrp.



KevinC said:


> My mistake - I was only considering solubility, not reactivity. I doubt that it occurs quickly (assuming a large crystal, not fine powder), but not worth risking.


You're probably right that it's not that quick but it doesn't take much to mess up the parameters in a 5g tank.


----------



## kaldurak (May 2, 2010)

Wobblebonk said:


> I don't know if it's quite the same near you but near me the lady I do the most fish / shrimp trades with sells cherries better than the LFS for waaaay less (I don't need cherries I have hundreds of my own) but it may be worth it to try to find a local "breeder" (afaik she doesn't cull them really, but started with good stock) vs what are likely to be imported shrimp from the LFS. My LFS may be particularly expensive though fluval 3.0s are "on sale" there for like 50$ more than msrp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Agreed! Always check craigslist for local breeders!

My local guy sells cherries at or around $1 each and they are higher quality than the local fish store at $4 apiece.


----------



## Dragon_Snail (Jul 27, 2018)

@kaldurak @Wobblebonk @KevinC @tamsin @adkaquascaping

Sorry if anybody is bothered by being tagged but I wanted to give you all an update!

I made the changes to my tank and kept a single ghost shrimp alive past a molt, so I added my cherries and they seem to be doing great! No deaths form the five I've added and they've been having a blast in there and are still doing well after a water change 

Thanks again for all the help and support! I'm so excited to see if they start breeding at all! And I wish I could get shrimp as cheap as y'all. I posted on every FB aquarium group in my state looking for somebody selling cherries within an hour drive and didn't get anything back, and I couldn't find any shrimp on craigslist. I guess they aren't very popular here. I ended up having to drive an hour out to a pet store that sold them for.... $7 a pop... Might have well as bought them online with how much it was just for 5... lol


----------



## kaldurak (May 2, 2010)

Dragon_Snail said:


> @kaldurak @Wobblebonk @KevinC @tamsin @adkaquascaping
> 
> Sorry if anybody is bothered by being tagged but I wanted to give you all an update!
> 
> ...


Well, if your shrimp do well, and if you ever expand your collection - you can be the agent of change your part of the world needs.

Start breeding and selling shrimp at half their costs and then stuff a mattress with money. Undercutting the competition is the oldest tried and true business model.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## Dragon_Snail (Jul 27, 2018)

Aye aye captain!


----------



## adkaquascaping (Apr 14, 2018)

I'm glad your shrimp made it and are doing well. 


I got 45 neos .. and they all died. Almost all. Apparently the tank I set up FOR them was too soft. And within 12 hours they almost all died. I saved about 8 or 10. Took 24hrs and gradually acclimated them to my 55g community tank water so I could get them out of that death trap. And a month later, I still have at least 6. Saw them yesterday when moving plants around to make room for a new iguazu sword I bought. Company said that my water parameters were done except hardness and they shouldn't have died that fast. They're shipping replacement on Monday (I was out of state for a bit so they held off on replacing them till I was home). Fingers crossed they make it this time. 


Glad you're succeeding! Here's hoping I can *not* kill this order. 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


----------



## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

adkaquascaping said:


> Glad you're succeeding! Here's hoping I can *not* kill this order.



Dying that quick, I'd be worried that it was something other than hardness. I'd put the new batch into your community tank and just try one or two in the first tank.


----------



## adkaquascaping (Apr 14, 2018)

Tested everything else. pH was a a little lower but they were acclimated. They were fine all afternoon and until I went to bed. Morning revealed wanton death. Tank has been running for an additional 3 weeks almost now. So we will see.


tamsin said:


> Dying that quick, I'd be worried that it was something other than hardness. I'd put the new batch into your community tank and just try one or two in the first tank.


I think maybe pH difference was a bit much and I didn't acclimate them long enough, get them close enough to new tank. The seller keeps them at ~7.2-7.3, my tank was on the lower end of the range at 6.42 (exactly, tested with my lab equipment haha). They got a few splashes over an hour but I think the 10-fold change in pH might have been too much. They told me it was my hardness and failed molting which seemed strange considering they had just gone in tank the day prior. 


This time when they come in they're getting taken from their breather bags, going in a 5 gallon bucket, and slowly acclimated to my water over the next 24h. No chances. Hardness is fixed. pH is buffered by more than just my soil (Dennerle scapers soil) and Driftwood. The ones that managed to survive until I got home from work the following day in a tank so full of death got 24h splashed into a tank at 7.52. They're still alive as of this morning. So I know that very gradual and complete acclimation to new pH works (I brought them up to 7.4 before making final step into 7.52 tank). Idk what actually killed them. But I hope it doesn't happen again. 

Putting in community isn't an option if I ever hope to get them out of it hahaha. Too heavily planted to net them back out except if I tear tank down completely. Nope. 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


----------



## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

For mine, which come from GH18/TDS400 water, I matched the new tank to it, then changed over a few weeks to bring them down to my GH6/TDS 200 water. 

I wouldn't stress much over pH, is your GH/KH a match? My tank pH swings daily just with the light cycle and they aren't fussed.


----------

