Re: Hardness and Calcium confusion

[YoHoHo at aol_com]

I believe the problem is a simple misunderstanding.  The issue of calcium and 
hardness seems to have become one and the same, and of course, they are not.  
There is NO calcium in baking soda, but it does raise the HARDNESS.  Hardness 
is a property that is "made up" or "composed" of a number of materials.  The 
element  calcium, Ca can be one of the contributing materials, but not 
necessary.  Magnesium and several others contribute to "hardness".  The 
baking soda contribution to hardness is from the carbonate, CO3.  (Actually 
bicarbonate, HCO3, in this case, but that will probably confuse the issue 
further, sorry).  Just passing this on in an attempt to clarify, so please 
don't get too worked up.

I have been reading this thread with interest, as I now have some daphnia and 
moina, and would like to ensure their continued life, and hopefully growth.  
What is a brief synopsis of the tried and sure method to raise them in the 
house.  I have no barrel or tank in the yard, at least not yet (working up to 
it).
                 o
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             o
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Frank Carriglitto
ChiKA, AKA #08234



> Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2002 21:26:10 -0400
> From: "Daniel McMonigle" <Mcdaphnia at msn_com>
> Subject: Re: Reconsider use of Baking soda.
> 
> I've raised a lot of fish including that beautiful Tanganyikan killifish 
> and a lot of inverts. I've paid the price of taking the baking soda 
> shortcut.  
> 
> Study is always good advice. Homework would certainly make the scientific 
> terminology roll more smoothly off my finger tips, but it wouldn't change 
> the fact that things die because of the baking soda shortcut.
> 
> If baking soda does not produce only temporary hardness, then someone is 
> going to have to amend ALL of the textbooks and science websites. Start 
> here: http://www.mp-docker.demon.co.uk/environmental_chemistry/topic_3b/
> 
> Back to the topic, the albinistic or red ramshorn snails are weaker in my 
> experience working with them than their darker relatives. Allen made a very 
> good point that a low pH or acidity can etch snails' shells and be 
> disfiguring if not fatal. Keeping the water above 7.0 pH will usually 
> prevent this, and having dissolved calcium, and also digestible soft 
> calcium from cuttlebone, with the snails will promote development of hard 
> healthy shells in the first place. There are also some types of algae that 
> can grow on a snail shell and etch it even in a high pH environment. 
> Perhaps they create a low pH microenvironment.  
>   
> - ----- Original Message -----
> From: Allen and Sandra
> Sent: Saturday, July 20, 2002 8:43 PM
> To: KillieTalk at AKA_Org
> Subject: Reconsider use of Baking soda?
>   
> Hardly.  Carbonate=Carbon=basic building block for organic life forms.  (it
> also raises KH or Carbonate Hardness.)
> 
> It is only as temporary as your next water change.  Baking soda provides a
> buffer for the water and helps maintain a pH of about 8.0 to 8.2.  It is 
> not
> a "pH up" type chemical like an alkalinity booster, it is a buffer.  Please
> guys do some homework that is all it takes.
> 
> Boat
> (now wondering why he ever entered this conversation)
> 
> ps- things like peat and driftwood an such do suck dissolved solids out of
> the water, so Baking soda will have to be amended every now and then if
> there is a hardness sink such as these.
> 
> Allen "Boat" Boatman
> Lutz, FL
> TBAS, SKS, AKA 08298, SAA 96, CRLCA, NANFA
> 



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