The simplest way of raising the GH of water is with Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate). This combination will keep ph swings to a minimum and the calcium and magnesium are good for your fish and plants.
Start with 3 tablespoons of each dissolved in a container of pond water before adding it to the pond. Slowly pour it around the perimeter. Allow to mix and retest GH. Repeat this process until you achieve a reading of 100 - 150 mg/L (ppm).
This amount should raise the Hardness in a 1,000 gallon pond about 5 ppm.
Not recommended to raise calcium by more than 20 ppm per 24 hours.
Swimming pool supplies 'calcium hardness increaser' is calcium chloride and is safe for fish.
Calcium chloride will only affect pH if the pH is above 8.3 and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) was used to raise the KH. This is because Calcium chloride precipitates out the baking soda, which was added to raise the KH (which could also raise the pH above 8.3), so the result is a stable 8.3 pH.
Start with 3 tablespoons of each dissolved in a container of pond water before adding it to the pond. Slowly pour it around the perimeter. Allow to mix and retest GH. Repeat this process until you achieve a reading of 100 - 150 mg/L (ppm).
This amount should raise the Hardness in a 1,000 gallon pond about 5 ppm.
Not recommended to raise calcium by more than 20 ppm per 24 hours.
Swimming pool supplies 'calcium hardness increaser' is calcium chloride and is safe for fish.
Calcium chloride will only affect pH if the pH is above 8.3 and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) was used to raise the KH. This is because Calcium chloride precipitates out the baking soda, which was added to raise the KH (which could also raise the pH above 8.3), so the result is a stable 8.3 pH.