Thread: gypsum in water
View Single Post
  #2   Report Post  
Old 06-05-2007, 09:12 PM posted to rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants
Vreejack Vreejack is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: May 2007
Posts: 13
Default gypsum in water

On May 6, 1:45 pm, Vreejack wrote:
At my new place the water seems to contain a lot of gypsum. I'm still
trying to guess how that is going to affect my new tank in the long
run. I think it might be harmless as the local nursery sells the
stuff as an inert additive to garden soil, but it leaves an
unattractive grey-white deposit on the bottom of a test bottle I just
evaporated. In the water heater it separates into sulfur and calcium
but I do not think that is going to happen in the aquarium.


After testing my water I found it cannot be gypsum. My GH and KH are
both 7, so the permanent soluble salts must be very low. I think I
should have realized that from the fact that this grey powder is not
all that soluble. I know there is some gypsum because the hot water
faucet releases H2S when I open it, but the amount must be small.
This residue must be magnesium carbonate, or "chalk." I'm going to
have to look up what this means for my tank.