I have read numerous threads regarding kH/pH and their interrelations.
That is not what I am interested in.

What I would like to know is:
has anyone intentionally altered their kH, trying to simulate natural
'seasons'(rain, drought cycles)?
if so what is the kH range that you work with?
results?

I have been experimenting with this idea on one tank for 2 1/2 years,
using sodium bicarb to influence kH levels

range: 18ppm (7months) 38ppm (5months) of course the change is gradual
(takes roughly 4 weeks for the 20ppm change) pH remained relatively
stable 6.6 - 7.0

results: I found almost all species in that tank went into a breeding
cycle. guppies (bad example - those little sex fiends), clown loaches,
gouramies(true honey), neon tetras. All seemed to produce eggs -
except the guppies(live bearers) - with viable offspring. Unfortunately
I also have a host of short-finned spiny eels in that tank, making fry
fair game as food.

While these results are by no means 'scientific' or representing the
absolute truth. I will continue experimenting and combine any input
that is provided.

Another question
Can anyone think of reasons not to do something of this nature?
backing?

Kris

|| What I would like to know is:
|| has anyone intentionally altered their kH, trying to simulate natural
|| 'seasons'(rain, drought cycles)?
|| if so what is the kH range that you work with?
|| results?
||
|| I have been experimenting with this idea on one tank for 2 1/2 years,
|| using sodium bicarb to influence kH levels
||
|| range: 18ppm (7months) 38ppm (5months) of course the change is
|| gradual (takes roughly 4 weeks for the 20ppm change) pH remained
|| relatively stable 6.6 - 7.0
||
|| results: I found almost all species in that tank went into a breeding
|| cycle. guppies (bad example - those little sex fiends), clown
|| loaches, gouramies(true honey), neon tetras. All seemed to produce
|| eggs - except the guppies(live bearers) - with viable offspring.
|| Unfortunately I also have a host of short-finned spiny eels in that
|| tank, making fry fair game as food.
||
|| While these results are by no means 'scientific' or representing the
|| absolute truth. I will continue experimenting and combine any input
|| that is provided.
||
|| Another question
|| Can anyone think of reasons not to do something of this nature?
|| backing?
||
|| Kris

I've never heard of clown loaches spawning in a home aquarium, but...
Temperature plays a considerable role in reproduction... as does the
'rainfall' you speak of. I know of a couple herp breeders that force
seasonal changes with similated rainfalls, using RO/DI water... but in very
small amounts, several times daily, and that's had good success...

The biggest reason I wouldn't 'work' that much with it, is, it's work. Some
ppl feel the need to take the hobby to the farthest edge of their
capabilities, others just like staring at tanks... I'm the latter half of
that, I'd rather have a great tank, with the lowest effort needed... That's
not to say I don't spend alot of time on and in them, I'd rather enjoy them,
then play with them... From time to time, I have a hankering to mess with
something, and then I plan it out over time, set it up, and run with it..
When I'm done, I'll execute my final plan of ridding myself of what I've
reaped.... For my guppy breeding experiment, I had 12-14 batches, all my
friends now have guppies, I created 3 new strains and gave the males to the
LFS for credit. My krib experiment is still underway, but the fry will be
traded and given to friends as well as populating other tanks...

The best reason I can give you, is there is no real good reason to do it,
unless of course, you just want to... :-)

--
RedForeman ©® fabricator and creator of the ratbike streetfighter!!!
==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
((((º`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸((((º ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ((((º

is that better??

RedForeman ©® wrote:
The biggest reason I wouldn't 'work' that much with it, is, it's work.

That's a matter of opinion. I only do this in 1 tank, and it's well an
experiment.

Some
ppl feel the need to take the hobby to the farthest edge of their
capabilities,

Well I'm only interested in the developing the most naturally beautiful
and prolific tank possibly, is that considered an extreme.

I guess I won't mention my plan to completely encase the amazon river in
an acrylic tank, for my personal viewing.

From time to time, I have a hankering to mess with
something,

beginnings of a world domination complex


The best reason I can give you, is there is no real good reason to do it,
unless of course, you just want to... :-)


Ahhhh. finally down to the real motive.

Kris

"Kris Waygood" wrote in message
news:BJnAc.22$T_1.9@clgrps12...


RedForeman ©® wrote:
The biggest reason I wouldn't 'work' that much with it, is, it's
work.

That's a matter of opinion. I only do this in 1 tank, and it's well an
experiment.

Some
ppl feel the need to take the hobby to the farthest edge of their
capabilities,

Well I'm only interested in the developing the most naturally beautiful
and prolific tank possibly, is that considered an extreme.

I guess I won't mention my plan to completely encase the amazon river
in
an acrylic tank, for my personal viewing.

From time to time, I have a hankering to mess with
something,

beginnings of a world domination complex


The best reason I can give you, is there is no real good reason to do
it,
unless of course, you just want to... :-)


Ahhhh. finally down to the real motive.

Kris

To a lesser extent today than before the Internet, we used to cast about
for potential spawning triggers. Armed with unidentified fish and no
documentation, we looked at where they came from and their closest
cousins for clues. The variables available are water temperature (slowly
increased and then a small sudden drop), duration of light (increase for
Spring, decrease for Fall), sudden drops in gH and or increases in
tannins (dropping leaf litter into the tank), rainfall (light shower from
a watering can over the water's surface), diet changes (glut in bugs
coinciding with fish spawning) and the usual privacy and various types of
substrates & shelters.

I'd never heard of using kH as a spawning trigger, as I've had the
impression that fish do not react to it directly. As to why we did it,
it was to spawn a new type of fish and tell the tale )
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Kris Waygood" wrote in message
news:BJnAc.22$T_1.9@clgrps12...


RedForeman ©® wrote:
The biggest reason I wouldn't 'work' that much with it, is, it's
work.

That's a matter of opinion. I only do this in 1 tank, and it's well an
experiment.

Some
ppl feel the need to take the hobby to the farthest edge of their
capabilities,

Well I'm only interested in the developing the most naturally beautiful
and prolific tank possibly, is that considered an extreme.

I guess I won't mention my plan to completely encase the amazon river
in
an acrylic tank, for my personal viewing.

From time to time, I have a hankering to mess with
something,

beginnings of a world domination complex


The best reason I can give you, is there is no real good reason to do
it,
unless of course, you just want to... :-)


Ahhhh. finally down to the real motive.

Kris

To a lesser extent today than before the Internet, we used to cast about
for potential spawning triggers. Armed with unidentified fish and no
documentation, we looked at where they came from and their closest
cousins for clues. The variables available are water temperature (slowly
increased and then a small sudden drop), duration of light (increase for
Spring, decrease for Fall), sudden drops in gH and or increases in
tannins (dropping leaf litter into the tank), rainfall (light shower from
a watering can over the water's surface), diet changes (glut in bugs
coinciding with fish spawning) and the usual privacy and various types of
substrates & shelters.

I'd never heard of using kH as a spawning trigger, as I've had the
impression that fish do not react to it directly. As to why we did it,
it was to spawn a new type of fish and tell the tale )
--
www.NetMax.tk

NetMax wrote:


I'd never heard of using kH as a spawning trigger, as I've had the
impression that fish do not react to it directly. As to why we did it,
it was to spawn a new type of fish and tell the tale )

I never thought to track general hardness, I wonder if alkalinity change
(baking soda) affected gh, I know my tds definitely went up. My main
experiment was to see how changing levels of KH and the affected pH,
would affect a heavily planted community tank.

Hmm.. I think I see another experiment coming on