This product has a successor: Duradrakon CH Plus 500 g refill package
This new product replaces Duradrakon M resp. T - Component A complete!
Content and composition are identical. Description and presentation have been adapted to it that the salt mixture is far more suitable than for just the hardening of Malawi and Tanganyika tanks.
Hardener salt combination for Tanganyika-cichlids - Component A
In nearly all freshwater lakes around the world, the calcium ratio is significantly higher than the magnesium ratio. Even at a high carbonate hardness, this limits the upper pH-value, as calcium carbonate (lime) starts to disintegrate at a pH-value of 8.5 - 9 and therefore prevents a further increase.
But Lake Tanganyika has four times more dissolved magnesium than calcium (in mole fractions nearly 6 times as much). As magnesium carbonate only starts to disintegrate at a pH-value beyond 9.5 - 10, the increase of a pH-value even beyond 9 is relatively contrary.
The most important issue when keeping cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, is to maintain the water chemistry by exchanging the water frequently to prevent the pH-value from dropping when too many break-down products occur after feeding. This and too much free CO2 agrees very badly with the animals.
Basic information
Lake Tanganyika water practically only contains hydrogen carbonates apart from tiny amounts of chloride and hardly traceable amounts of sulphate. If you plan to imitate pure Lake Tanganyika water, you would have to use hardly soluble magnesium- and calcium carbonate as hardener salt contents.
But these salts do not dissolve within an adequate period of time and therefore the desired alkaline pH-values can never be achieved.
The solution is the conception of a 2-component-combination; Combination A for the (hydrogen) carbonate in an easily soluble form - Combination B for the corresponding cations is also an easily soluble combination
Herewith, the desired pH-value and desired hardness is achieved with only a slightly higher total salinity.
Ingredients
Component A: 59.8 % Hydrogencarbonate, 21.5 % Sodium, 11.4 % Potassium, 7.3 % Carbonate
Both components A and B have to be dissolved separately and are only to be mixed directly before adding them to the tank.
They should be diluted as much as possible, so no clouding due to undissolved calcium- and magnesium carbonate can occur.
Component A is relatively alkaline when it is not yet dissolved and should therefore be kept from skin or even mucous membranes (eyes!) In case of doubt, rinse with fresh water. Also refrain from inhaling the powder.
Dosage see web site |
