The dosage of ReBalance GH+ has to be made taking into account that 1 gram in 30 liters of deionized water increases Total Hardness by 1 dGH (1 degree GH)

So, for example, with 2 grams of ReBalance GH+ in 10 liters of deionized water, the replenished water has the following values:

Total Hardness = 6 dGH (German degrees of total hardness)
Conductivity = 260 µS/cm (micro Siemens on centimeter)
Calcium = 29 mg/l
Magnesium = 8.4 mg/l

For the convenience of the user, a measuring spoon is provided.
Six level spoonfuls of ReBalance GH+ in 25 liters of deionized water increase Total Hardness by about 6 dGH.

Alxyon always recommends making regular water changes.
In particular, it is recommended to change 20-25% of the aquarium water weekly.
Where it is not necessary to change even greater quantities or more frequently to rebalance incorrect/unbalanced KH and GH values.

During water changes, it is advisable to introduce new water into the aquarium after having remineralized it in a separate container.
For this purpose, the desired amount of ReBalance GH+ is introduced into the container containing the demineralized water and this is moved until a complete dissolution or homogeneous suspension is obtained.
You can then pour the water obtained in the aquarium in an area with strong movement (eg. at the exit of the filter).

Any slight residual turbidity is to be considered normal and, at the recommended dosages, the aquarium water becomes clear again in a short time.

For animals requiring water with higher or lower total hardness or conductivity, it is possible to increase or decrease the dosage of ReBalance GH+

For example, at a dosage of 6 grams every 20 liters of demineralized water, you get:

Total hardness = 9 dGH (German degrees of total hardness)
Conductivity = 390 µS / cm (micro Siemens on centimeter)

However, Alxyon formulates various types of remineralizing salts for specific purposes.
In these cases it is therefore good to check if there are dedicated alxyon salts and use the proper one.

Below you can find a dosage calculator, which can also be used on mobile phones.
Just select the relevant product (K1, Mg1, KH+, GH+) from the tabs above, enter the required data and the program will calculate the quantity of product to be dosed.

The need for a remineralizing salt mix

The success in maintaining demanding animal and plant species in aquaria is understandably related to the full satisfaction of their vital needs in the tank.
The first and fundamental step in this direction is the ability of the hobbyst to guarantee water with ideal characteristics (ion balance, pH, conductivity).

In this regard it should be noted that the use of tap water is, except in very rare cases, not optimal or even not suitable for a number of possible reasons:

• Non-optimal values ​​of the main indicators (Alkalinity, Hardness, pH, Conductivity, etc.)

• Not optimal / incorrect mineral balance (not optimal / incorrect relations between the single ions)

• Presence of unwanted ions or contaminants (Silicates, Vanadium, Fluorides, Phosphates, Nitrates etc.)

• Variability of the composition (in particular during certain periods of the year and / or according to the maintenance carried out by the aqueduct and its management of water supply sources).

Although all animal and plant organisms have a certain adaptability (species-specific), it should be noted that anyone who approaches today aquarium keeping in a serious or professional manner cannot do without using deionized water (usually by means of reverse osmosis) with very low conductivity (ideally below 10 microSiemens/cm).

The need therefore arises to reintegrate this pure water with mineral salts in such a way as to reach a water with a stable chemical composition and perfectly suitable for the needs of the organisms bred.

Important parameters for the evaluation of a remineralizing salt mix

The design of a salt mix for the mineral rebalancing of deionized water is subject to various constraints and restrictions, mainly inherent to:

• Ion Balance - Conductivity
The resulting conductivity after the water replenishment assumes a very important character for the absorption and use of the single ions present.
At the same concentration of nutrients the mix of reintegration salts will be much better the lower its conductivity.
This is because in conditions of lower conductivity, the use of water by the plants will be better, the absorption of nutrients will be more efficient, the possibility of interaction and antagonism of the ions will be lower, there will be greater possibility of dosing further nutrients (eg Nitrates and Phosphates) as well as greater time availability before conductivity reaches sufficiently high values ​​to require a water change.
The growth of aquatic plants will be affected as a result.
The level of conductivity achieved (always with the same concentration of nutrients) is therefore the main yardstick in the evaluation of a mixture of salts, or in the comparison between two or more of them.

• Hygroscopicity
A good product must have a hygroscopicity that is as low as possible (ideally nothing). This is an extremely important parameter, because the absorption of moisture by the salts makes them difficult to manage because of the compaction and makes the dosage inaccurate due to the alteration of the specific weight.
It can also cause unwanted chemical reactions among the constituents of the mix.

• Solubility
It is correct to state that solubility, in general, arises on a conflictual plane with respect to the correct ionic balance.

Generally in fact a greater (or immediate) solubility can be obtained only by introducing or increasing the use in the mixture of salts with greater hygroscopicity or increasing (beyond their real needs) the share of some useful anions (eg Chlorides) or introducing not necessary (eg Sodium).
Each of these strategies (separately or jointly) inevitably affects the stability of the preparation and, what is worse, its ionic balance and the resulting conductivity (increasing it), consequently, on its nutritional capacities and the results obtainable. A good mixture of salts must therefore represent a good compromise between solubility and good ion balance.

Is the separate replenishment of GH and Alkalinity preferable to the simultaneous replenishment of both?

Salts or solutions for the separate reintegration of GH and Alkalinity, by their very nature, cannot be optimized with regard to the ionic ratio and consequently to the conductivity.
That is, inevitably, a water replenished with mixtures of salts that raise GH and Alkalinity separately will always have, with the same fundamental cations (Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium), a worse ionic balance and a conductivity greater than those of a water replenished with a salt mix that simultaneously raises these two parameters at the same time.

The advice is therefore always to use mixtures of salts that raise Alkalinity (KH) and GH at the same time.
For example PhytaGen S1 Planta (for planted aquariums) or Specialized Community (for community aquariums, also with plants).

This simplifies the enthusiast's task and reduces the possibility of error, increasing the chances of success.

However, there may be cases in which it can be considered that it is necessary to act separately on GH and Alkalinity.
For example to compensate for a destabilizing behavior of the tank.

This can happen when the substrate or the decors are not chemically inert, but selectively adsorb or release some cations; resulting in a decrease or increase in GH unrelated to alkalinity;
Or if they lower the alkalinity in a way that is not related to GH;
Or, on the contrary, if the alkalinity is increased due to the release of carbonates from the substrate or decors.

In all these cases, if this does not happen deliberately (due, for example, to the use of particular limestone rocks), it is strongly recommended to solve these problems rather than trying to modify the ratios between the parameters of the salt mix with trying to balance the problem in the tank.

In general, cases such as those listed above by way of example can be considered correctly addressed only by following one of the methods listed below:

- Removal from the tank of the cause of the problem (substrate, decors etc.)
- Increase (in frequency and quantity) in the routine of water changes to stem the problem.

Of the two, the first represents the optimal and definitive solution, while the second is a sub-optimal situation as regards the results and the expenditure of time and effort inherent in its implementation.

For this reason, Alxyon suggests to use substrates that do not alter the chemical composition and the correct mineral balance of the water, obtainable through its well-balanced salt mixes from the PhytaGen and Specialized lines.

On the other hand, in cases where this destabilizing behavior of the tank is not avoidable (for example, because you still want to use decors that alter water chemistry), separate supplements for Alkalinity (KH) and GH must be used.

For this reason alxyon has decided to devise ReBalance KH+ and ReBalance GH+ salt mixes and make them available to aquarium enthusiasts; allowing them to rebalance the Alkalinity (KH) and Total Hardness (GH) separately.