GH and KH

[Sk3lly]

I live in a really hard water area and have only recently thought to test for GH and KH. Im fairly new to this. How would i go about lowering these values? Any advice appreciated

 

[flitabout]

Use reverse osmosis water that is about the only advise I have for you. I have been hiking water in for my tank for the last month. I have really hard water too. My levels yesterday were KH 15dkh and GH 30dkh.

 

[Sk3lly]

Is there any other way?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I live in a really hard water area and have only recently thought to test for GH and KH. Im fairly new to this. How would i go about lowering these values? Any advice appreciated

Are your fish happy and healthy?

 

[Sk3lly]

Yea they seem ok. Is it not hard to tell?

 

[NadiaG]

Water parameters could be confusing. I found this article very helpful and it is easy to understand. It will also tell you how to cope with your concern. Hope it helps.

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article94.html

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Yea they seem ok. Is it not hard to tell?

Then no need to mess with it IMHO.

 

[NadiaG]

Also remember, steady kH and pH is more important to fish than trying to make it ideal and fluctuate it which can cause fish to get sick and die.

 

[NadiaG]

Agreed with previous post!

 

[Rivercats]

You have to be very careful and consistent when using RO to cut with tap water to lower kh/gh. If you do it half heartedly you can cause problems with kh/gh/ph fluxuating which is very bad for fish. IMO the old saying of "don't fix it if it aint broke" works in this situation. If your fish have been in the tank for a long time and do well you don't need to worry about using RO as they have acclimated just fine.

 

[Sk3lly]

You have to be very careful and consistent when using RO to cut with tap water to lower kh/gh. If you do it half heartedly you can cause problems with kh/gh/ph fluxuating which is very bad for fish. IMO the old saying of "don't fix it if it aint broke" works in this situation. If your fish have been in the tank for a long time and do well you don't need to worry about using RO as they have acclimated just fine.

Is there any long term health rusks for fish exposed to these hugh levels though?

 

[Rivercats]

No there isn't unless the ph got ridiculously high.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Depends on the fish, my L030 did ok for a few months before it turned a funny colour. It was kept in hard-very hard, my natural tap conditions. I bought an RO unit specifically to provide the conditions required for that fish. If I knew more at the start I would've been more careful at the research/purchase stage. Beginners boo-boo!

Agree with what everybody here has said though.

There are many options depending on your future plans for fish. If you want a low maintenance tank select suitable fish. Rift lake cichlids are commonly hard water fish (other hard water fish available) then you only need to select suitable stock.

If your fish appetite is insatiable, like many fish keepers, an RO/DI unit will yield full and complete control over all water parameters for virtually all but the most specialised aquatic environments on earth, which are too much for even the keenest fish fanatics. You will be able to keep pretty much anything on offer, space permitting.

So the question to you is, what do you want from the world of Fishkeeping. If you are happy where you are, carry on with the usual care.

Another question, (quite important) what are the species concerned at this time. Lots of species are able to adapt to a wide variety of environments as almost no body of water is stable for a given 24hr period. Even the various seas change mildly. Some species are tolerant of change but not for prolonged periods of time.

 

[Sk3lly]

Depends on the fish, my L030 did ok for a few months before it turned a funny colour. It was kept in hard-very hard, my natural tap conditions. I bought an RO unit specifically to provide the conditions required for that fish. If I knew more at the start I would've been more careful at the research/purchase stage. Beginners boo-boo! Agree with what everybody here has said though. There are many options depending on your future plans for fish. If you want a low maintenance tank select suitable fish. Rift lake cichlids are commonly hard water fish (other hard water fish available) then you only need to select suitable stock. If your fish appetite is insatiable, like many fish keepers, an RO/DI unit will yield full and complete control over all water parameters for virtually all but the most specialised aquatic environments on earth, which are too much for even the keenest fish fanatics. You will be able to keep pretty much anything on offer, space permitting. So the question to you is, what do you want from the world of Fishkeeping. If you are happy where you are, carry on with the usual care. Another question, (quite important) what are the species concerned at this time. Lots of species are able to adapt to a wide variety of environments as almost no body of water is stable for a given 24hr period. Even the various seas change mildly. Some species are tolerant of change but not for prolonged periods of time.

I have neon tetras, cherry barbs and green neon rasboras. I would like to add a couple of dwarf gourami and a couple of honey gourami

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Tough choice

I have neon tetras, cherry barbs and green neon rasboras. I would like to add a couple of dwarf gourami and a couple of honey gourami

Neons are most definitely soft to neutral, 6.8pH ideally. Tetra will do ok a bit higher/basic, to maybe 7.2.
If you are a beginner wait a bit, dwarf gourami or colisa Lalia are soft also but very sensitive fish. They don't suffer mistakes well at all. If you get the water sorted master that part, once you are confident you know what is happening and how to change things, carry on with gourami.

It appears to have been renamed trichogaster lalius. These fish were removed from sale because of an unknown disease a few years back, they are on sale again. I have no research on this.

Everybody is right though, these fish don't tolerate change. Small regular ready mixed water changes will be necessary. Keep a diary for the system(s) notes on water, maintenance etc.

Understand the link provided, post #6.

Everyone who has posted here so far can be trusted, we will all help you.
I have personal experience with mum of 2 and river cats, the link poster I'm taking a guess on but I would say is safe given the information provided. Whoever said RO, that would've been my first answer.

Barbs/rasboras/tetra fast river.
Gourami sp. slow planted. Bubble nest.

Maybe 2 tanks?

 

[Rivercats]

I have neon tetras, cherry barbs and green neon rasboras. I would like to add a couple of dwarf gourami and a couple of honey gourami

The neons and green neon rasboras would like softer water but again if you've had them in that water for awhile they have acclimated and don't need to be changed unless you just want to. I have 2 nano fish tanks, a 24g and 55g, in which I do use RO to cut with tap to keep my gh and kh at 3. With those levels my ph runs around 6.7 to 6.8. But you have to watch all of those levels (kh,gh,ph) when using RO and tap water so you keep the tank water levels of these very consistant. You have to be very committed if you go this route.

As for adding multiple Dwarf and Honey Gourami's I wouldn't. Maybe one Dwarf and one Honey but watch as they could be aggressive with each other.

 

[Sk3lly]

The neons and green neon rasboras would like softer water but again if you've had them in that water for awhile they have acclimated and don't need to be changed unless you just want to. I have 2 nano fish tanks, a 24g and 55g, in which I do use RO to cut with tap to keep my gh and kh at 3. With those levels my ph runs around 6.7 to 6.8. But you have to watch all of those levels (kh,gh,ph) when using RO and tap water so you keep the tank water levels of these very consistant. You have to be very committed if you go this route. As for adding multiple Dwarf and Honey Gourami's I wouldn't. Maybe one Dwarf and one Honey but watch as they could be aggressive with each other.

I was told tht a male of each and a female of each would be ok?? I guess this information is incorrect

 

[Rivercats]

In that cause it could work but DG females are very hard to find. Actually both Honey and DG females are hard to find. If you want to go this route and can find females I would choose either the DG or the Honey and get 1 male and 2 females.

 

[Sk3lly]

Neons are most definitely soft to neutral, 6.8pH ideally. Tetra will do ok a bit higher/basic, to maybe 7.2. If you are a beginner wait a bit, dwarf gourami or colisa Lalia are soft also but very sensitive fish. They don't suffer mistakes well at all. If you get the water sorted master that part, once you are confident you know what is happening and how to change things, carry on with gourami. It appears to have been renamed trichogaster lalius. These fish were removed from sale because of an unknown disease a few years back, they are on sale again. I have no research on this. Everybody is right though, these fish don't tolerate change. Small regular ready mixed water changes will be necessary. Keep a diary for the system(s) notes on water, maintenance etc. Understand the link provided, post #6. Everyone who has posted here so far can be trusted, we will all help you. I have personal experience with mum of 2 and river cats, the link poster I'm taking a guess on but I would say is safe given the information provided. Whoever said RO, that would've been my first answer. Barbs/rasboras/tetra fast river. Gourami sp. slow planted. Bubble nest. Maybe 2 tanks?

This is my tank. Also has bubble stones but they are on a timer and are not always on. Its heavily planted down at the back with open areas in front and at middle. Is my very first tank and sort of rushed the layout so wish i could redo

 

[Sk3lly]

In that cause it could work but DG females are very hard to find. Actually both Honey and DG females are hard to find. If you want to go this route and can find females I would choose either the DG or the Honey and get 1 male and 2 females.

Oh i got pygmy corys too. I forgot about those little guys. I only wanted the dwarf gourami as a bigger centrepiece fish. Any other suggestions?