Water too soft?

[theaquagod]

Im new to this form and I've got a question.

I have a little problem with my water, when i tested it the water was at 0ppm. However my PH is at 8.5, I know that fish benefit from a stable environment, but I don't want to keep it this way. My apple snails are showing signs of bad water with their black spirals. Please help!

 

[Old Scales]

Welcome to the forum,
OK, we need a little more information to be able to help you. Not sure what you mean by water too soft. What are you testing that was 0 ppm? How are you testing? With test strips or with the API master test kit? What size tank and gallons and what fish do you have in it? To know if your water is soft or hard you are going to need a GH/KH test kit. Is this what you are using? OS.

 

[theaquagod]

Welcome to the forum,
OK, we need a little more information to be able to help you. Not sure what you mean by water too soft. What are you testing that was 0 ppm? How are you testing? With test strips or with the API master test kit? What size tank and gallons and what fish do you have in it? To know if your water is soft or hard you are going to need a GH/KH test kit. Is this what you are using? OS.

I was using a 5 in 1 test strip i got from petco, i have a 10 gallon and ive got mollies plattys and guppies, i know my water is soft because my home has a water softener.

 

[Old Scales]

I'm sorry to say but the test strips are notoriously inaccurate. Most of the time your fish are in trouble by the time it shows up on the strip. They are just not sensitive enough. I strongly suggest you buy the API master test kit. With just a 10 gallon tank and Molly's, platies, and guppies you are going to have to watch your water quality very closely. These are great fish to keep that they have moderate to high bio waste amounts. So you will have to stay on top of your water changes and that is determined by your level of nitrates. With a pH of 8.5 I don't believe your water is too soft. Having a high pH and the low KH water is pretty rare. Until you are able to test your water regularly with a more accurate test kit. You should do a 50% water change at least once a week. If you stay with all livebearers, you can safely add 1 teaspoon of the aquarium salt for each 5 gallons of water. This will especially help the Mollies. Your pH is actually great for the fish that you have currently. The mollies and platys are fish that should be kept in at least a 20 gallon tank, so you are pushing the limits in a 10 gallon.
The master test kit can be found for between 20 and $25 and a separate GH/KH test kit is around $10.
Hope this helps, good luck. OS.

 

[theaquagod]

I'm sorry to say but the test strips are notoriously inaccurate. Most of the time your fish are in trouble by the time it shows up on the strip. They are just not sensitive enough. I strongly suggest you buy the API master test kit. With just a 10 gallon tank and Molly's, platies, and guppies you are going to have to watch your water quality very closely. These are great fish to keep that they have moderate to high bio waste amounts. So you will have to stay on top of your water changes and that is determined by your level of nitrates. With a pH of 8.5 I don't believe your water is too soft. Having a high pH and the low KH water is pretty rare. Until you are able to test your water regularly with a more accurate test kit. You should do a 50% water change at least once a week. If you stay with all livebearers, you can safely add 1 teaspoon of the aquarium salt for each 5 gallons of water. This will especially help the Mollies. Your pH is actually great for the fish that you have currently. The mollies and platys are fish that should be kept in at least a 20 gallon tank, so you are pushing the limits in a 10 gallon.
The master test kit can be found for between 20 and $25 and a separate GH/KH test kit is around $10.
Hope this helps, good luck. OS.

Sorry for the late response im in between classes right now, i will buy the api test kit and try that. Also, will the apple snails be harmed by the salt? I don't want to kill them

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[theaquagod]

Bump

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[Old Scales]

They should be able to tolerate 1 tsp per 10g. It's because of your snail that you wouldn't want it any stronger. OS.

 

[theaquagod]

They should be able to tolerate 1 tsp per 10g. It's because of your snail that you wouldn't want it any stronger. OS.

So i should put 1 TEAspoon of salt every 50% waterchange?

What kind of salt?

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[Old Scales]

Yes TEAspoon. Use aquarium or Kosher salt. Do not use regular table salt. Dissolve it in a little water first, then add to tank. OS.

 

[theaquagod]

Yes TEAspoon. Use aquarium or Kosher salt. Do not use regular table salt. Dissolve it in a little water first, then add to tank. OS.

Ok thanks for all the help

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[Jmunroe]

If your trying to have 1 teaspoon per 10 gallon, don't add a teaspoon every 50% water change it will build up fast. Add the one teaspoon the first time then only add half a teaspoon with a 50% water change.