How do I lower my hardness slightly?

[mandy2936]

20g tank- it's cycling.

When it's done, I'm going to have Male Guppies, Julii Cories, and Neon Tetras.

My pH is 7.0-7.5. While it was cycling I have noticed that it has risen.. it used to be 6.5-7.0. I would prefer it to be 7.2

Anyway, my hardness used to be in the "Soft-Hard" range, now it's in the "Hard-Very Hard" range. I want to get it back down to the "Soft-Hard" range.

What can I do?

 

[LostLoach]

u can try filtering the water through peat or boiling it..im afraid anything els will be very expensive and risky.(reverse osmosis)

 

[LostLoach]

and as for the ph the best way to alter it is to use a buffer i can personally vouch for "coral bones" your LFS should have it just add this in a mesh bag to your filter or in the actual tank doesnt matter and this will safely raise your ph gradually.. my water was at 6.2 and i riased it to 7.0 over time and it keeps it there ever since..if you decide to go this route careful not to add too much especially when your only trying to raise it 2 points because if you add too much it could raise to well over 8.0 consult your LFS as to how much you should

 

[mandy2936]

No I don't want to raise my pH, if anything just keep it steady.
How do I do that?

Still don't know how to make my water softer... now it's just "Very Hard", 180 ppm. I don't know what you mean by boiling my tank of filtering it with peat?

Also, does anyone think it's a good idea to buy a chemical or something at the pet store that's supposed to soften the water?

 

[Vircomore]

Fluval Peat Granules, 500 gram (17.6 oz)

Peat granules are used as a filter media when someone wants to lower their ph and hardness. The granules contain a weak acid that leeches into the water to lower ph, and the peat absorbs the trace elements that contribute to hard water.

The opposite would be a coral or carbonate filter media for hardening water.

You should try and avoid those "ph up" and "ph down" chemicals because unless you can accurately manipulate those chemicals with new water, old water, food types, etc. You end up with wildly swinging ph instead of a stable one.

 

[Lowryder]

Anything with tannins wll soften your water. Driftwood and peat moss will soften your water. Blackwater extract will too. DW and peat wont keep your gh consistant; as it breaks down and your remove tannins through pwc's. Blackwater extract might be more consistant but you need to dose after every pwc. The best way is RO. If you dont want to spend a small fortune on a RO system, a good lfs usually will sell ro water. Mine sells it for $0.85 per gallon.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I think the best advice i can give you is to leave it alone unless it fluctuates. During a cycle, your ph can bounce around alot so dont worry with it... honestly, you'll cause more problems by attempting to alter your ph and hardness unless there is reason to do so

 

[mandy2936]

Ok, thanks everyone for the info, advice, tips, and ideas.