Help with GH

[Amabsg0929]

Hello,

I have been writing here before, and get help so thanks lol. While I use the test master kit, today I used the API strips and the GH is at 180, per the chart it is too high. This is in my 29gal display tank where I have guppies, mollies, and a platty. While they are all swimming I feel like the guppies tails are slowly deteriorating and I am wondering if it has to do with the GH. I also want to know if that in fact is high and how to lower it? I use Seachem Prime and have been treating the water with StressGuard since I think they are stress as the tails aren't getting better but not rapidly getting worse, (thank God, lol). Thanks.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Your water would be considered moderately hard. Thats on the high end of where you want to be, and not something that needs correcting.

If you wanted to lower it in a non aggressive manner, some driftwood in your aquascape will bring it down a little.

Is the water hardness from your tapwater or is something in your tank raising it? What is the GH of your tank water?

Your previous threads indicated issues with ammonia and then you crashed your cycle medicating the tank. What are your other parameters at? pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Preferably taken before a water change.

 

[Amabsg0929]

Thank you.

I do not know my tap water hardness. I took the tank GH before performing a water change and it was 180, this was when I wrote the post. I ran out of strips so haven't checked it with test strips. My tank levels are PH 7.6, high range PH is 7.4, ammonia is 0.0, nitrate, 0.0, and nitrite 0.0, these are also before the water change.

Do I need to buy more test strips or does somehow the GH falls into a category with the PH?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Personally GH isnt something i periodically check for. Its not that important to monitor unless you have a known issue or are needing to maintain a level for a specific reason. Yes like pH, its more imprtant that your hardness is maintained at a steady level than an ideal level.

Most places can get a tap water report from their water company. I know i can easily access mine online, and they update the report periodically. Their report will be much more accurate than what a home test kit can produce.

 

[Amabsg0929]

Yea I had not checked it in a while, but it was my last strip so I decided to check it. I couldn't find the level on their website so I did a google search says that most areas in Texas have hard water, so maybe it is the tap water. I am gonna buy more strips. If its my tap water, do you know how I would be able to lower it? or is the driftwood the best solution? Do you think that is what is affecting the guppies? Maybe its that I bought pairs of guppies rather than a school? like I bought to elephant ears, two blur grass, all males? Should I worry about it? all my my mollies and platty seem fine?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Using driftwood and/ or indian almond leafs in your aquascape or peat moss in your filtration will release tannins which will lower GH. It will also stain your water brown and give you a blackwater look to your aquarium. Your fish will like it, you might not. Carbon will absorb the tannins and clear the discolouration, but will also negate the GH lowering.

Chemically altering things generally leads to more issues than it solves.

The other option is to mix your tap water with either RO water or distilled water at water changes.

Personally your level of GH isnt that high. Its high end of ideal. I also wouldnt put much trust in test strips giving you an accurate test reading.

If you arent seeing any aggression between your fish I would put your issues down to the poor water quality they were in recently. See if things improve or deteriorate over the next few weeks now your water quality is better.

 

[Colin_T]

A GH of 200ppm or higher is fine for common livebearers like guppies, platies, swordtails and mollies. in fact mollies fail to do well in soft water with a GH below 200ppm and do best with a GH above 250ppm.

I would not change the GH.


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If your guppies have damaged tails, post some pictures of them so we can check them for disease.

Salt is a good treatment for common livebearers and can be used to help with minor infections and some parasites. But post pictures first.