I just wanted to get some advice. So I am a relatively new aquarist keeping guppies in my 10g planted tank since early July of this year. I use the Hagen geosystem substrate in my planted tank which keeps my pH very stable at 7.8. (I have never experienced a swing in pH and Ammo 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0-5). My question involves weekly partial water changes. So far, every week i've been doing 25% water changes.
My procedure goes as follows:
1 .Fill a bucket of water from tap (ph 6.6, gh < 17ppm, kh <17ppm) the day before
2. Add a nylon bag with the same geosystem substrate i use in my tank
3. Heat water, add water conditioner
4. Test pH. and if its a match to tank water you're good to go.
I purposely add the nylon bag contained with substrate to try to closely match my tank water parameters as this will bring my pH and possibly the gH and kH to the right levels.
So here's where I need advice on. I just picked up a gH and kH test kit and realized my gH is quite high sitting at 250ppm (14), but my kH is fine at 125ppm (7). I'm trying to get the gH level down, and from what i gather, there is no real solution to addressing this other than water changes (i hear pillows aren't that great and peat will cause the pH to drop). Since my tap water's gh and kh are quite low (< 17ppm for both), i was thinking of getting rid of my nylon bag for water changes and instead use API pH up for the new water. This way I am only adjusting the pH in the new water and leaving the gH and kH at tap levels thus reducing gH levels in my tank water. My concern here is whether adjusting the gH will harm my fish? Also, I'm not sure how API ph up works, so if i introduce this to the water would it cause my pH to swing?
My procedure goes as follows:
1 .Fill a bucket of water from tap (ph 6.6, gh < 17ppm, kh <17ppm) the day before
2. Add a nylon bag with the same geosystem substrate i use in my tank
3. Heat water, add water conditioner
4. Test pH. and if its a match to tank water you're good to go.
I purposely add the nylon bag contained with substrate to try to closely match my tank water parameters as this will bring my pH and possibly the gH and kH to the right levels.
So here's where I need advice on. I just picked up a gH and kH test kit and realized my gH is quite high sitting at 250ppm (14), but my kH is fine at 125ppm (7). I'm trying to get the gH level down, and from what i gather, there is no real solution to addressing this other than water changes (i hear pillows aren't that great and peat will cause the pH to drop). Since my tap water's gh and kh are quite low (< 17ppm for both), i was thinking of getting rid of my nylon bag for water changes and instead use API pH up for the new water. This way I am only adjusting the pH in the new water and leaving the gH and kH at tap levels thus reducing gH levels in my tank water. My concern here is whether adjusting the gH will harm my fish? Also, I'm not sure how API ph up works, so if i introduce this to the water would it cause my pH to swing?
