KH and GH

[beverlygcox]

Hello everyone! Being relatively new to the modern aquarium, I do not understand the relationship between KH and GH. I used the API test and got 11 for both. Is this too high? Also I cannot use my water at home b/c I have a water softener and acid neutralizer hooked up to the system d/t bad well water. The pH on my tap water is like 8.8, so we use water from a local spring. Parameters in my tank currently are:
pH - 7.0
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrites - 0ppm
Nitrates - 0ppm
KH - 11 degrees
GH - 11 degrees
All this was obtained using API Master Test Kit and API GH and KH Test Kit

29 gallon tank includes:
7 Tiger Barbs
6 Zebra Danios
1 Albino Pleco
1 Red Tail Shark
3 Gold Inca Snails
Various live plants w/ DIY CO2

Thanks in advance for any advice/help!
Beverly

 

[jcolon]

KH ... Calcium hardness and GH .. General hardness measure the dissolved mineral content of your tap. Higher KH generally increases your pH. Since you have a water softener, I'm guessing you have a hard water problem with your tap ... Which is common for ground water ... Especially if you have limestone bedrock.

How are your fish doing? They don't lie... If your water is bad for them, you'd know right away.

 

[beverlygcox]

Well, so far I have lost a few of the tiger barbs to what I thought was columnaris, but not totally sure. They came from Petco and could not close their mouths. We noticed it right away and QT'd and treated them but lost 3 anyways. Unfortunately, our QT tank is taking a lot longer to cycle than the other tank and is not complete yet. It may have been the ammonia spikes that affected the already sick fish that contributed to their demise. But, all remains fish are looking and acting good. Saw some white stringy poop and lethargy yesterday so I treated whole tank with Jungle Parasite Clear fizz tabs and affected fish seem way more active today. Once again, lesson learned.....I will never buy fish from Petco again!

Yes, we had very hard water which is why the water softener is in place. Also there was a lot of iron and sulphur in the water making it very acidic which is why the acid neutralizer is in place. BUT--I use spring water from a local natural spring. It is probably a lot "harder" than my water, but the pH is 7.4 right out of the spring where my home tap water is 8.8 out of my tap. Should I mix the spring water and my tap water?

 

[aqua_chem]

KH ... Calcium hardness and GH .. General hardness measure the dissolved mineral content of your tap. Higher KH generally increases your pH. Since you have a water softener, I'm guessing you have a hard water problem with your tap ... Which is common for ground water ... Especially if you have limestone bedrock.

How are your fish doing? They don't lie... If your water is bad for them, you'd know right away.

KH is carbonate hardness. GH is general hardness, which is calcium and magnesium only. Water softeners usually exchange GH for NaCl, which reduces general hardness but dramatically increases salinity, which can be very bad for your tank.

 

[beverlygcox]

So, deciding to use spring water instead of my tap water was he right decision? I am assuming the salinity is more hazardous than the high GH and KH?

Thank you, so far, for the info guys!

 

[aqua_chem]

Ok, let me make sure I got this. You do NOT use your tap, because it's acidic, so you use water from a spring, which is moderately hard (KH 11/GH 11).

Do you have actual readings on your tap water? (pH/KH/GH)

Is the tap municipal water?

For the record, your water is LESS hard than where I last lived, and I did fine with a wide variety of fish, plants, and inverts. I even had rams for awhile until an unrelated illness claimed them.

 

[jcolon]

KH is carbonate hardness. GH is general hardness, which is calcium and magnesium only. Water softeners usually exchange GH for NaCl, which reduces general hardness but dramatically increases salinity, which can be very bad for your tank.

Correction, it's indeed carbonate hardness ... Had calcium carbonates in my head.

 

[beverlygcox]

My tap water is NOT municipal, it is well water and tests:
pH - 8.8
GH - 6
KH - 9

Currently, we use water from a natural spring which tests:
pH - 7.4 (Co2 lowers it to 7.0 in tank)
KH -11
GH - 11

 

[aqua_chem]

Are the tap reads before or after they go through the neutralizer and softener?

 

[jcolon]

Ok, let me make sure I got this. You do NOT use your tap, because it's acidic, so you use water from a spring, which is moderately hard (KH 11/GH 11).

Do you have actual readings on your tap water? (pH/KH/GH)

Is the tap municipal water?

For the record, your water is LESS hard than where I last lived, and I did fine with a wide variety of fish, plants, and inverts. I even had rams for awhile until an unrelated illness claimed them.

I believe The OP said the tap's pH is 8.8 as it's well water ... but is that after letting it set for 24hrs?

 

[beverlygcox]

Ok, let me make sure I got this. You do NOT use your tap, because it's acidic, so you use water from a spring, which is moderately hard (KH 11/GH 11).

Do you have actual readings on your tap water? (pH/KH/GH)

Is the tap municipal water?

For the record, your water is LESS hard than where I last lived, and I did fine with a wide variety of fish, plants, and inverts. I even had rams for awhile until an unrelated illness claimed them.

The safety and quality of life is my main concern aqua_chem! I just want to make sure that the 11 GH/KH in the water I am currently using is not going to be detrimental to the fish.

 

[beverlygcox]

Are the tap reads before or after they go through the neutralizer and softener?

After, my water is orange and smells like rotten eggs and rusting metal before going through the softener/neutralizer.

 

[beverlygcox]

Safety and quality of life for the fish........** correction

 

[beverlygcox]

I believe The OP said the tap's pH is 8.8 as it's well water ... but is that after letting it set for 24hrs?

I have not tried letting it sit for 24 hours.......wonder if this would help with the salinity also?? Is there any way I could test the salinity?

 

[jcolon]

Rest assured, Aqua chem ..whose being more thorough than me... Has the same concerns in mind.

Letting water sit out for 24hrs will not affect salinity. The only practical way to deal with high salinity is with PWC's using freshwater to lower the salt concentration.

 

[jcolon]

Safety and quality of life for the fish........** correction

Based on the description of your fish... Stick with the spring water. Yes... I'd say you bought sick fish from Petco who were to far gone to be saved anyway. Like you said... Lesson learned. As long as the remaining fish are doing well using the spring water for PWC's ... No need to worry about the GH and KH...IMHO.

 

[beverlygcox]

Ok, I will continue using the spring water! Thanks for all the advice!! And yes, major lesson learned! Unfortunately I live in a pretty rural area and the closest LFS other than Petco is about an hour away, but worth the drive for healthy fish!!

 

[jcolon]

Your welcome... Good luck... Keep us posted!