-you are not adding CO2 correct? Correct no CO2
-do you use any products other than dechlor when adding water? (ie buffers such as baking soda, etc?) Dechlor only
-what type of water are you on? (tap, well, RO, etc.) City tap water, ph 7.4 today from tap
-what is your substrate composed of? aquarium gravel, the little stuff, smaller than a pea most of it. Decor is a pice of reddish slate, a domed rock with riccia and java fern just starting to attach, a small resin aquarium castle, some real shells (4), a few 1/4 of your palm sized stones, and plants. a big anubius nana, bacopa, polysperma (sp?) sunset, ambulia, dwarf sag, anacharis, red root floater and floating water sprite. something else I can't remember the name of tiny little thing. Oh and a plastic anubuis. Only new item is the red root floater. Everything else has been in the tank the whole time.
-what type of filter are you using? (UGF, HOB, canister, etc) 5g tank, red sea nano filter hob, 2 sponges and a filter floss type pad, This filter has a sponge 1.5 x 3 inches on the intake tube - in case I get baby shrimp someday... and an elite internal with a sponge inside
-what is your nitrAte levels in the tank? 10 before yesterdays water change so I didn't bother to check them after.
-what is your tank lighting? (watts and type?) Compact florescent screw in, I believe it is a 10w. Can't check, I'd burn myself...
-any recent algae outbreak? just the green stuff that grows on the glass. It grows slow. I just took some off, but I don't think it is an "outbreak", I mean it didn't just all appear in 24-48 hours..
If I can I will bring a tank sample and a tap sample to the store today and see if they can test the kh. This is one kit I do not have. Hope this helps. Thanks.