Public Forum Proceed to Auspet's New Discussion Forum | Pet Directory | Classifieds | Home | LinkXchange


Click here to make Auspet.com your default home page

  Auspet - Message Boards
  Fish and Aquarium
  GH

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   GH
ceveretts
Member

Posts: 22
From:London, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-27-2004 09:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ceveretts     Edit/Delete Message
I have kept fish for several years now but only recently started to test my own water rather than paying the fish store to do so. The results were all within the parameters except for the GH. It was 13! I have a community tank witha couple of cichlids which aparently thrive in that range, but I am worried about the other fish and would like to keep it lower.

IP: Logged

katanas_edge
Member

Posts: 266
From:Canada
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 02-27-2004 10:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for katanas_edge     Edit/Delete Message
What other fish do you have?

If they have been in the tank for a while without problems it may be more harmful to try and adjust the GH and create an unstable tank. 13 is moderately hard, but not unheard of.

Ways of lowering GH are:
Dilution with reverse osmosis, distilled or rainwater. RO units can be purchased, but are fairly expensive. Distilled water can be purchased in 5 gallon jugs. Rainwater is free, but in mainly places can be contaminated by air pollution, or if caught from a roof drainspout, oils and tars from asphalt shingles.

Some substances have the ability to absorb hardening ions (Ca and Mg). A natural one is peat, but it's effectiveness varies among different types and it will slightly acidify the water.

Also, when lowering GH be sure to not lower KH too much. This is the biggest factor in your PH buffering capacity. Too low and PH will be unstable.

My recommendation is if it isn't broke, and you don't have fish whose health is threatened by it, don't fix it.

IP: Logged

ceveretts
Member

Posts: 22
From:London, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-27-2004 10:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ceveretts     Edit/Delete Message
Good point (if it ain't broke...)! I have been mulling it over for a couple weeks kind of thinking I should leave it alone. Thirteen just seemed sooo high that I had to make sure. Thank-you very much.

IP: Logged

katanas_edge
Member

Posts: 266
From:Canada
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 02-27-2004 11:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for katanas_edge     Edit/Delete Message
Glad I could reassure you.
If you'd tell me what other fish are in the tank, I can tell you if any of them might have problems. Many fish are fine with GH up to 15, and lots can thrive in even higher.

IP: Logged

gr8fuljames
Member

Posts: 277
From: Indy
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 02-27-2004 06:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for gr8fuljames     Edit/Delete Message
Yea I agree. My water is very very hard don't even want to mention the level for fear of setting off a bomb. You know what oh well here it goes my gh was 21 at the last check. I have seven tanks and all of my fish are healthy from the Africans to my red devil all the way down to my betta and angels.

------------------
James (The Grateful One)

IP: Logged

ceveretts
Member

Posts: 22
From:London, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-28-2004 08:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ceveretts     Edit/Delete Message
I have angels, parrots, gouramis, tetras,a rainbow shark, a dwarf frog, bumble bees, and mollies (who just had babies this morning!). They all seem fine. I don't know how long the water has been that hard because at the fish store I don't think they check for that (or if they did they didn't say anything about it. Thanks again guys! I appreciate the help! I'm glad I test my own water now so I know exactly what # I'm at instead of "it's O.K." If anything seems wrong I can check that first.Thanks!

IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Auspet.com


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.45c
















© 1999-2017 AusPet.com