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Harpsandfish

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Posts posted by Harpsandfish

    What do my kH and gH numbers mean?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I had just finally realized it must be the shell when I read this. I’m sure that’s it, and I wish I had measured before I put it in, to compare. The packaging for them is very unclear about how to use them as far as the size/dosing. I had two small ones in as recommended and I have removed them. I will keep an eye on on parameters and learn more and then decide what to do. Fortunately, all my fish and shrimp seem just fine. 
    Thanks again for the comments - this forum is wonderful. 

    What do my kH and gH numbers mean?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have a 20g planted community; it is pretty well planted and is stocked with 2 honey gouramis, 6 lamb chop rasboras, 10 green neon tetra, 1 reticulated hillstream, bunch of snails, a few Amanos and around 6 cherry shrimp. I have some wonder shell in the tank, and run a HOB plus an air stone. Today the water numbers were pH 7.6, 0 ammonia and nitrite and 10 nitrate. I tested gH and kH for the first time today and I am confused about the results, based on the instructions with the API test kit for those. It seems to show 2 for kH and 214.8 for gH.  Does that sound right?

    Thanks for the help!

    Hillstream loach additions

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have a single reticulated hillstream that came as a hitchhiker on a plant from the Coop, and he lives happily with a bunch of green neon tetras, rasboras, a couple sunset honey gouramis and a bunch of snails. He plays all over the tank and isn’t shy. He’s beautiful!

    • Like 2

    Black beard algae

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    @JoesneedI had bba early on in my new tank. It especially seemed to like the windlove java fern. I did a lot of reading about it and, because I have some nice val that is thriving, I was reluctant to use carbon after learning that it might be hard on the val. So I got some Amano Shrimp, which promptly disappeared through the Stargate. (see photo)

    The pond snails and reticulated hillstream loach were doing a great job on all the other algae in the tank but the bba was increasing. Finally, I did three things: I started using Easy Green (I had already been doing Root Tabs); I cut way back on the lights - they had been on around twelve hours a day and I cut them back to nine; and I cut back on the fish food since I realized I may have been making that typical newbie mistake. I also removed some of the most affected windlove, partly because I didn’t really care for the way it looks anyway.

    That seems to have done the trick. Through all of this my water numbers have been stable and the tank nicely balanced; the plants are happy and growing, and my fish are, too. There is still a tiny bit of bba but it is not increasing so I have declared a truce for now. I seem to have been very lucky and found a good lights/nutrient balance.  I also now have a few Amano (I actually saw one yesterday!)  and ten cherry shrimp to help with cleanup. So whether it’s the balance or the shrimp I don’t know but it’s working. I hope you are successful in your bba adventure!

     

    FF84FDE3-1B13-4B2C-A9B6-AB07CDDC7F43.jpeg

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