[Ridiculously High KH]

On 3/20/2021 at 7:32 PM, Steve Pituch said:

I am worried about your GH.  You have very little calcium and magnesium for the plants.  In south TX my KH is 14 also, from well water, but my GH is 14. With a GH of 2, you should be adding calcium and magnesium.  
 

I am also looking to stock with the same fish: blue fins, mosquitos, and sail fins.  I am still cycling the tank but most plants are growing well. 
 

I am trying to find a salifert fresh water potassium test kit.  When I get it I’ll be able to determine if my K is enough   I just watched a video where the person’s java fern was sucking up all the K in her tank.  Once she added enough K, the other plants did well.

its almost sounds like you have an inline water softener that is removing your Ca and Mg.   Make sure you push the bypass valve on the water softener before filling your tank.

Since your parameters are similar to my pre softener filter, what ferts do you use and dosage?

[Ridiculously High KH]

oK, so I just did a major water change in which I added about 45% post softner and 55% pre softner.  I tested the GH and it is now at 11.  Lets hope the plants show improvement.

[Ridiculously High KH]

1 hour ago, tolstoy21 said:

I’m curious to know the KH for the water taken before it goes through any filtration/softening. Same reading as before? Also your softener should have a bypass that allows you to disable it temporarily if you needed to do water changes from a sink in your house.

Same 15-16 drops to change colors.

 

[Ridiculously High KH]

ok, found a valve where I can take water after the iron filter and before the water softener where GH is 17.  Tomorrow I'm gonna make a large water change and replace it with half and half.  see how it goes

[Ridiculously High KH]

Interesting... was so focused on the high Kh that I havent thought about the low Gh

 

[Ridiculously High KH]

3 hours ago, ererer said:

What's your ph and gh,what size tank, and do you have fish? I've seen hardy plants adapt to higher kh, though they do melt and then grow back after adjusting. 

 

 

 

 

pH on a strip test shows between 8-9, GH takes about 2 drops to change colors.  Right now I have fish I got from puddles formed in my flooded backyard last year, a few bluefin killifish, a few mosquito fish and a few wild sailfin Molly looking like fish.  Don't want to spend money on fish till I figure out what to do with the water

[Ridiculously High KH]

On 3/7/2021 at 12:03 AM, joseph lambeth said:

what substrate are you using?

Eco complete... Nothing fancy

[Ridiculously High KH]

I'm located in Davie, FL. Our well water has a ridiculously high KH (14-15 drops to change colors in an API KH test kit).  My frustrations on trying to have a planted aquarium are so high that I'm almost giving up on the hobby.  Rare plants are able to survive, such as anubias and so far java ferns, but still, struggle with what seems to be potassium deficiency.  I have to dump almost a whole bottle of potassium supplements in addition to ferts to have the leaves look somewhat presentable.

Anyone have suggestions on plants to grow or what to do with the water (least expensive solution)?  should I just give up on plants and get hard water fish?

Thanks