First time aquarium guy, concerned with high KH

[Sey33]

Hi all,

     Been testing my water before getting live plants and fish..  Kind of concerned about having high KH of 18,  my PH is 7.6 and GH is 4.

  I wanting to keep cold water fish and  some live plants.  Will the plants survive that high of KH, like  java fern and  petite anubis.

[Biotope Biologist]

Specifically java ferns seem to be incredibly hardy and can survive a wide range of water parameters including brackish environments so I wouldn't be concerned about them. Same with anubias as far as hardy plants go these have also been planted succesfully in african cichlid tanks with high pH,kH, and gH. While it is recommended to plant these plants in their ideal water parameters for best growth I think you have picked out two of the hardiest plant species in the trade, and with due diligence could see them thrive. 

 

However your gH is low and most cold water species prefer having a higher mineral content in their water. Calcium blocks are good for this along with magnesium which you can find in most liquid plant fertilizers if I am not mistaken. 

 

Edit: I should clarify the block must be pure calcium, not calcium carbonate. Since you have a high kH coral and other calcium carbonate products will not produce the desired effect.

Edited June 20, 2021 by Biotope Biologist

[DannyBWell]

On 6/20/2021 at 2:39 PM, Sey33 said:

Hi all,

     Been testing my water before getting live plants and fish..  Kind of concerned about having high KH of 18,  my PH is 7.6 and GH is 4.

  I wanting to keep cold water fish and  some live plants.  Will the plants survive that high of KH, like  java fern and  petite anubis.

That's around what my tanks are at and the only plant I have that struggles is scarlet temple otherwise my anubias, wisteria, Val's, java ferns, crypts, and swords do just fine i wouldn't worry too much only one way to find out. Good luck

Edited June 22, 2021 by DannyBWell
My bad spelling and Grammer 😢

[Sey33]

Thanks for the helpful info and taking my worries away 😃