Low Kh and hi Gh

[Brandon p]

So I tested the tank the fist time this weekend and here where the numbers pretty much a across the board

Ph 6-6.6

No2 0-5

No3 0

Gh 300+ most of this is magnesium with almost no Ca

Kh: 0 but on e or two tanks of the many I have had 20

Cl: 0

over All I’m ok with the Ph has been about 6.4-6.6 with the discus I’m planning on getting more discus if I can get a deal. 
 Im most concerned about haveind fast oh changes with such low Kh. How Can I raise it and lower the GH some . I’m on a well. I meant to post this Saturday but it seems I have an appointment for rehad doctors al week long I’ve had on every week. I normally do reaseach before posting but I have lost a few fis fish like may good size discus I had some rams. Any help would be great. 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Brandon p
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[gardenman]

The challenge is keeping a low pH tank with a high KH. KH is a carbonate hardness. Acidic water dissolves the carbonate and lowers the KH while increasing the pH. Most of the methods to add carbonate (crushed coral, etc.) will raise the pH. Bear in mind KH helps prevent wild swings in pH, but those wild swings are typically from a higher pH (7.6-8.4) to something in the lower sixes.  If your target goal is the low sixes, then a lower KH is less of a concern. If you're keeping fish on the higher end of the pH scale then a higher KH is more important.

With discus, many breeders keep them in RO water that has a KH of zero. If you want discus, you may already be about where the water needs to be.

[Fish Folk]

Sorry to hear about your losses. That’s the hardest part of the hobby in my opinion. Money + Care + Time = Big Loss.

My water measures very similarly. I sometimes add crushed coral in with substrate, or hide a bag away behind Hardscape. Some aquarists put in their filters too. This can help increase your KH. When first added, it tends to leave a cloudy mess for a day or so.

The goal of raising KH is adding buffer for your water so that pH swings don’t happen so precipitously. If you’re adding CO2, I think that will increase your risk of pH dipping.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Fish Folk

[Brandon p]

On 3/31/2022 at 8:55 AM, gardenman said:

The challenge is keeping a low pH tank with a high KH. KH is a carbonate hardness. Acidic water dissolves the carbonate and lowers the KH while increasing the pH. Most of the methods to add carbonate (crushed coral, etc.) will raise the pH. Bear in mind KH helps prevent wild swings in pH, but those wild swings are typically from a higher pH (7.6-8.4) to something in the lower sixes.  If your target goal is the low sixes, then a lower KH is less of a concern. If you're keeping fish on the higher end of the pH scale then a higher KH is more important.

With discus, many breeders keep them in RO water that has a KH of zero. If you want discus, you may already be about where the water needs to be.

most of my fish do fine in low ph i do have guppies but they seem to be doing great i do separate males from females because the males sell better and the LFS explains that need female to have babbies but i say he sells 3  males to one female. Peoples some times don't care. I'm ok at ph 6.4-7 the expect the discus do best 6.2 -64. The tap is ph7.  I cant keep any Ca in in tanks

[Brandon p]

I dont add any added Co2 Wanted to replace the 4 discus i lost in the week in the hospital. I cant figure out why they died so fast they were in great shape when i went in and dead when i got home, the corys needed a water change bad. I miss the discus because they ate a ton of algae off the glass and a the beautiful old drift wood that they would graze on. i was worried it was the kh or gh.

[nabokovfan87]

Is there a possibility of adding some crushed coral to your filtration?

[Brandon p]

On 3/31/2022 at 8:55 AM, gardenman said:

The challenge is keeping a low pH tank with a high KH. KH is a carbonate hardness. Acidic water dissolves the carbonate and lowers the KH while increasing the pH. Most of the methods to add carbonate (crushed coral, etc.) will raise the pH. Bear in mind KH helps prevent wild swings in pH, but those wild swings are typically from a higher pH (7.6-8.4) to something in the lower sixes.  If your target goal is the low sixes, then a lower KH is less of a concern. If you're keeping fish on the higher end of the pH scale then a higher KH is more important.

With discus, many breeders keep them in RO water that has a KH of zero. If you want discus, you may already be about where the water needs to be.

I have not really had problems with my discus until I had this hospital stay . They were fed by my son. Since the lost of the four discus the tank has gotten more algae than before. The discus were always grazing keeping Algae at bay. I’m more worried raising the ph. Most of the fish can handle the lower ph the guppies do well