tap water

[cnapolitano]

I have not kept a fish tank in about 20 years and it seems like things have changed a lot.  I have tested my tap water and the ph is around 6.6 6.8.  I want to set up a planted 30 gallon long.  Now will the ph change when I add plants?  Do I have to wait until the fish tank is cycled before I add plants or can I just add the plants first then cycle the tank? 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Simple answer is yes, your pH will do lots of fun things while you cycle- but it's not the number you will focus on until after the cycle is ended and you decide what's going into the tank (some fish will require certain ph but a LOT of fish will be fine with a good range). YES plant your tank now as opposed to later- it will only help the cycle- and you'll gett some good growth before the fish move in- they and the fish will love you for it. 

Adding things like wood and/or crushed coral will also change pH- there's lots of tricks you'll find!

[Corbidorbidoodle]

You can get those plants right in there. You'll want a food source for the plants though. Root tabs or fortified substrate and fertilizer for the water column.

Driftwood and CO2 will both lower pH a little. I just learned about KH and using some crushed coral to keep the pH steady. A couple handfuls of crushed coral will help a lot.

My tap water is the same and I've got tanks filled with wood and plants and the pH stays around 6.4 and everything is going good.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Friend @Corbidorbidoodle is right but if you start with a planting substrate you do not need to go with fertilizers at the get go. Sometimes too that depends on the plants you choose. Personally, I do NO fertilizers in my tanks, no heaters and sponge filters in the majority of my tanks- I am what you call low tech. My plants are beautiful- but I do tend to stick to what is generally known as "easy grow". 

[Corbidorbidoodle]

Yeah, good point, sorry. Either fortified substrate OR root tabs. And there are definitely some plants that're easier than others. 

[lefty o]

plants do all kinds of good things for a tank, put them in as soon as possible. biggest change in tap water in most places over the last 40yrs or so have been the change from chlorine to chloramine. chlorine will off gas, chloramine will not. so if you have it in your tap water you will want to use a water treatment.

[cnapolitano]

I tested my tap water for GH and KH.  My KH which is 4 and my GH is 6. Is my water ok for fish or is it too soft?  I would love to keep some platies, some tetras, dwarf clawed frogs and some kuli loaches.  Will I need to harden my water for these species?

[TeeJay]

The platies would appreciate a little harder water. The rest in not sure about I have never kept them before.