Low kh and ph high GH

[Kevint]

Hello I have a 75 gallon tank , fish and plants are doing fine but I have a concern with my water, my Kh is 0-1 ph 6.2  Gh is 170, I am using wonder shells which helped with Gh in tank I have guppies dwarf gouramis Cory’s , killifish,platies, a bristle nose Pleco and Otto, all fish seem to be in good health eating well and active but am concerned with water parameters, thanks for any input and help, thanks,Kevin 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Kevint
Misspelled

[Ken Burke]

You are describing my water.  I’m using crushed coral in the canister filter for my 75, but the other three tanks are just conditioned tap water.  The crushed coral does raise my ph and kh just a little, bur I’m not sure it makes that much difference fore me.  My corys breed regularly, I have trouble keeping the shrimp population in check.  About the only thing I see that is boing better is the snails.  And not that much better at that.  
 

if you are worried, a pound or two of crushed coral won’t hurt. (I have about 10 lbs in the substrate, and another pound in the filter). But if you fish are doing well, I would leave things as they are.

[Brandon p]

I would not worry to much I have lots of tanks but kh is near zero and GH is super high over 300. My ph ranges from 6 if I add acid to 6.8. The kh being low means you have to watch for ph swings. I personally don’t have that problem. I do the same thing every time. I still use wonder shell to induce breeding and my water is low in. Ca and high in mg

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/8/2022 at 7:21 PM, Ken Burke said:

You are describing my water.  I’m using crushed coral in the canister filter for my 75, but the other three tanks are just conditioned tap water.

This is the absolutely best way to handle it.  If you can, don't have any preference issues with it, you can also have the crushed coral as your substrate or mixed in the substrate itself.  Part of the pain of KH/PH issues is that you don't really fix anything until you get KH up high enough.  you're at 0 for KH right now, which kind of is a "good thing" because it means there might be less room for things to crash.  It's one of those things where if you decide to use something that isn't crushed coral you need to keep a very, very close eye on PH and KH and swings because it can swing pretty hard.  I dose the seachem alkaline buffer for my tanks and it's generally easy to do so.  It's not something where it works well or is easy and I have lost 4-5 shrimp as a result of stress from swings too high or too low.

The second best option is to precondition your water before you do water changes.  Dose in what you need to, and then you'd go ahead and have that running and ready to go.  You can then test to make sure parameters are what you want, adjust as you need to.

Third best would be to just find species that thrive in that water and not worry about it.  You'll have an amazing blackwater tank!

[Brandon p]

Most of these guys know my I don’t like to mess with water conditions. To me you kinda have what you have. If something happens and you can’t do those changes to keep the new perimeter your screwed. I have health issues and I’m pretty sure that my tanks will stand 7 -14 days with doing any to the water. I’ve been hospitalized and know that as long as someone feeds the fish I’m ok. The crushed coral is good but I would keep it in a a filter. If you put it the substrate it only lasts so long. I’m sure I’m opinion doesn’t suprise anyone. @nabokovfan87is right about black water you can add peat to the filter it won’t do much other than make sure the ph stays close to the same. It’s not a buffer, a constant supply of acid. That stops the swings 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Brandon p

[Brandon p]

What is it you are looking for? Are you looking to change the water parameters to certain numbers or are you just concerned about the numbers. 

[procyg]

On 8/8/2022 at 10:21 PM, Ken Burke said:

You are describing my water.  I’m using crushed coral in the canister filter for my 75, but the other three tanks are just conditioned tap water.  The crushed coral does raise my ph and kh just a little, bur I’m not sure it makes that much difference fore me.  My corys breed regularly, I have trouble keeping the shrimp population in check.  About the only thing I see that is boing better is the snails.  And not that much better at that.  
 

if you are worried, a pound or two of crushed coral won’t hurt. (I have about 10 lbs in the substrate, and another pound in the filter). But if you fish are doing well, I would leave things as they are.

My water is the same but the ph is 5.8 out of the well and closer to neutral after aeration due to high dissolved CO2 and Radon content.  I do the same as Ken...just enough coral in my canister to add a tiny bit of buffer.  Tank has been running for 10 months and so far so good.  

[Mmiller2001]

On 8/8/2022 at 8:21 PM, Ken Burke said:

The crushed coral does raise my ph and kh just a little

It also raises your GH.

On 8/8/2022 at 9:54 AM, Kevint said:

Hello I have a 75 gallon tank , fish and plants are doing fine but I have a concern with my water, my Kh is 0-1 ph 6.2  Gh is 170, I am using wonder shells which helped with Gh in tank I have guppies dwarf gouramis Cory’s , killifish,platies, a bristle nose Pleco and Otto, all fish seem to be in good health eating well and active but am concerned with water parameters, thanks for any input and help, thanks,Kevin 

I would recommend not using wonder shell or crushed coral. Both of these option raise GH and KH. GH is rising do to continuous calcium addition. GH is both calcium and magnesium and when you start raising a single component, you then are throwing off important ratios. Ratios matter, probably more so than others when it comes to GH. I don't want to get too long winded, but the best way to raise KH is to add a carbonate or bicarbonate. If your GH is at a level you want, why raise it more with crushed coral? 

I like using potassium carbonate, it's dirt cheap and easily calculated. If you want a 3dKH tank, you will add an amount that will raise KH to 3dKH. There's no mystery or guessing. It also adds potassium to the water which will benefit plants. Many "All in One" fertilizers are low in K and additional K can help in many instances. 

https://www.amazon.com/CellarScience-AD640LB-Potassium-Carbonate-lb/dp/B074D9BXRT/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2QJE3Q3GPXIPH&keywords=potassium+carbonate&qid=1660053103&sprefix=potassium+carbonate%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-5

[Brandon p]

On 8/9/2022 at 10:00 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

It also raises your GH.

I would recommend not using wonder shell or crushed coral. Both of these option raise GH and KH. GH is rising do to continuous calcium addition. GH is both calcium and magnesium and when you start raising a single component, you then are throwing off important ratios. Ratios matter, probably more so than others when it comes to GH. I don't want to get too long winded, but the best way to raise KH is to add a carbonate or bicarbonate. If your GH is at a level you want, why raise it more with crushed coral? 

I like using potassium carbonate, it's dirt cheap and easily calculated. If you want a 3dKH tank, you will add an amount that will raise KH to 3dKH. There's no mystery or guessing. It also adds potassium to the water which will benefit plants. Many "All in One" fertilizers are low in K and additional K can help in many instances. 

https://www.amazon.com/CellarScience-AD640LB-Potassium-Carbonate-lb/dp/B074D9BXRT/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2QJE3Q3GPXIPH&keywords=potassium+carbonate&qid=1660053103&sprefix=potassium+carbonate%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-5

I use wonder shell for two reasons that may not apply for you. I just don’t want  everyone think I just keep raising the GH. One my fish breed like crazy after the wonder shell and I have very little Ca and most Mg.  I would not use potassium carbonate. If you be very careful. The best option is to have fish that will deal with those conditions l.  I have said I have simlair water I have discus, Angels, several pleco including “L333 and L134 and several others. I basically have an Amazon system. The more additives the more of a chance of swings. Say with what you have and don’t Chase numbers

[Ken Burke]

I’m with @Brandon p here.  I have a fair amount or crushed coral under a gravel cap, and about a pound in my canister.  The increase in gh is relatively small, and the is raised a couple points.

 I decided to use crushed coral b/c the tank is for discus.  I figured the increased hardness was better than ph swings. 
 

 

[DaPrawf]

This thread helped a lot with my questions. I have two new tanks: 12 and 7 gallons, respectively. They both have about 2.5" deep UNS Controsoil substrate (brown if that matters). I use Los Angeles tap water conditioned with SeaChem Prime. I'm doing a fish-in cycle with some young guppies from my main tank using SeaChem Prime and Stability. The fish seem to be doing great. Eating well and swimming normally. 

Over the last week, the water has consistent; has a pH of about 6.2, a KH of 0-1 DKH, and GH of 8-9 DGH. I was worried about the pH and KH being so low; and wondering if they'll eventually go up on their own or should I add something.

Based on what I read in this thread, I am inclined to just wait and see.