GH keeps dropping

[gogomarigo]

Is it normal for GH to drop by 1 degree each day in a relatively heavily planted tank...? I have Fluval Stratum Shrimp substrate but I thought it only would affect KH. Current stock is only one nerite snail but I’m hoping to get blue velvet shrimp and sparkling gourami (and potentially some pygmy corydoras depending on how stocking the former goes).

I did one dose of Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ the day before yesterday and it boosted GH from 2 to 5 (KH dropped by 1). But today my GH is back down to 2...

I’m more concerned about my GH since 2 is pretty low for snails/neos... My KH tends to drop slowly but I can keep it at around 6 or 7 with crushed coral. The crushed coral seems to only affect my pH and KH, unfortunately...

I just ordered NilocG GH booster but wasn’t sure if needing to add that or Salty Shrimp on such a regular basis would create too much salt build up.

My tap water GH is 4 and KH is 2.

My tank has been running for a week and a half. It’s 10 gallons. Water parameters other than GH and KH have been stable: ph 7.4, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 (I reached 0 ammonia a couple days ago). I add two pinches of ground up fish food twice a day for ammonia.

 

Thanks!

[varanidguy]

Yep, it's completely normal. Stratum has a decent CEC so it will absorb hardness, both GH and KH, and nutrients.