GH very soft

[smm333]

I have well water and my GH is very soft. It hasn't been a problem with my current tanks ( African dwarf frogs bettas, honey gourami, male endlers snails), but I have a platy tank set up  and I am concerned as I would like babies. I read that they are pretty hardy and adaptable, but  on the aquarium co-op site it says most fish are fine in 6.5-8 with livebearers liking it harder. I'm nervous that I haven't even hit the 6.5. I added a wondershell yesterday.  I don't want to go crazy and change parameters too quickly. Should the wondershell be affecting the water yet? Any other ideas? The fish seem happy and are swimming and eating well.

[Dkshadowwolf]

I would suggest using crushed coral ethier under the substrate or in a hang on back filter this would raise your GH slowly over time and would probably be easier and cheaper in the long run then wondershells. The wondershell will work  and it will also slowly raise the GH over time , which is what you want. (we are talking weeks not days depending on how drastic the change.) The more water changes you do the longer it will take to adjust, because your source water will drop it down a little each time you add fresh water (this is why I think crushed coral would be a better fit). If you really want to go all in you could get a large plastic garbage can and put crushed coral in that and fill it with water cover with a lid and use that to do your water changes, but that seems like overkill in your situation.

[Patrick_G]

On 12/4/2022 at 11:36 AM, smm333 said:

I have well water and my GH is very soft. It hasn't been a problem with my current tanks ( African dwarf frogs bettas, honey gourami, male endlers snails), but I have a platy tank set up  and I am concerned as I would like babies. I read that they are pretty hardy and adaptable, but  on the aquarium co-op site it says most fish are fine in 6.5-8 with livebearers liking it harder. I'm nervous that I haven't even hit the 6.5. I added a wondershell yesterday.  I don't want to go crazy and change parameters too quickly. Should the wondershell be affecting the water yet? Any other ideas? The fish seem happy and are swimming and eating well.

An easy way to raise GH for Platys or other live bearers is to add crushed coral at 1lb per 10 gallons. Wonder Shell also works as does Seachem Equilibrium powder. 

With the wondershell you should follow the directions on the Aquarium Co-op website and not those on the package because it’s possible to raise parameters too quickly. 
 

On 12/4/2022 at 11:51 AM, Dkshadowwolf said:

The wondershell will work  and it will also slowly raise the GH over time , which is what you want. (we are talking weeks not days depending on how drastic the change.)

Love the chinchilla @Dkshadowwolf! 
This is only my experience and totally anecdotalbut I’ve had wondershell raise parameters very quickly. I had a shrimp tank go from soft to liquid rock overnight. 

[smm333]

On 12/4/2022 at 11:51 AM, Dkshadowwolf said:

I would suggest using crushed coral ethier under the substrate or in a hang on back filter this would raise your GH slowly over time and would probably be easier and cheaper in the long run then wondershells. The wondershell will work  and it will also slowly raise the GH over time , which is what you want. (we are talking weeks not days depending on how drastic the change.) The more water changes you do the longer it will take to adjust, because your source water will drop it down a little each time you add fresh water (this is why I think crushed coral would be a better fit). If you really want to go all in you could get a large plastic garbage can and put crushed coral in that and fill it with water cover with a lid and use that to do your water changes, but that seems like overkill in your situation.

I don't have a hang on back filter on this tank, just the co-op sponge. It is a bare bottom tank at the moment because I like the glass in it- it's an old metaframe tank. Maybe I can put  crushed coral in the tank in pots if it doesn't take a whole lot.

On 12/4/2022 at 11:54 AM, Patrick_G said:

An easy way to raise GH for Platys or other live bearers is to add crushed coral at 1lb per 10 gallons. Wonder Shell also works as does Seachem Equilibrium powder. 

With the wondershell you should follow the directions on the Aquarium Co-op website and not those on the package because it’s possible to raise parameters too quickly. 
 

Love the chinchilla @Dkshadowwolf! 
This is only my experience and totally anecdotalbut I’ve had wondershell raise parameters very quickly. I had a shrimp tank go from soft to liquid rock overnight. 

I hope the parameters don't change too quickly! It's a 15 gallon tank and I put in one small wondershell from the 3 pack. I plan to test daily. I will pick up crushed coral next weekend if it doesn't seem to be working.