I have a ten gallon freshwater tank with 10 tetras and 15 ghost shrimp + plants (Grass), I have 4 inches of crushed coral as substrate. I did a 50% water change on it last night, when I tested it today the GH was 7 or 125.3ppm and the KH was 14+ (stopped after 14). My tap water comes out at GH2 or 35.8ppm and kh 4 or 71.6ppm. How am I getting this jump? I add my weekly chemicals if half dose for water change. PH 7.7, Ammo .25, No2 .25, No3 80, Cal 160 (using salt water test), Phos 0, Iron .3, Copper .1. The chemicals I use are Stress Zyme + weekly (5ml), Eco Calcium weekly (5ml),Eco Iodine weekly (5ml), Leaf Zone weekly (5ml), Co2 booster daily (1ml), Vita Chem weekly (10 drops) Aquarium Salt as needed for water changes.
GH & KH?
- Thread starter willyb1972020
- Start date
Your crushed coral will be driving the hardness up considerably. Either ditch the tetras and get some dwarf african cichlids (shell dwellers) or remove the coral substrate and replace it with something inert.
I'd also ditch the salt too, I'm not sure about the shrimps but driving up the TDS won't be doing the tetras any favours.
I'd also ditch the salt too, I'm not sure about the shrimps but driving up the TDS won't be doing the tetras any favours.
anything calcium-based will increase your hardness. Something like play sand or pool filter sand maybe be inert [ie won't alter your water] but given that we're on opposite sides of the globe I can't offer much advice about what you can find locally!
Not if you already have water with a high mineral content and your fish prefer the opposite!
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You may also want to consider using a freshwater kit, I use API Master Test.
http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwate...r=8-1&keywords=api+master+test+kit+freshwater
How long has your tank been set up? Your Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate readings indicate your tank hasn't cycled. That's tough on your occupants along with the large changes and fluctuations. What type of filtration and lighting are you using? And the reason for the CO2? What type of grass? Most plants, and freshwater fish/shrimp don't do well with salty water... 4 inches of crushed coral, AQ salt, and Eco calcium is a lot for a 10g.
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I had this tank up and running for 6 months. biweekly 20% water changes. I ask because I have been having some die . so I started using Eco Iodine and Eco Calcium and don't want to over dose. I can see old exoskeletons in the tank now which never happened before. I have one Penguin Bio-Wheel 100 (20gal) and one Tetra PF10 (10 gal) filter hooked up to two sponges on this tank. the tetra PF10 I do not use filters in it I will put one of the following pads in it Nitrate, Carbon, Phos, or Ammo. The Penguin always has its recommended filter in it. The crushed coral will be going next week. I am going to see how pool sand will work. O almost forgot if I don't use the Calcium in the tenk the ghost shrimp don't molt they just die. Thank you everyone for your help
Just in case you wanted to know I feed the fish twice a day with Omaga One Super Color. The ghost shrimp get feed once a day with Aquatic Shrimp food by Zoo Med. The grass in the tank is Dwarf Hair Grass it is about 3 inches long. I use the co2 to help plant growth. The light is a Marineland natural daylight F15 T5 18".
I changed the tank over to sand yesterday and now its at 6 for gh and 10 for kh. I still used all my chemicals just no aquarium salt. Thank you for all the help. If there is any thing else I can do please don't hesitate to say. I do use a freshwater test kit but I can not find one for calcium so I have to use the salt water test for that.
