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Why is my tank water harder than my tap water?

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Bruben

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Hi all,

I only received my full NT labs test kit yesterday, only had the mini kit that tests for Ammonia, Nitrite and PH before.

Anyway, before I had this I went by my water providers hardness results, which is 10 German degrees.

I tested my tank water when I got the kit yesterday and it is 12GH. I left some tap water to settle over night and measured it this morning and it was only 7GH.

Could there be something in my tank upping the GH? Lots of plants, some wood and rock in there too. Unipac Limpopo Sand substrate.

PH has always been a stable 7.5.

Cheers!
 
Check the rocks...
You could try the Vinegar Test;
Take rock out of tank.
Dry off.
Drop vinegar on it.
Does it fizz of not?

If it does, then it's leaching minerals into your water.

Let's hope this is the answer, 'cos I'm stuffed if it isn't. ;)
 
Cheers both! I’ll give the vinegar test a go later, not sure how I’d check the sand?

I’ve attached a pic of the only rock in the tank, which was added a few days ago, in case that sheds any light - it’s described as an artificial ceramic rock.
EC431034-3A00-4A2D-BB0D-C5DA46695421.png
 
Bruben said:
Cheers both! I’ll give the vinegar test a go later, not sure how I’d check the sand?

I’ve attached a pic of the only rock in the tank, which was added a few days ago, in case that sheds any light - it’s described as an artificial ceramic rock. View attachment 145181
Click to expand...
That 'rock' would be fine.
To test sand, any sand, you'd simply apply vinegar to a sample and watch for fizz.
That said, I'd strongly suspect the Limpopo aquarium sand to be inert and suitable for aquariums.
 
Bruce Leyland-Jones said:
That 'rock' would be fine.
To test sand, any sand, you'd simply apply vinegar to a sample and watch for fizz.
That said, I'd strongly suspect the Limpopo aquarium sand to be inert and suitable for aquariums.
Click to expand...
😂 yea I hadn’t realised it wasn’t actually a ‘rock’ until I read the description to post on here 🤯
 
Bruce Leyland-Jones said:
Check the rocks...
You could try the Vinegar Test;
Take rock out of tank.
Dry off.
Drop vinegar on it.
Does it fizz of not?

If it does, then it's leaching minerals into your water.

Let's hope this is the answer, 'cos I'm stuffed if it isn't. ;)
Click to expand...
id the substrate has limestone then thats the reason. Do the vinegar test and see what happens.
 
Obsessed with fish said:
id the substrate has limestone then thats the reason. Do the vinegar test and see what happens.
Click to expand...
I’ll give it a go this evening and report back! Got plenty of sand left over that hasn’t been in the tank as I very much over estimated how much I’d need
 
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