GH levels

[Balticbob]

Hi All
I have just tested the GH in my Aquarium and its 214 ppm,but the tap water is 142ppm. Is the GH in my aquarium to high?
Thanks in advance

 

[Essjay]

That depends on what fish you want to keep. It is too high for soft water fish but good for many hard water fish - though it is too soft for some hard water fish (eg mollies)

Do you have anything in the tank which increases hardness, such as coral, shells, limestone? Or do you top off water rather than do water changes - this makes everything in the water more concentrated.

 

[Balticbob]

Hi Essjay
No I dont have any coral or such in my Aquarium,I have and cardinal tetra,some zebras and a small place and they are all very happy. I do weekly water changes about 40% and every 2 months I do a 70 to 80% water change. Ammonia is 0 Nitrate 10ppm Nitrites 0. All other parameters are good.

 

[Balticbob]

Hi Essjay
No I dont have any coral or such in my Aquarium,I have and cardinal tetra,some zebras and a small place and they are all very happy. I do weekly water changes about 40% and every 2 months I do a 70 to 80% water change. Ammonia is 0 Nitrate 10ppm Nitrites 0. All other parameters are good.

I have neon tetra,cardinal tetras,zebras and a place.

 

[Balticbob]

Hi Essjay
No I dont have any coral or such in my Aquarium,I have and cardinal tetra,some zebras and a small place and they are all very happy. I do weekly water changes about 40% and every 2 months I do a 70 to 80% water change. Ammonia is 0 Nitrate 10ppm Nitrites 0. All other parameters are good.

I did have cuttlefish bone in the tank for my Nerite snails,a nerite breeder said the calcium in the water was good for their shells. Maybe that increased it? But its not been in my tank lately.

 

[seangee]

Or do you top off water rather than do water changes - this makes everything in the water more concentrated.

This may be a key question. Topping off means replacing water that has evaporated. Water evaporates but minerals don't which is what @essjay meant when she said everything gets more concentrated. It is the reason RO water is used to top off marine tanks. Even if you only lose a little water due to evaporation each week (1 cm in a 50cm tank is 10%) the mineral concentration in your tank will gradually increase over time. The perfect solution is to top up your tank using RO or distilled water before you do your water change. This is not really practical in the real world so the easiest fixes are to do larger regular water changes (I do 70-80% every week) or to improve the sealing of your lid to avoid, or at least minimise, evaporation.

Not saying this is your problem, but it may be a possible explanation.

 

[StevenF]

I did have cuttlefish bone in the tank for my Nerite snails,a nerite breeder said the calcium in the water was good for their shells. Maybe that increased it? But its not been in my tank lately.

Cuttlebone is calcium carbonate and it devolves in acidic water .and when it does dissolve it will increase GH.

Also keep in mind the one small limestone rock in the substrate would also increase the substrate.