Guppy pregnant

[Essjay]

It would appear you don't get your water from Yorkshire Water. What is the company named on your water bill?

The tester container says mg/l and that is usually mg/l calcium carbonate aka ppm.
25 ppm is very soft water, it converts to just over 1 dH.


I have removed the images for Yorkshire Water as they contain your postcode.

 

[Salty&Onion]

25 ppm is very soft water, it converts to just over 1 dH.

So their water is very soft?
It is most likely to affect hard water fish when they're in soft water.

 

[Essjay]

That's what's been concerning me. Everything so far does point to very soft water. it's just that i don't really trust test strips. And if the instructions have been saying the hardness which appears to be 25 ppm is "a bit hard" is totally misleading.
That's why I want to get an accurate figure.

 

[Tracy83]

Thanks for removing pics ,, I do get my water from Yorkshire water ,, I live in bradford westyorkshire ,, I cant understand why it is saying that ..
I'm totally confused ,, do u think o should make the water harder and if so how please .

 

[Salty&Onion]

Thanks for removing pics ,, I do get my water from Yorkshire water ,, I live in bradford westyorkshire ,, I cant understand why it is saying that ..
I'm totally confused ,, do u think o should make the water harder and if so how please .

Its better not to rise pH

 

[Essjay]

We have worked out via pm that the water hardness really is around 30 ppm, which is very soft (between 1 and 2dH)


Do you only have guppies and swordtails or are there any other fish? If that's all you have, you can make the water harder for them by adding Rift Lake Salts. You would need to experiment with a bucket of water to find out how much of the salts you need to add to get the hardness over 200 ppm. Does your test strip measure that high? I know some only go as high as 180 ppm.
Once you have worked out how much of the salts give the right hardness in the bucket of water, you would need to add exactly the same amount to every bucketful at every water change.

 

[Tracy83]

We have worked out via pm that the water hardness really is around 30 ppm, which is very soft (between 1 and 2dH)


Do you only have guppies and swordtails or are there any other fish? If that's all you have, you can make the water harder for them by adding Rift Lake Salts. You would need to experiment with a bucket of water to find out how much of the salts you need to add to get the hardness over 200 ppm. Does your test strip measure that high? I know some only go as high as 180 ppm.
Once you have worked out how much of the salts give the right hardness in the bucket of water, you would need to add exactly the same amount to every bucketful at every water change.

I have a pleco and 2 dwarf frogs and a couple of patties

 

[Essjay]

The plec might be able to manage, I'm not that well up on plecs. The platies will be fine as they too need hard water.

But frogs shouldn't really be kept in a tank with fish at all. I don't suppose there's any chance of a second, 25-ish litre tank for them?

 

[Tracy83]

The plec might be able to manage, I'm not that well up on plecs. The platies will be fine as they too need hard water.

But frogs shouldn't really be kept in a tank with fish at all. I don't suppose there's any chance of a second, 25-ish litre tank for them?

I do have another 30l tank ,, but have 19 and 20 day old fry in there,, I do intend to move the frogs once they fry grow big enough to move to tank and donate some to my brother ,, I am planning on buying another tank as will need one for dry or sick fish ,, so will aqurium salt harden the water x

 

[Tracy83]

I do have another 30l tank ,, but have 19 and 20 day old fry in there,, I do intend to move the frogs once they fry grow big enough to move to tank and donate some to my brother ,, I am planning on buying another tank as will need one for dry or sick fish ,, so will aqurium salt harden the water x

Fry not dry lol

 

[Essjay]

so will aqurium salt harden the water

Not aquarium salt, that is just sodium chloride. Rift Lake cichlid salts contain the minerals that make water hard - calcium and magnesium.

 

[Tracy83]

Thankyou, can u recommend any good brands plz

 

[Salty&Onion]

Thankyou, can u recommend any good brands plz

Brands for the salts? Just search Rift Lake cichlid salts on eBay.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Thankyou, can u recommend any good brands plz

Seachem Malawi Victoria 300g 600g 1.2k African Rift Lake Cichlid Buffer PH KH | eBay

Use when setting up an aquarium or making water changes (preferably after the addition of Seachem’s Cichlid Lake Salt™) and between water changes as needed to maintain pH. Seachem’s Malawi/Victoria Buffer™ is formulated to maintain a pH between 7.8 and 8.4, depending on the amount used.

www.ebay.co.uk

Seachem CICHLID LAKE SALT 250g 500g 1kg African Rift Lake Cichlid Minerals Salt | eBay

Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt 250g. Cichlid Lake Salt™ is formulated so that dosages vary depending on the lake of origin and need only be added when setting up an aquarium or with water changes. This will not provide a complete replication of the mineral salts that are contained in the lakes of...

www.ebay.co.uk

I just don't know which one. @essjay will say which one when she's on

 

[Essjay]

To be honest, your guess is a good as mine I have soft water and keep soft water fish.


Those two in Salty's links - the second one says it only increases GH; the first increases KH and pH. They suggest using both together. But I'd wait until someone who has used these products to say which is best.