Hello and thanks for the advice in advance.

[Byron]

You should ascertain the GH and KH from your water authority, this is probably given on their website, or you can call them. They likely use the mg/l unit (the test kit is dGH and dKH per drop) but it is easy enough to convert, I can explain if asked.

The colour change is the first drop that alters the colour even faintly. Some people have thought you add drops until it is a very dark green, etc, but at the first sign of a slight change, that is the number.

 

[Jeepin59]

I am on well water. I ran tests today. My tap water shows High PH at 8.4, GH it took 2 drops to change color, KH took 40 drops to change not sure how to read that.
Aquarium shows
0 for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate
High PH 8.4
Tank has been running for over 2 months with sump only. Sump has filter sock, filter material, bio ceramic rings, and chemi-pure.

 

[Essjay]

Which brand of test kit for GH and KH? Most are 1 drop = 1 dH but with some there is a calculation to convert the drops to dH.
If it is a 1 drop = 1 dH tester, your GH is 2 dH and your KH is 40 dH.

This makes it tricky for choosing fish. It is very soft water but with a very high pH. Those fish which need soft water won't be happy in that pH, while those fish which need high pH won't be happy in soft water

 

[Rocky998]

Yayyyy we have the same water @Jeepin59... I dont have as high of a KH but it still is really high... Im able to keep at least one softwater species (peacock gudgeons) and I plan on adding another species to the tank in the coming months (rasbora espei). My 10 gallon will also be turned into either a betta tank or pea puffer tank... I have had my peacock gudgeons for about three months now and they are doing amazing (even breeding). I'm on vaca rn so I cant check them but I'm pretty sure their doing good.

 

[Jeepin59]

Which brand of test kit for GH and KH? Most are 1 drop = 1 dH but with some there is a calculation to convert the drops to dH.
If it is a 1 drop = 1 dH tester, your GH is 2 dH and your KH is 40 dH.

This makes it tricky for choosing fish. It is very soft water but with a very high pH. Those fish which need soft water won't be happy in that pH, while those fish which need high pH won't be happy in soft water

It is an API GH/KH Test kit.

 

[Essjay]

That's a 1 drop = 1 dH tester. So you have GH 2 dH (or 36 ppm) and KH is 40 dH (and 716 ppm)


Can I just check with you - did the KH tester stay blue for 39 drops then go yellow with the 40th drop? It's just that the instructions say it's the number of drops to turn bright yellow, and that has been interpreted by some as meaning you have to continue adding drops after it turns blue to yellow until the yellow gets strong.

 

[Jeepin59]

That's a 1 drop = 1 dH tester. So you have GH 2 dH (or 36 ppm) and KH is 40 dH (and 716 ppm)


Can I just check with you - did the KH tester stay blue for 39 drops then go yellow with the 40th drop? It's just that the instructions say it's the number of drops to turn bright yellow, and that has been interpreted by some as meaning you have to continue adding drops after it turns blue to yellow until the yellow gets strong.

In an earlier post Bryon stated stop when color starts to change. I wasn't aware of that first few time I ran test. I stopped when it started to change at 40 drops.

 

[Essjay]

That's the right way. You'd be surprised how many people with soft water have the colour change after just a few drops but keep adding drops until the yellow gets brighter so I thought I'd better check

 

[connorlindeman]

pea puffer

I wouldn’t put them in a 10g. They prefer to have a couple of friends(6 or more) and that tank wouldn’t be big enough.

 

[Rocky998]

I wouldn’t put them in a 10g. They prefer to have a couple of friends(6 or more) and that tank wouldn’t be big enough.

Really? Ive heard they also enjoy being held solo

 

[connorlindeman]

Really? Ive heard they also enjoy being held solo

They wouldn't exhibit natural behavior. You could keep 3 in a 10g but they would fight among themselves and would be stressed. When held solo I've heard of them becoming very stressed.