How Hard Is Your Water ?

[griffgrogg]

Hi,

I'd just like to find out how much hardness of water comes into the equation with successful plants........I live in Cambs (anglian water) and my water is very hard, I do have good lighting and pressurised CO2

tap water - ph 7
kh 10
gh 23 !!

my dennerle book says the ideal is

ph 6.4 - 6.9
kh 2 - 4
gh 4 - 7

so my readings are way off !! I have two water butts so could use rain water readings of ph 7 kh 3 gh 7. Or could do a mix........I could use a carbon filter to get out any nasties.

Have you got a successful planted tank with these kind of levels ?

 

[Jen]

I dont know about my gh, but out of my tap, the ph is 7.6, and kh is 6. After adding the co2, the ph drops to 6.8. I'll check on the gh when I get home.

 

[Bloo]

Crikey, not great is it

Don't feel too bad. My tapwater stats are:
kH = varies 11 - 12
gH varies 17 - 19 (but mostly 19).
pH varies 7.6 - 8.4

I wouldn't worry about it too much. However actually I'm not sure how really that would influence plants.
What fish do you keep ? Do you have a fully planted tank ?
What are your tank stats ?

 

[griffgrogg]

Ive literally just started trying IE from PO4 and NO3 of nil.........so at the moment Im raising it slowly and now it is PO4 1.5 and NO3 2.5.........CO2 Ive upped to 35ppm to try and knock out some algae Ive been breeding

Ive got run of the mill community fish, rasboras, shark, corys, barbs adn SAE's.......tetras Ive never had much luck with but this isnt suprising with the hardness !

As for the plants, there is a fair amount, mostly vallis and cripts, with some ferns and Ive bought some cambomba recently, some floaters too...

 

[Jen]

Just tested my gh, and its 10. So looks like im pretty close to dennerle's ratings

 

[Griz]

Interesting to hear what people's tap water is like in different places.
Mine's pH 7.5 GH 10 KH 6, Southern Ontario, Canada (Not far from canoechiq in fact)

 

[jimbooo]

i've never tested my tap water ) but tank water is KH 13 after 50% water change no idea of GH.

a high KH is actually beneficial as when you add co2 the PH will not drop as far. with CO2 at 30ppm the PH is still around 6.8-7 ish. with a lower kh it would drop much further. even if i have an over dose situation the water is so stable the PH wont kill the fish.

i'd say you should be fine
edit: i think i have the same water as you (hertfordshire). put it this way kettles and irons are dead in 6 months.

 

[Jen]

Another local?? cool. Where abouts are you from Griz?

 

[Walt]

My local water here in Colorado is:
ph 7.7
KH 3
GH 2

 

[qwikimpss]

My local water here in good ol New Hampshire is

PH 7.8
GH 4
KH 4

 

[modernhamlet]

pH 8.7
gh 2
kh 1

Weird, I know...