How to lower water hardness fast?

[Essjay]

Where did you get the GH level from - your water provider's website or did you test it at home? And if you tested it, what did you use to test with?
The reason I'm asking is that some brands of test strip have 180 ppm as the upper limit. Water could be liquid rock and these testers would still read 180 ppm

 

[Raw84]

Where did you get the GH level from - your water provider's website or did you test it at home? And if you tested it, what did you use to test with?
The reason I'm asking is that some brands of test strip have 180 ppm as the upper limit. Water could be liquid rock and these testers would still read 180 ppm

Funny you say this because this occurred to me about 2 hours ago. It's the API test kit which only goes up to 180ppm, I noticed the tetra kit goes to 300 or 400 so ill suss that out today.

 

[Essjay]

The API liquid tester or strip tester?
I have used the liquid tester and that goes up to as high as the highest GH you could find as you just keep adding drops till it changes colour. But the strips do stop at 180 ppm.

Liquid testers are more accurate.

 

[Raw84]

The API liquid tester or strip tester?
I have used the liquid tester and that goes up to as high as the highest GH you could find as you just keep adding drops till it changes colour. But the strips do stop at 180 ppm.

Liquid testers are more accurate.

The strip tester, awesome thanks I'll grab that!

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

Which part of WA are you in?
Perth normally has very soft water due to the desalination units that provide us with drinking water. Some of the country towns might be different.

Mollies want a GH above 250ppm and a pH above 7.0.
Platies should be fine at a GH of 180ppm.
Most tetras should be fine at 180ppm too as should the cichlids.

----------------------

Don't have 2 species of dwarf cichlid in the tank unless it's over 4 foot long because the Kribensis will bash the rams when breeding. If you want a breeding pair of rams, buy 8-10 young fish and grow them up together. Let them pair off naturally and move the prs into their own tank or move the others out and leave the pr behind.

To get a pr of Kribensis, buy a male and female or see if 2 have paired up in the shop. There are other species of Pelvicachromis cichlids like Kribensis but less common and more colourful. Pelvicachromis subocellatus from Moanda is a beautiful fish but you might have to get the shop to order them in for you.

Apistogramma cacatuoides is a nice dwarf cichlid.

----------------------

Avoid dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalius) and all their colour forms. They regularly have Fish Tuberculosis (TB) and or the Gourami Iridovirus. The Iridovirus is not meant to be in Australia due to the 4 week quarantine period but it still appears from time to time. Neither disease can be treated and once the disease is in your tank, it's there until you disinfect everything, including the fish.

There are other small species of gourami that don't normally have these diseases.

----------------------

The following 2 links are for 2 of the major fish suppliers in Australia. They don't sell to the public but they do supply most shops. You can see if the fish you want are available from the suppliers and then ask the shop for a price and to order them in for you.

LIVE FISH - Premier Pet Pty Ltd

Listing of LIVE FISH products

www.premierpet.com.au

Aquarium Industries - Current Stock

Each week, Aquarium Industries posts a list of the stock that we currently have available for order on our website as a downloadable excel file.

www.aquariumindustries.com.au

 

[Oddball59]

Your point about conflicting information is one of the real dangers in this hobby. There are reliable sites, but there is a host of inaccurate and misleading information that is not worth even reading. Seriously Fish is good information. There is also Planet Catfish, Loaches Online, and CorydorasWorld. Not surprising, you will find the data very similar if not exactly so. Knowledgeable individuals spend years researching, collecting, studying, and they know.

Kia Ora, yes and beware of the "experts". Watch and read and research, there are people who you quickly realise you can listen to... Byron is one.. there are others, filter them out. The first tank is the scariest tank, but there is a good community here and elsewhere as Byron pointed out. Remember in the end everyone wants you to succeed.