Moderately hard water (6-12 °GH/100-200 ppm) This range of general hardness is preferred by most species of tropical fish This includes most livebearers, like mollies and platies, and is the optimal range for betta fish Hard water (12-18 °GH/200-300 ppm)
Is General hardness bad for fish?
Many fish can only thrive in certain levels of water hardness, and if the levels are outside acceptable parameters, it can cause stress and death Most people’s tap water is either slightly hard or soft depending on where it comes from Well water from areas which have a lot of limestone (calcium) is often hard
Are fish OK in hard water?
Most aquarium fish will adapt to moderately hard to hard water provided they are acclimated properly Ask your local aquarium shop about the hardness and pH in their tanks and compare it to the water in your aquarium The greater the difference, the more gradually fish should be acclimated when you bring them home
How do I lower the hardness in my fish tank?
The best way to introduce water with a low GH is to fill the aquarium with Reverse Osmosis water This tap water purification process removes nitrates, phosphates, chlorine and minerals, and produces water that is pure Treat the pure RO with a remineralizer for RO and you will have perfect aquarium water
What rocks are toxic to fish?
Rocks to avoid include: Shells or crushed coral (these are not ideal for most freshwater tanks, but may be used for African cichlid tanks, where higher pH and calcium hardness are desirable) Limestone Geodes Marble Dolomite
What does General hardness mean in a fish tank?
In terms of aquarium terminology, general hardness measures the number of minerals in the water, namely calcium and magnesium ions These are important minerals for many fish and invertebrates in the aquarium as they help build bone and exoskeleton, regulate metabolism, and facilitate ion exchange
What should my GH be in my fish tank?
Ideally, freshwater aquariums have a GH between 4-8 dGH (or 70-140 ppm) All animals need some minerals, but certain fish like livebearers, goldfish, and African cichlids prefer higher GH levels
Can you keep soft water fish in hard water?
Many livebearing species also come from Central America so Guppies, Platies, Swordtails and Mollies all do well in hard water Mollies even appreciate salt in their water and can suffer if kept in soft freshwater with a low pH
What does high GH mean in a fish tank?
Report Ad Water with a low GH is said to be softer water, and water with a high GH is considered hard So, soft water aquarium has very little or no calcium and magnesium levels
How do you soften hard water?
Use Washing Soda When Doing the Laundry It helps soften both temporary and permanent hard water In simple terms, washing soda gets rid of the dissolved calcium and magnesium in hard water The removal of these mineral ions from the water results in softer water
How can we remove hardness of water naturally?
Basically, a salt based water softener works to remove high concentrations of calcium and magnesium from water through a process called “ion exchange” This process “softens” hard water by substituting the hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) with sodium chloride (salt)
Does GH affect pH?
General hardness (GH) refers to the dissolved concentration of magnesium and calcium ions When fish are said to prefer “soft” or “hard” water, it is GH (not KH) that is being referred to Note: GH, KH and pH form the Bermuda’s Triangle of water chemistry Increasing the KH component also usually increases pH as well
Is hard water bad for goldfish?
Goldfish do well in hard or soft water Some enthusiasts prefer to keep more delicate varieties in soft water, however
Are geodes aquarium safe?
Solid quartz and/or agate geodes are, for the most part, safe for aquariums Geodes with small crystalline lattices containing cinnamon colored or black crystals may contain metals and arsenic in trace amounts Green coatings may involve copper minerals and should be avoided (especially in invert setups)
Can you put heavy rocks in a fish tank?
The heavy rocks should be okay and the foam will keep any points of the rock from breaking the bottom pane of glass Many people in our club put egg crate on the bottom of the tanks before adding the substrate for this very reason It helps to distribute the weight of the rocks evenly along the bottom glass
What is General Hardness in water?
General hardness is a measure of the concentration of divalent metal ions such as calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) per volume of water Specifically, 1 dGH is defined as 10 milligrams (mg) of calcium oxide (CaO) per litre of water
What fish can live in hard water?
Choosing Hard Water Fish Livebearers such as Guppies, Mollies, Platies, and Swordtails Paradise Fish African and some Central American Cichlids Brackish fish such as Archers, Monos, and Scats
What should GH be for Betta?
GH measures the amount of magnesium and calcium dissolved in water or general hardness of water Bettas prefer soft water, but they do tolerate a wide range of GH between 5 – 20 DH or 70-300 ppm
Does water conditioner lower hardness?
Unlike a water softener, a water conditioner does not remove hardness particles from your water supply It “conditions” water and changes the chemistry of the particles for a certain amount of time to keep it from building up “Water conditioner” is a broad term for a wide variety of products and technologies
Does aquarium salt increase hardness?
Aquarium salt Although plain aquarium/tonic salt (sodium chloride) is sometimes suggested as a good way to increase hardness and improve buffering, it in fact provides very little of either Marine salt mix, on the other hand, will raise the pH and carbonate hardness quite significantly
Will soft water hurt my fish?
Since domestic water softeners soften water by replacing calcium and other minerals with sodium, the effects are similar to putting a goldfish in saltwater This can kill the fish depending on how much sodium is in the water
Is limescale harmful to fish?
The residue left behind is likely a lime (calcium carbonate plus additional ions) build-up on the glass called “limescale” While these residues won’t hurt your fish or your system, it can nonetheless make them harder to see and isn’t pleasant to look at
Is soft water Bad for betta fish?
Yes it can harm fish It removes all traces of calcium and magnesium from the water, which fish need The harm done to fish can take months to show So do I need to do something to my tap water to keep my fish healthy long term?Jan 17, 2017