BMBLSAD
New Member
Hi all
I am 14 days in to cycling (fishless) a new 15-gal tank that will host a goldfish at some point. We live in an area with really hard water that also has a high iron content (turns your hair orange high). So, we have a Kinetico water softener. I don't have access to non-softened water so that's what I'm using in the tank.
After initial set up my pH was steady at 8.0, but over teh last couple of days has creeped up to 8.4. I bought an API GH/KH test kit and tested the water tonight. Here are my questions.
Currently, my tank shows
Tap water is
Hoping this is enough information.
Thanks in advance!
Beth
I am 14 days in to cycling (fishless) a new 15-gal tank that will host a goldfish at some point. We live in an area with really hard water that also has a high iron content (turns your hair orange high). So, we have a Kinetico water softener. I don't have access to non-softened water so that's what I'm using in the tank.
After initial set up my pH was steady at 8.0, but over teh last couple of days has creeped up to 8.4. I bought an API GH/KH test kit and tested the water tonight. Here are my questions.
- It took 14 KH drops to turn the water from blue to bright yellow. The conversion chart stops at 12. Does this mean the water is unhealthy?
- When I put the first drop of GH in, it did not turn orange. Instead, it turned a very slight hint of green. Is this odd? Should it have turned orange first?
- Regarding the GH, how green should the water be before you stop adding drops? I stopped at 4 but it was not a bright, solid green like the KH was a bright, solid yellow.
Currently, my tank shows
- pH 8.4,
- ammonia 0
- nitrites 0
- nitrates 20.
- Temp 78.
Tap water is
- 7.4pH,
- 15 KH drops
- 6 GH drops (107.4ppm?)
Hoping this is enough information.
Thanks in advance!
Beth