Gh Level Serious Problems

[Legion]

For the last four weeks or so the water in all my tanks has a GH of 20+. The pH is 7 and there are no traces of nitrite or ammonia. Over a period of a month or so before this I lost four tinfoil barbs and a loach in one tank plus two loaches and an angel fish in another. For the first two weeks as advised I have sectioned the tanks into three/four separate areas and thoroughly cleaned the gravel and changed the water every four days or so. Still at 20+. Last weekend I purchased a water softening kit for each tank and have just returned from having all the water tested with the GH STILL being 20+. They have advised me to contact the water board that supplies Bloxwich.

Can anyone provide another solution?

 

[drobbyb]

Unless you are keeping Discus or rams hard water is not bad. Often we think that it isn't good for the fish and muck around with chemicals and water softening pillows. Usually this does more harm than good. Extremely soft water like I have will not hold a steady pH and I must do something. Hard water is the opposite. It will not adversley effect your fish unless your fish are soft water species. Have you tested your tap water for GH and KH? You need to find what is driving your hardness up. Are there any decorations (ie: Coral, crushed coral gravel, shells, calcium rock etc) that could be driving it up?

 

[Legion]

For the last four weeks or so the water in all my tanks has a GH of 20+. The pH is 7 and there are no traces of nitrite or ammonia. Over a period of a month or so before this I lost four tinfoil barbs and a loach in one tank plus two loaches and an angel fish in another. For the first two weeks as advised I have sectioned the tanks into three/four separate areas and thoroughly cleaned the gravel and changed the water every four days or so. Still at 20+. Last weekend I purchased a water softening kit for each tank and have just returned from having all the water tested with the GH STILL being 20+. They have advised me to contact the water board that supplies Bloxwich.

Can anyone provide another solution?

Unless you are keeping Discus or rams hard water is not bad. Often we think that it isn't good for the fish and muck around with chemicals and water softening pillows. Usually this does more harm than good. Extremely soft water like I have will not hold a steady pH and I must do something. Hard water is the opposite. It will not adversley effect your fish unless your fish are soft water species. Have you tested your tap water for GH and KH? You need to find what is driving your hardness up. Are there any decorations (ie: Coral, crushed coral gravel, shells, calcium rock etc) that could be driving it up?

Thankyou ever so much for your response. I have had these tanks running for many years now with no such problems until recently. The water board have recently been working on the supply. I will contact them and get a direct tap-water sample tested.