High KH and pH

Keels

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So I have been mostly focusing on the nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia in my tank to ensure everything is as it should be, but I recently got test strips for pH, GH and KH as well, and noticed that my pH and KH are way too high due to my tap water. I've been battling with lowering the pH for a while but nothing helped so far (adding wood, tanning from Indian almond leaves, and I have stratum substrate which is supposed to lower pH).
What is the best way to lower those in a heavily planted tank?
 
The pH is part of the GH and KH, and the latter serves as a buffer to resist changes. The higher the KH, the stronger the buffering capability, and all the wood and leaves will not have any influence so long as the buffering is solid. Yo need to deal with the GH/KH and the pH will follow.

But if fish are in the tank, this is highly dangerous. Let's start with the actual levels, what is the GH and KH of your source (tap) water on its own; and pH too while we're at it? Do these numbers vary for the aquarium water?

What species of fish do you have? They may be fine with the parameters as they are.
 

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