# Reducing GH



## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

Just back from 2 weeks away to find my 20g choked with green hair algae. Big clean up this morning and I am about to do a 50% wc. My GH is 10. I have apistos, cardinal, pygmie Cories and otos. Tap water GH is 0 to 1. I want to reduce the GH to a better level. Do I just add unbuffered water to reduce GH, or buffer the new water to 6?


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

I also have a ton of snails. I put in 2 assassins but they aren't keeping up! Suggestions, or are lots of snails ok?


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

Why do you want to decrease your gH? As far as I know the gH doesn't affect the growth of algae, thats likely due to the amount of light you have.


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## Niku (Feb 11, 2014)

+1 to that ^ 

Iv had tanks that went far beyond 10 and had no I'll effects on the fauna. Besides if your tap water is 0 and you have been doing water changes semi regularly then it means its something in your tank boosting your GH up ... Just be happy you don't have to shell out for equilibrium like some of us to raise your GH


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

My KH is 5 and pH around 7.4 to 7.8 (don't know how you are supposed to see the subtle colour differences between these two). So I just thought it was a bit high for the fish. So sounds like you think I should just add equilibrium to my tap water as usual during the wc and the GH/KH is fine.

I'm not too worried about the algae, other than being surprised by how crazy it went in two weeks. It was in the tank when I got it. I am using 8 hours cfl light per day and it does get a small amount of indirect light from a window. I keep pulling it out and eventually it may balance.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Ideal Gh for plants is 3-8. If it was me and I wanted to lower my GH, I would do a water change and not add equilibrium. Than Id check it the next day and raise it if need be.

PH is a little high for some plants. What are you adding to raise KH/PH? Where does your PH sit normally?

I agree with the above. Gh out by a little bit probably doesn't cause Algae. A combination of a few things is probably the reason. You might want to cut back your lighting an hour or 2 to see if that helps.

How are the plants doing?

Also one of the best fish tank investments I made was a digital Ph meter. Takes the guessing work out of testing your PH
Milwaukee Waterproof pH Tester

If you go to a hydroponic store they will sell a similar version. Bought mine for $40
HM Digital pH pen: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors Same as this 1


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

I don't think GH is the issue here.. Justin is right on GH you want to keep between 3-8 especially for apisto tank...
PH is high for apisto tank... you want to keep between 6- 6.5 if you want to breed.. cacatuiode can be kept and breed even around 6.8-7.0 (if they are tank raised not wild caught). I would not go higher than 7.0 for sure.. as for lowering GH, you can just do W/C without any buffers.. do small w/c for several days until you get what you want


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

My plants are doing ok. I've only had the tank for a month and it came with crypts, java fern, anubias and Java moss. The java fern isn't in good shape, holes in the leaves and poor colour. It was previously in IPU for quite a long time with no heater, the store was warm enough for the fish but my place isn't so I added that, likely causing the snail/algae to really take off. The crypts are doing really well. I am adding more java moss and ferns today, and more anubias when I can get some. So far I haven't fertilized and I don't think the store did either. No co2.

The only thing I have added is some equilibrium for the two water changes I have done so far. I added enough to raise the tap water to 6. I mix it in a bucket and add the water by hand (not straight from the tap).

On this forum somewhere people said not to worry about pH, it was the GH/KH that mattered and can be adjusted, so I stopped testing pH. Was this not correct? Definitely will look into a digital pH meter. So how do you lower or raise pH?


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

you can lower PH in 2 ways.. use acid buffer or use almonds leaves, oak leaves, peat moss.. I use peat moss to lower PH.. I found that TDS can go really high when I use the chemical (acid buffer).. Having said this, I would not mess up with PH too much unless you really want to breed and raise fry on difficult to breed apsitos.. I lost many apistos by playing with PH too much..


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

The apistos had fry when I left, but no sign of them now. Not sure what would have caused the pH to go up since getting the tank, and/or in the past 2weeks. What can I do to lower the pH?


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

So I could just get some garden variety peat moss, rinse it and stick it in the hob?


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

what is ph from your tap water.. I guess it's around 6.8 ish.. If so, Just do several water change over the next few days...
there may be something in your tank that can raise PH.. like rocks or something..


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

I see you have pencilfish with your apistos. Do you think the cardinals got the fry? Or was it more likely the high pH? I put a pre-filter sponge on the hob before I left but it wasn't cleaned for 2 weeks. I also have a box internal filter higher up in the tank.

I only have 5 pygmies left, sadly (sorry Charles). Would it be the pH for them as well, or is it just a matter of being wild caught?


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

maximusfish said:


> So I could just get some garden variety peat moss, rinse it and stick it in the hob?


you can do that as well but it can get messy in your tank... i have a dedicated 5G bucket for apisto and shrimp tank. I fill it with water and put peat moss in socks and put socks in the bucket and let it sit for a week..


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

maximusfish said:


> I see you have pencilfish with your apistos. Do you think the cardinals got the fry? Or was it more likely the high pH? I put a pre-filter sponge on the hob before I left but it wasn't cleaned for 2 weeks. I also have a box internal filter higher up in the tank.
> 
> I only have 5 pygmies left, sadly (sorry Charles). Would it be the pH for them as well, or is it just a matter of being wild caught?


it can be both.. cardinal tetra is known for hunting apisto fry.. I will be honest with you.. I've never be able to raise fry so I'm not the person for this question However, PH has to be low in order for fry to survive.. maybe other apisto people can jump into this 

mine are all from charles and my pygmies are doing well in my shrimp/apisto tanks.


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