Fish Tank Water Hardness Fully Explained: Don't Kill Your Fish!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Hey Everyone. If you are interested in testing your water here are the links to testing strips/kits! Amazon Affiliate Links: Tetra Water Test Strips: amzn.to/2E94zC9 API 5 in 1 Water Test Strips: amzn.to/2EeHIoK API Ammonia Test Strips: amzn.to/2XvghA6 Apera pH meter: amzn.to/2NryycT

[@vargacecilia]

I'm an engineer by profession, and I can tell you, this was beautifully explained! All my respects for you and your passion.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you so much! Appreciate you being here. :-)

[@eddyrdz7543]

I’m a construction manager by profession. And I also, agree this was beautifully explained.

[@brendanschmitz321]

@@eddyrdz7543 I'm unemployed and I can tell you this was beautifully explained.

[@michaelh8558]

@@brendanschmitz321 i am a janitor and i can tell you this was beautifully explained

[@brendanschmitz321]

@@michaelh8558 I got employed in the shipping department of a company that manufactures dental equipment. I can still tell you that this was beautifully explained.

[@michaelhokie]

I had to learn this lesson the hard way when I recently got back into the hobby after a 20 year (or so) absence. My PH coming out of my tap was around 7.5 give or take, but I noticed that every time that I tested my tank when trying to cycle it, the PH would drop down to 6.0 or lower....Which in turn killed the cycle. I was trying to cycle a somewhat heavily planted tank that had a PH lowering substrate and driftwood which would have been fine, but I figured out that my tap water's KH was extremely low with no buffering capacity. It was a nightmare trying to cycle this tank before I figured everything out with a ton of research and some crushed coral. I wish that I would have come across this video sooner, because it would have saved me a bunch of time and work. With that being said, this video is awesome! Thank you for all of the informative and entertaining content! Hope to catch a live stream sometime soon and become a member!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@rebeccamccoy1997]

This is EXACTLY what is keeping my tank from cycling! Just had my water tested at the LFS and my KH was zero. Heavily planted tank, parameters kept looking good and then going all over the place.

[@jeffcarpenter6306]

I watched the PH first and now the water harness. You totally told me the opposite my local fist store told me. I told them my PH is at 8.3. Out of my tap it is 8.5. My GH/KH is at 20 ppm - 30 ppm. My local fist store told me I need to drop my PH and told me to put the leaves in my tank. With your explanation I now understand how harmful it would be to do a drastic change. You made it quit clear to me that I am ok, but should balance it out slowly. It is important to to balance the PH to maintain it between 6 - 8 and monitor my hardness to keep in line with the PH. Sorry to repeat. Thank you for sharing.

[@thelifeaquaticwithrobbull2930]

Another excellent vid mate. That is one of the best youtube breakdowns of water hardness I have seen. You are quickly becoming one of my fish youtubers. The fact that you refer to your tanks as an ecosystem might be missed by many, but essentially this is what we do as fishkeepers. We attempt to create ecosystems that emulate the natural ecosystems. Of course you can never achieve a fully natural ecosystem for tropical fish in non-tropical areas, some artificial input is required, but I have found in 22 years in the hobby that the closer you get, the more success you will have with your fish. My tip to all would be not to chase your water.....essentially work out what your water parameters are, then choose the fish you stock based on those parameters. Keep in mind that many commonly kept aquarium fish will thrive in water conditions drastically different to those of their natural habitats. Evolution happens fairly quickly in organisms with a short reproductive cycle, and many species have been successfully bred for so long in the hobby that their tolerances are actually quite extreme. For example, I probably wouldn't keep wild caught Rift Lake Cichlids in my water, as although it is relatively hard, it has a pH of around 7.3, but the fish I have stocked are bred in the local area and are absolutely thriving. They have never known anything but a pH of 7.3. I also know of people who breed Discus in this water successfully, and I would quite happily keep those Discus in this water as well, although it would likely kill a wild caught specimen. Aim for stability folks....fish thrive in a stable environment.

[@metalhead9849]

When I REALLY need info I come to Jason. Thank you for all the education for someone who's been out of the hobby for 40 years. Lot's have changed.

[@Sivakc89]

Love the video. Most important point was to keep the PH stable and thanks for speaking about water buffering capacity too that was important piece to understand, thanks for these refreshing videos.

[@TheFishNerd]

I love these educational videos!! I watched this one the other day and had to come back again today to watch it again to make sure I soaked it all in. I understood the basics of hardness and that kh points to buffering capacity but this is some great in-depth info!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thanks Carlos! Look forward to seeing you in Dallas!

[@taryndeclyn1474]

Extremely effective explanation! I live in the same area as you just down in Indiana. Very hard water with a high pH. Finally decided that I wanted to separate tank where the fish will thrive in my natural water parameters. Siding on going with a large frontosa colony! Thank you for your help!

[@Hondagrl22]

Your videos are super helpful and informative...thank you. I'm new to fishkeeping and the amount of information I really needed to know BEFORE, is overwhelming. Thanks for providing this content. It's appreciated!

[@mikefisher4834]

It’s like you knew I needed this video right now I know this video is five years old but it just popped up in my recommended right when I need it

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Woohoo : -)

[@hilow9491]

this feels like a science class

[@tobiasgriffin2289]

After buying a house that came with 125g tank a year ago I wish I paid attention in science biology etc..🙄 everytime I think I got it I find out I really dont

[@guesswho6941]

That’s because it is

[@crowtubecrozier2857]

It actually is

[@scottg6144]

@@tobiasgriffin2289ooo

[@Tara-vs7vs]

Our society needs more science classes.

[@baileyf1998]

I live in Oregon, my water is extremely soft. 0 on the hardness scale. Tap water comes out at 7.0 but if you fill a tank and test it a week later it will be around 6.0. this isn't good if you want most fish, plants and especially snails. What I did to buff my water is I add 2 tsp of cichlid salt to my 55 every water change/week. This works for me because 2 tsp isn't anywhere close to enough to make the water too hard for example it recommends 1 tablespoon per 10g to make water appropriate for cichlids. Now my PH stays at 7.6, KH stays at 80, and GH stays at 100. This worked for me, now my snails, fish and plants are all very happy, would recommend.

[@libbymcjunkin4515]

I was wondering what was up with my tank. I finally started watching videos about ph, etc. I’m in NY and my ph is low, gh and kh also. Tonight I put crushed coral in my HOB to try and help. The salt doesn’t hurt your snails?

[@baileyf1998]

I used crushed coral in the past. Definitely has benefits, but takes time to raise PH. No, snails would likely die without the salt. The salt keeps my water ph slightly above neutral which snails perfer cause acidic water breaks down shells and the salt has alot of calcium in it which snails consume keep shells strong. You just have to remember to use the cichlid salt in moderation. The instruction says to add 1 table spoon per 10 gallons for cichlids which prefer high PH. I'm adding 2 teaspoons per water change on my 55g, I only do 1/2 teaspoon on my 20g per water change so the amount will depend on size of tank and what you are keeping.

[@marielaavila9182]

@@libbymcjunkin4515 Me too! I live on Long Island and am having a similar issue lol gatta love New York... did you find a solution by chance? I am going to add wonder shells to my aquarium hoping the calcium and other minerals may help.

[@MilesLocke]

@@baileyf1998 do you have live plants? I am almost in the same boat as you so salt could be a good option for me just scared to try it if it hurts live plants.

[@baileyf1998]

@@MilesLocke yes, my aqaurium is planted.

[@joannadillon1214]

So great that give the actual science of water parameters and not just the opinions. Very helpful.

[@dR3ws3r]

Thanks for the video. I have returned to fish keeping after a long break and I now live in virginia. I have almost zero kh and dh. The ph out of the tap is 7.2, but after sitting for a few days drops to 6.2. At night my CO2 in my 25 gallon aquarium drops to as low as 5.5, and during the day around 5.9. I was using CO2 injection, but have given up on that for the time being. I really wish I had some more buffering capacity.

[@rashelbee]

this explains so much man my ph out of tap is around 7.4 and the water in my tank is often 6 or below because i have driftwood. nw florida is trying so hard to kill my fish

[@JKFishKeeping]

I can always count on The Professor with any test tube questions. Appreciate you Jason

[@matthewzito6130]

In my experience wood will release a lot of tannins when first added to a tank. However, that drops off dramatically after the first few weeks.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I've found that to be true as well. Usually after a few water changes the water is back to normal.

[@lruddy8820]

i commented on your most recent video how id like a video about some of the science behind hardness and you replied back with this link, it was great... i got the fritz pack of catappa leaves and cones and such and added more then what is recommended on the box to my tank and it brought my pH down from 7.5 to 7.0 when i was told it could drop my pH to 6.0 its cool knowing KH plays a roll in how much stuff like that will drop your pH

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Glad this was helpful!

[@tropicaltanktv]

I love stuff like this. I would love to see a long video where you really get into the weeds talking about these things. It's been a long time since I took college chemistry after all. :)

[@CelestialHei]

This could not have been any more helpful!! You explained this in such an easily digestible way, thank you! I recently moved to downtown Chicago and the lifespan of my fish had drastically decreased, and they never seemed to thrive like they used to. Now I suppose I know why. Time to look at hard water fish species! Thanks again!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@Chris29909]

Hi Jason fantastic presentation time well spent, aside from buying stuff this may be my favorite part of this hobby... thanks

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thanks for watching!

[@patrickburton3998]

Absolutely love your videos. Very helpful and educational. You do an absolutely fantabulous job of teaching. Keep up your total awesomeness.

[@Cougar139tweak]

Wow, awesome breakdown, very in depth on how each parameter influences the others....can see why keeping things stable can be more important then a one parameter goal like PH level or Total Alkalinity.

[@oreotcat]

Jason - I have to thank you for this video because it has helped me tremendously in figuring out why I've had issues with my aquariums. I live in NH and set up 2 smaller (5 and 10 g) tanks for Bettas in April 2019. My pH plummeted down to at least 6.0 after registering in the high 7's at water change consistently. I bought an API test kit but never checked my water hardness. This past month I lost both of my Bettas within a week of each other, from what appeared to be separate issues. The first had swim bladder problems and I was doing regular water changes to try and help after doing salt treatments. Not realizing that was doing more bad than good because the pH levels were obviously becoming extremely unstable. After I saw the alkalinity map you posted, my heart sunk because I'm in an area in the country with probably the worst alkalinity issues. I seriously had no idea. But on a good note, I set up the 5g tank again and have started to use a remineralizer to increase GH and a KH buffer to help stabilize the pH levels. So far it's working very well and my pH has settled around 6.6 and my dKh is around 6 and dGh around 4. Also because my tap water is so soft, I now premix the water change water and let it sit for a couple of days to stabilize before putting it in the tank. Hopefully this will give my new little guy a better chance at a healthier life than my previous 2. Its sort of overwhelming to deal with all this chemistry but it's really necessary unfortunately. Sorry for the long winded post but I just wanted to say thanks for all your knowledge.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you so much! I'm sorry you lost the original fish, but I'm glad to hear you were able to straighten it out.

[@LurkinCT]

Well done!

[@anthonyaguilar3949]

Oh thanks for explaining the ppm vs degrees i was looking at hard water tetras and they all said 5-20 and my test says that my water is 300 and i was getting frustrated

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

I just found this video, it is really awesome. Thanks for breaking the subject down it made perfect sense and really helps me for when I'm finally able to shop for my fish and shrimp.😁

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

That's cool! We have something coming out Saturday as kind of a follow-up more focused on driftwood and how it fits into the water chemistry picture. :-)

[@beyondfubar]

Recently got back into the hobby and went from a 33L as my big tank 2 years ago to a 125 with a huge sump. I listened to videos like this and so many others and decided that stability was my missing factor. It's so true. Did RO water with a ATO/AWC and pull out about 10% of the water a day, refilling with the RO stuff. With the sump loaded with cycled material and water that is practically identical every fill It's so much easier. 0 nitrite 0 nitrates. Now I just gotta decide if some uncertainty with adding hardness back in is worth it.

[@roxisone]

Great info but my head is spinning. I love the maps that was awesome. Thanks!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@DwightParker]

Yes, it makes my head spin as well..... I live in the middle of Texas and we have hard water and ph is kind of high..... but I want South American cichlids, not African.....

[@davidriddick4905]

Great video! I appreciate your depth of knowledge and energy. Answered all of my questions on maintaining a healthy tank.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@sjbfoto]

Really great video, thank you! I've been keeping fish for a few years, and while I did test the pH, GH, and KH of my tap water, I never bothered to test my individual aquariums. Turns out I have at least one aquarium where the GH and KH have dropped by almost half (pH exactly the same though)! This may explain my mystery snails dying. Hoping something like Wonder Shell might be gentle enough to raise the GH and KH without bothering the pygmy cories.

[@two_hands7455]

Thank-you very much for making this video, it helped me get closer to understanding water hardness. I wonder whether it would useful for fish and pet stores, and online websites, to display these maps? Would it be a good idea for prospective entrepreneurs, or folks selling fish, to consider this, since it pertains to potential customers and the local fish market? Although the the maps surface water may not match tap water, nor some deeper wells, as others have already commented on.

[@adamcunha1514]

Wow this is great information for a more intermediate keeper like myself. This improved my understanding quite a bit.

[@oldman5139]

Expertly explained.. The only thing missing was a chalk board behind you. You would make a great Professor.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I actually am an Associate Professor of Biology and Microbiology. : -)

[@808devinci4]

Very interesting cause our water here In Oahu tests high PPM very hard water, I’ve been needing to experiment a lot throughout my learning journey😅

[@TaleRavenTarot]

You're so good at explaining this stuff! I really appreciate it. Your channel is my go-to source for all the newbie stuff I need to know. Thanks so much!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Glad you are here!

[@FoolyLiving]

I have a water softener and it uses salt, and can't buy potassium because its sold out everywhere for the water softener. I dont want to kill my fish! I bought equilibrium and put 1/2 tsp in with my water change of 10% for 75 gallon tank. It made my PH go up a couple points.. I am worried about what to do because my plants are not thriving, but most importantly I dont want to kill my fish. I have a community tank with small tetras and platys, corys, otos, etc.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Water softeners can make it tough to keep some types of fish. People who have them often have a bypass for their aquariums and mix RO water if necessary to bring the hardness down.

[@BreakerInc]

Why I gotta be in a red zone! ;.; I just got into this, and have major water hardness, so here's hoping I can get this sorted.

[@Notevenone]

So glad I found you. It’s been difficult finding someone with you education and knowledge in relation to the aquarium hobby. Thanks so much

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you! Appreciate you being here. : -)

[@lavenderrainbow5041]

Extremely informative! Thank you! This still doesn't answer my questions tho :( I can't find anything anywhere to answer them. I've tested my water for absolutely everything and the only thing that is high is the GH. PH is fine, ammonia is fine, everything is fine. My tank is 7 years old. But, all but 1 of my fish died. I had Mollies, platies and cichlids. My tank is at a constant temp. I do regular water changes - only partials. I had just bought some fish, brought them home...did what I normally do. The next day 2 were dead, then 2 more the next day. It's been 2 weeks and all of them are dead but 1. This is including the 3 fish I already had in there plus some neons. I wonder if the pet store had 'bad' fish/water? But my water tests are good except for GH being high. However, the type of fish I bought should have been fine with that. I don't have a place to go that is knowledgeable like yourself. Only Petsmart... any ideas? I was considering lowering the GH to see if this helps out any but I can't find much on the subject. ****I forgot to mention that some of my fish were covered in tiny clear bubbles and were hanging out at the top of the tank or in my bubbler. The 'bubbles' made me think of gas bubble disease but were only visible on my darker orange fish. (It wasn't ick) I didn't notice it on my yellow ones or neons. My neons, platies, guppies all disappeared or died. I watched your video on Nitrates so I think that I will get a specific kit for that. My dip-test for nitrates & nitrites showed in acceptable levels tho. I spent a ton of money on my last batch of fish. I'm scared to purchase any more ...

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

It sounds like the fish you brought home were sick and probably had an internal parasite they passed on to the rest of your fish. I don't think it was your water parameters - it sounds like you are on top of that. If you have the opportunity to set up a QT tank (even 5-10 gallons) and QT for 4 weeks before adding your fish to your main tank that might help a lot. Thanks for watching!

[@defiantlion231]

Sounds like you should let nature do it's job, you job stealer & you killed fish. Fish killer! I'd like a toilet bowl aquarium, PLEASE!

[@shykitten362]

I wish I knew this sooner... I accidentally killed my betta because the water was too hard 🥺 I think I’ll just stick to mystery snails. It’s super hard to manage it both for a snail & betta.

[@its_jake_michael4791]

same dude, but it was a black moor. really sad to see the babies die

[@nazmussifat1994]

What is the ideal hardness for betta?

[@ElectricBoogaloo007]

@Thisgirlashhley Guppies like really hard water.

[@lyamainu]

My betta AND my mystery snails died because our water is so hard. 😭

[@patricklaundra3286]

Thank you. I've really been working at understanding this. I think it's important that I have a working knowledge of PH KH and GH. these are just the basics of "know your water - from your tap and in your tank" .. I don't need the rocket science. I just need to know enough about these to work with it .. I got an understanding of GH pretty quick. - mineral content - simple enough. I thought I knew what PH is, but I didn't really. & KH was confusing me .. the way you explained how KH = buffering stability, and directly effects PH, finally made it click .. Again thank you a whole bunch ..

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you for being here!

[@lamarchelamarche2487]

Wow! so much good information in this video it's mindblowing

[@CandidTechTV]

Very great video, loved that you showed some of the US map zones too

[@johnglenham4099]

Another very interesting video,like the way thing are explained for lesser fish experts to understand.🤔

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Glad you are here!

[@cintric7183]

Thank you Jason! Awsome channel! Always well explained!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you so much!

[@patelvivek27]

Hello Jason, I’ve emailed you this already but posting it up as a comment to see if it reaches you and hopefully you get the chance to answer. Not sure if you’ll read this but this is going to be a rather long question. I live in New Jersey and I have a 36 gallon tank with 4 common goldfish ~3 years old. Originally they were in a 10 gallon tank and were passed onto me by my girlfriend’s family. Ever since they got them when the fishes were babies they have been using the Costco Kirkland Bottled Water. For a long time they were in a 10 gallon tank but I recently decided to get them a bigger tank because each of the fishes require about 10 gallons. Upon her strong recommendation I have been using the Kirkland water as well. Recently through watching your videos, in the new tank, I have finally been able to regulate ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. I have a fluval HOB and a 40 gallon hydro sponge filter with the aquarium co-oo air stone. I also have 6 small plants that goldfish fish don’t like to eat(Java Fern, Amazon Sword, anubias). Trying to accumulate taller and bigger plants soon. I just recently did a water test(2 days sgo). Results for which were(After a 25% water change last week because I had high nitrate- 80ppm): Ammonia: 0 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 40 ppm I recently got API GH and KH kit. Right when I did the KH: 1st drop the water turned light yellow. Which means about 0-1 degree KH. Again, I don’t use tap water but use bottled so far. I guess the bottled water is very soft. GH: Took 3 drops to turn the solution green. Which means about 3 degree GH. Given all of the above: 1. How can I transition to tap water and make it safe for the fish, what exactly product(s) would you recommend to use? What % parts should I swap the cured tap water with bottled water and how often to do the full swap? 2. After transitioning to tap water, how do can I increase the GH/KH suitable for common goldfish? Is crushed coral the only answer considering how soft New Jersey water may be according to the map in your video? 3. Would you be able to recommend any bigger/taller plants that goldfish don’t eat up? 4. Any other tests I should be running prior to doing anything? 5. My fish do not seem stressed to me at the moment, no lethargy or not wanting to eat. How can I know if they are stressed given the current environment? 6. Currently I only feed them Tetra Goldfish Vitamin C Enriched flakes - normal amount in the morning and a little in the evening. Should I be feeding something else? Better? 7. My nitrate never seems to be under 40 ppm. Granted I’ve never tested the water right after a partial water change. How can I keep it on the lower side? Is more water changes my only way to go? Jason, if you do get the time to read this comment and answer my questions, I will really appreciate it. If you don’t mind telling me the exact products to use, that you have tested or known of, that would be really helpful. I’ve always enjoyed your videos and the amount of scientific detail you give to your viewers. I am new to the hobby but I feel that you are helping me catch on daily quick. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

[@rachiesherlock8963]

Im so glad i found this video as im a complete newbie. But i want to be responsible because fish and aquariums, any aquatic creature is beautiful. And I would not want to harm it. Some other people just do basic care because like fish dont matter, but to me, they do. So everything i need to know everything!!!! Im in the process of a tank cycle currently, no live creatures yet. I pray I'm doing it right. I even know how to help sico fish now. Buuuuut the one thing i haven't studied is pH levels and strips and what they mean and what to do if it has a bad reading. So thanks for the tips. I may come back and re watch again just so iy sticks in my head.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Sounds like you are off to a great start! Hope everything works out well!

[@vivianmueller5532]

Extremely informative! Thank you!

[@johnnybest6386]

The most important thing we dont think about but its wat we should know but rarely spoken about in the aquarium hobby❤❤❤

[@elr5475]

This was very helpful. The map was especially interesting. Thx!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Ya, it really explains why people have differing results!

[@WayneTheSeine]

Very good info and well presented. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@jascarty3503]

This is what I needed explaining correctly, great educational video, thank you prime time. 👌👍💚

[@FCMcFly]

Super useful video! If I was using pure rodi would crush coral be enough or should I add additional products ment to remineralize rodi water?

[@ThePinkbunny007]

Your videos have always helped so much. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I do have a question, my water is extremely hard, between 200-400ppm GH. PH always between 7-8. My fish have been doing well in my opinion, would it be beneficial to start mixing RODi or invest in a home water filter? Or should I just keep it as is? Does extreme hardness have any negative impact?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I wouldn't change anything if your fish are ok.

[@ThePinkbunny007]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics You are the best. I appreciate you commenting back, means a lot!

[@deannfrey3469]

Great info and great looking fish room.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you! Appreciate you being here!

[@nickalvarez3779]

Nice to see you’re from Chicago! Same here

[@TaciGrant]

You blew my mind again. Every time. Thank you again, professor! 🙏 I have a question: Perhaps if I use a very small amount of the peat granules in my filter, check it in a week (maybe longer) , and gradually raise the quantity if necessary, do you think it could work and stay safe for my freshwater fish? Water hardness and ph here in Texas are touching the sky. I buy water specifically from a well known fish store in my area and it is still incredibly high on ph and hardness. I just want the best for my babies and they are all fish that like softer water according to my research (they are mostly tetras, dwarfs and honey gouramies, betta in my 10g tank, etc etc). I just purchased a Fluval 407 canister filter system for my 75g tank and I know my fish are happy in there 😁, but if I can make the water to get closer to their comfortable parameters it would be AWESOME! Thank you so much!!

[@TaciGrant]

Ah! By the way, I just watched your video about PH (kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmqxXn2intamgMk) In my 3 tanks, I have a nice collection of plants in the tank, black sand (this might not help), 2 to 3 planted drift wood, and hiding spots for them. I thought it would help lowering the ph but it didn’t work here. It still very high. Sorry for my broken English. I’m from Brazil.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Good question - usually peat doesn't have much of an impact if your KH is high. You can certainly try though.

[@TaciGrant]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thank you SO MUCH, professor! ♥️👊

[@ehsanhaidary9766]

Amazing content as always Jason. Thank you. I have one question. In Sydney (Australia), tap water is quite soft. Kh is close to zero, GH is circa 50. But when I test the GH in my tank, it's quite high, around the 180 mark. Is this being caused by evaporation? If evaporation removes the water, then concentration of magnesium and calcium would exponentially get higher and higher with each water top-up, wouldn't it? Unless our top-ups are always done with distilled water. From your vid, my understanding is that adding distilled water may further lower KH which is already dangerously low in sydney.... Appreciate any advice.. 🙏

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

That is true - if you just do top offs over time the GH and KH would probably increase.

[@danwilcox4183]

Jason, great video. Very informative. Nothing else like it on KZbin. Keep up the great work. One question, if a fish was bred in water different than its native habitat would it be better to keep them in the water they were bred in or change to their native water parameters?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Yes, consistency is better. Most of the common fish kept in the hobby are best off at whatever they were bred in.

[@AdalbertoDiazLabrada]

Thanks so much! This was very informative.

[@feline256]

Thank you for the info! I noticed a difference in tap water hardness just moving from one side of my city to the other.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Very interesting.

[@JensWoodworkingThings]

Possibly due to calcium/lime buildup in the pipes and fixtures? Just a thought.

[@feline256]

I looked into it further and there's 2 different aquifers used in my area. The public utilities website even lists their yearly test results, so now I have an exact number for how much chlorine to neutralize 👍 I keep thinking how much harder this hobby must have been before the internet!

[@elvinsworld11]

Very informative. Thanks Jason.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@PalJoey-rm2yh]

Nice break down. I like the specifications recommending the types of fish that ideally match the ranges of water. When I grew up in Chicagoland with hard, alkaline water, my interest was in tetras. And as an adult I've lived in New York with soft acid water, but had an interest in African Cichlids. Always against the grain, I've always had to deal with this issue. Let me tell you, it's a lot easier to boost alkalinity and hardness, than to decrease the hardness and alkalinity of the Chicago water. I have two comments on the content here. The map shows New York City and upstate NY as mildly hard and alkaline, which is flat out wrong. NYC draws it's water from upstate pine forest lakes and I consistently measure it at just a couple degrees of hardness @ pH 6.6 - 6.8. Second, using hard, alkaline gravel either in the filter or as substrate to buffer water is only minimally effective. Why? Because as the beneficial bacteria begin to colonize it, they coat the gravel in a sort of hard lacquer that will hinder it's dissolving capacity. With 2" of dolomite and crushed coral substrate and a powered reverse flow under gravel filter, I can only get the water up to neutral (7.0) and slowly at that. So I've always had to add a scoop of bicarb and a pinch of salt when doing water changes. I envy you hard water guys working with Africans.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Excellent points as always. The maps reflect the water in each area, but do not take into consideration where the municipal water supplies are coming from!

[@stefpina8590]

so glad i found this comment. i live in the bronx and just got three snails. i did what everyone told me to do but the ph is still dropping.

[@matthewroschmann6811]

Very informative. I do have a question concerning when to check the PH. Do I want to check it still after it has been sitting or once it is oxygenated? The PH always rises once agitated so concerning the fish do I concentrate on the still water pH or the PH that has been agitated or oxygenated. Sorry if this question is repetitive.

[@brooke3140]

I live in the middle of nowhere PA and this made so much sense. My ph is at about 6.4 and the ppm and dh are all over the place. Our water comes from a local stream and they constantly are changing things up and adding to it. My ppm was through the roof in my planted endler tank so I went out and got some distilled water. Is that what I should be doing? We have eo many natural springs and I thought about going around and testing those lol. I have many 5 gallon buckets. I know everyone races about api test kitsch but is there something better? You have easily become my favorite fish KZbinr. So helpful!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you so much! Appreciate you being here. I think if you can keep the GH and KH relatively stable that would be good. I generally don't try to hit a target, but it's easier for me because there isn't a lot of fluctuation. I have found the Tetra test strips and usually in the ballpark and super easy to use, so I wind up using them more than anything else. If you use distilled water just make sure the pH/GH/KH stay as stable as possible. Hope this helps. :-)

[@brooke3140]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics it does thank you! :)

[@Buddhacat83]

Great video. I live near you in the se Wi area and want to setup a tank for tetras. My size is a 55 gallon. My question is are the tetras we buy in our area at all accustomed to the hard water or should I do something to help when setting up my tank. Any info would be awesome.

[@ElectricBoogaloo007]

2:13 What I don't understand about this map is that lavender is on the map but not on the legend, and blue is on the legend but not on the map.

[@TheEmeraldNight]

My ph is currently 6 from town water with minimal ates, ites and ammonia. Going to look into getting a better test kit than my local pet store to test for hardness ect.

[@xqclootx]

Ive learn from old chinese, need a good substrate atleast 4 inch, and keep ur ph at 6.8 add live plants and its will be easy aquarium care. Ive notice a big change in my water with nitrate and nitrite now gone. I add almost same water propriety as my aquarium. Just my hardness is at 200 rn, and water i add is at 100-120, so ill need to look my chemical i add for plants might be not good. Hope hardness variation change wont affect my fish. You're very talented for explication. Keep ur good work👍

[@andreashessler838]

This is a great and informative video. I agree that, for the most part, you are better off not messing with your water hardness parameters. You are chasing the proverbial rainbow. Stick to fish that are good across a wide range of parameters and that are locally bred. I have Kribs constantly spawning in 18 dgh and 7.6ph. Plant growth seems to be far more of an issue for me in hard water.

[@James_Hande]

I've been in the hobby for many decades. In CT the city water was fine to use from the tap (add chlorine remover) and I was successful breeding guppies and angelfish. Recently I moved to NH and my town water from my tap comes out like R.O. water (TDS = 0, GH = 0, KH = 0, pH = 6.0). I have been adding Seachem Equilibrium to raise my GH to 5dGH. Adding sodium bicarbonate to raise my pH to 6.8 - 7.0 & KH to 3 - 5dKH. So far I've been successful in breeding guppies and angelfish. But with me doing 20 - 30% water changes weekly in my fishroom, the cost of Seachem Equilibrium is quiet high. I would like to try my hand at discus breeding but am wondering if there is another cheaper option to correct my water parameters? Many folks suggested using crushed coral. But with doing multiple water changes per week prevent the crushed coral in raising and keeping my hardness & pH at the proper safe levels?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

This is a really great example as to why a one size fits all approach doesn't work and I appreciate you sharing it! Crushed coral may help somewhat. You could try adding it to your filter media slowly and test your water to see what changes take place and adjust from there. Given what you are already doing successfully, I doubt you'll have many issues managing the addition of crushed coral over time.

[@James_Hande]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thank you for the speedy reply! I was told that crushed coral could replace my use of Equilibrium & NaHCO3. With crushed coral being slow at change the water parameters and my frequent large water changes I didn't think it would keep my tank water stabilized at the proper levels. So I was wondering if I could use something else for the required calcium carbonate and magnesium which are the main ingredients in raising GH?

[@James_Hande]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics I was more concerned with large frequent water changes. That the crushed coral wouldn't work quick enough to keep the water stable.

[@lulundb]

Feel so much better about my water. Getting back to keeping fish after many years.

[@Farmer_JC]

Thank you! I have been so confused with alkaline vs kh and it's links to PH.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Glad it helped! :-)

[@firetoashes8752]

I have a Water quality question. I live in Montana on a Private well. Our Well Water is high in Iron so we have to have a water softener system set up, now the issue is it’s now fairly salty. Since no one likes drinking our tap water I have a Brita filter on my sink down stairs to fill up jugs. SO I now have issue as far as which water to use and if there’s a fix for it. My Brita faucet is very slow flowing, so to fill my 30+ gallon it’s faster by hose which is well water (iron) or Tap water (sodium) - is there something I can do to tackle my issue without having to spend loads of money like setting up a separate filtration to fill and do water changes. My last house had a softener system and wasn’t that bad as far as sodium taste, this one seems way stronger I think because of the iron levels

[@rastapandaz]

Great video my dude!!!!

[@DaveK84]

FYI if your in Chicago the city release a pretty comprehensive yearly water quality report with hardness, calcium, magnesium, alkalinity numbers etc.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Our city releases some info, but I'll have to check out the Chicago info! Thank you

[@ubqtous]

A spectacular video I wish more folks on YT modeled after. Question: If I have some fish that prefer 7.5 pH max, but my water hardness around 8-8.2 with 150 Alkalinity and around 150 calcium carbonate hardness, which makes it very difficult to adjust pH. Should I give up the fish or do you think they are ok with the water?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

They will probably be ok at that ph.

[@benjaminelliott4112]

This was the best video I've ever seen about water hardness! Thank you for uploading, and taking the time to explain this concept. I feel much more confident and educated now when it comes to monitoring these parameters in my own tanks.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@israelfernandez1533]

Hello. Just stumbled on your video. I heard you say you were in the Chicago land area, I live in Lyons, IL and would like to know if you also have any shops that are open. Would like to check one out if possible. Loved your explanation on water quality. Thank you for posting these instructional videos.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you! We don't have a store, but sell at local swaps and auctions when they are running.

[@catfishcave379]

As usual, expertly explained!

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I'm in the North Central Texas area where our water comes in cubes not because it's frozen but because it's got so much mineral content, lol. Out of the tap I have around 100kh and 150gh but a nice mid-range ph of about 7.3-7.5-ish. Which will be good for the Platies and CPO dwarf crayfish I want to try to raise but a bit hard for Bettas. I could probably stand to soften it a little bit probably but not by much im thinking. Honestly it's probably better than whatever they're floating in at Petsmart in those little cups.

[@stephaniesmith5326]

I have a 10 gallon. My tap water shows purple on the test strip 300 mg/L GH. And my tank water is purple on the test strip and at 300 mg/L in red lettering. Also KH was a little high in the tank, 180 was that number. Should I take out the volcanic lava rocks from my filter? And are fancy guppies ok at that level or do I need to get a different kind. I only have two snails in there. I want to add 9 guppies and three cherry shrimp. I'm growing grasses to add before. I have 7 marimo balls in there. Gravel and smaller rocks a piece of driftwood and an air stone and manmade rock hideaways are also in there. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.🙋‍♀️✌

[@bluejaystudio2029]

Hi Jason....thanks for your time explaining the water hardness here @ youtube..question I have? what can cause kH hardness to jump from 6deg ( 107 ppm) in tap water to 9deg ( 162 ppm) of kH in my planted tank??? no wonder my co2 system does not move the pH level at all...the buffering factor is over the chart...I do fertilize with micro and macro daily....ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate at about 20 to 30 max, pH of tap water about 7.5 ??? What can be a cause of the kH increase in my tank??? 6 deg is high enough...9deg is way too much THANKS

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I'm not sure. I'm assuming you didn't add any rocks or anything to the tank. If you use a water softener or filter that might impact it. I wonder if changing the flow rate of your CO2 system might have something to do with it as well?

[@KirstyTube]

Gees I have done so much reading to get an idea about all this especially living in Wales UK with very soft water. 28g Bicarbonate Soda brought 230 l in my small wildlife / goldfish pond up to 100ppm from 50ppm and improved the PH to 7.6 from 6.5. I have put limestone rocks in there to help as well. All I can say I get a test kit (i got a 6 in 1 dip strip kit) and keep monitoring it, fingers crossed my poor fishies survive. I'm trying my best and they are looking healthy :)

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Hope everything keeps stable for you!

[@andrewwilkins6883]

This is very interesting. I’m still having trouble understanding fully. I’m sure it’ll take a while to get it all down right though. My trouble is is that I breed Corydoras. I live in the Chicagoland area as well and I want to learn how to create a better environment for them to mimic their true environment as best as I can as well as having my hatcheries for them to be more successful. Would you be able to do a video about that specifically? Not necessarily breeding Corydoras but how to provide the proper environment with the water that we have and the hatcheries for them. I want them to thrive and for my hatches to be 90% or higher. During the summer and fall my hatches were around 90% or above and now it’s dropped down to 10%-15%.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Usually that requires RO water and remineralizing the water.

[@kevinoconnell8242]

This is a very well done video and very enlightening. If I may, Is it then not possible to have a higher KH than GH since KH is part of GH? I am having trouble understanding what KH actually is. Is it carbon as one youtuber said? I have heard reported a higher KH than the GH and I cannot grasp that. is it possible to have a 200TDS water with no calcium or magnesium and thus zero GH? this is an intense subject at its core. You have explained the relationships really well but I did not have a lot of science and I have always thought that KH was part of the GH and now I am a tad confused about that.....

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

KH is strictly carbonate hardness. I have not seen a situation where KH is harder than GH.

[@nikihughes4096]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics My KH is > 240 (that's the highest the test strip gies), GH is 30, & PH is 8.5. How do I fix this? I was thinking of adding a wonder shell. My snails are looking rough from the soft water, and then mixing in a little distilled water when I do water changes to lower KH & PH. I have a 55 gal tank.

[@sharkbit61]

Informative as always.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Appreciate you watching!

[@martar9589]

Thank you for all this informations!

[@jjdaboss82]

Bro, sooooo helpful! Thank you!

[@seth1571]

When things go south, you can always trust primes videos for answers

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you! Appreciate you watching.

[@williamleidy6713]

I definitely learned that once fish get used to living at a certain Ph it doesn't pay to try and change it.

[@pizzaicecreamOG]

Great video! Very informative. Thanks

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you!

[@miket5377]

Good video. I have a recently set up tank (20 gal) that was cycled, PH is 7.8, no ammonia or nitrites/nitrates. The KH was 214.8 (12 dkh?) and the GH was 89.5 (5 dkh). Temp 78 degrees. Got some tetras (glowlight) and some cory catfish and they all died within a week. Replaced with some platys and they're alive but very sluggish. I've heard they prefer harder water so is there any way to add anything safely to the tank to increase the hardness?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Aragonite and crush coral substrates will both raise hardness. You can always put them in a filter bag since the tank is already scaped. You could also consider baking soda, but you would have to pay close attention to what it is doing to the water.

[@miket5377]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thanks so much. I already have a basic gravel substrate, should I get some crushed coral and sprinkle or do I need to replace the gravel entirely? Also will the coral raise my PH? It's already at 7.8.

[@kelvinm560]

Really good explaination, thanks

[@katebarnett349]

Great video! Question (scenario to follow): How much crushed coral can you safely add to a filter for a 20g tall tank? I am brand new to hobby, and of course am experiencing problems. Got 5 Corys for newly (fishless) cycled tank. 2 died in the 1st week. Took my water to lfs to compare to my testing. I was told water was great, but pH was much different from what I had tested an hour previous. They gave me some crushed coral in case I was having buffering issues. Bought a new pH tester and tested when I got home and pH was EXTREMELY low! Did a water change, and threw some (not enough) crushed coral to tank. I know these pH swings are dangerous. Please help! Also, I have fluval stratum as a substrate and driftwood (has been in tank for 1.5 months).

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

You can certainly fill a filter bag and place it in the filter.

[@prezoni01]

Hello, thanks so much for all the info it is very helpfull video god bless you! I would be very gratefull if you can answer my question! I keep guppies in a 50L tank with lava soil and jbl plant soil and la plata sand and driftwood and anubias and crypts no Co2. I test my aquarium water, my GH is between 10d -16d and KH between 6d-10d, Ph 7.6-8. My tap water is 250ppm. Should i lower my Gh to 150-200ppm using distilled water ? Is it worth it?

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

I wouldn’t touch it with guppies - they do well in those water parameters.

[@prezoni01]

@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you so much!

[@jbm0745]

I don't think that water hardness map is a good reference because it appears to measure water hardness of surface water not tap water. Tap water in many (if not most) of these areas come from ground water sources such as aquifers where the water is often much, much harder than surface water. I noticed on that map my area is shown as having soft water. But tap water in my area is much different from surface water, and is actually very hard because it's sourced from an aquifer not the surface.

[@driinun8433]

Great video, thanks! I was just reading about this from a fishkeeping book I picked up at my library, but your explanation is much more easy to follow than the book.

[@PrimeTimeAquatics]

Thank you! Appreciate you watching!

[@perfect-_-cell4321]

I recommend you put a link to this video in your PH video. Thanks have a good day!