GH Levels INSANE HELPPPPPPPPPP

[bpal]

Hi,

I am cycling a new 120gallon tank. I have done 3 water tests in the last week or so and need some help figuring out if this is normal or if something is wrong. My GH level is what is bothering me. The test is how many drops it takes the water to change from red to green. Now in the hire numbers it’s hard to tell if it’s green or just such dark red nothing will change. It does look like it’s changed to a real dark think green though.
*SICK*

Dec 29 05:
PH = 7.5
GH = 10(degrees)
KH = 4(degrees)
Amonia = 1.5
Nitrite = <0.3mg/l

Jan 04 06:
PH = 7.5
GH = 38(degrees)
KH = 4(degrees)
Amonia = 1.5
Nitrite = 0.3mg/l

Jan 06 06:

PH = 7
GH = 57(degrees)
KH = 5 (degrees)

Yes I do have fish in there it might be a small bit of overload for a cycle but there was issues with another tank I owned and was left with no choice but to move some fish over here. There is also a bunch of plants in the tank that seem to be doing well. The fish don’t seem to be bothered but still concerned none the less. As well I have built my own Co2 unit that is currently working fine in the tank

Any help you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Brandon

 

[TLH]

Have you tested the tap water?
Also how old is your test kit?Mine's an API and I added 40 drops to my sample and nothing happened.I think mine's past it's sell by date.Although it would seem an odd thing to happen over the space of a week.

 

[bpal]

Tap Water fine Tank HARD

I just tested my tap water and it came back @ 7

Baught the test kit on boxing day so I assume its still good.

Thanks,

 

[TLH]

In that case something in the tank must be affecting stuff,like gravel,rocks or filter media or something.Is there anything else that you're adding to the tank?Additives to control anything?Otherwise I'm out of ideas.

 

[wayne]

I think something has happened to the test kit to mess it up. Try another if you can. I cannot imagine what you can dissolve in that quickly to raise gH and not kH without doing it deliberately unless you have something like gypsum in there.

 

[Pure]

Or are you adding baking soda to the CO2 mix? You said you made your own? What means are you using to dissolve the CO2 into the tank? In other words if you are adding baking soda to the mix are you 100% sure none of the mix is getting into the tank?

 

[Lotus]

You could probably have your LFS test the GH as a control, to see if it's your test kit. Did you rinse the test tubes really well after use? Did you perhaps put the wrong cap on the GH testing solution and contaminate it?

It would help to know what decorations you have in the tank, what substrate, and what water additives you're using, too.

 

[discus4everGrl]

I second Lotus, take the water to the pet store and have it tested. It seems weird that you have a normal pH and KH, but the GH is that high.

 

[bpal]

Thanks guys. I have recently added some crystal rocks into the tank. I think this might have changed the GH I took them out today and will test the water tomrow night or monday and will let you know if that changed anything.

Thanks for you help,

Brandon

 

[bpal]

Update

Ok. So the new rocks/crystal things were taken out on Saturday and I just tested the GH level (Monday around 11:30pm) and I gave up at 60.

I plan on visiting my LFS on Wednesday so I will have them run a GH test and see what they come up with.

I'm not adding baking soda to the Co2 Mix and none of the ingredients are leaking into the tank.

As for adding things to the tank just

Fish food: flakes, shrimp pellets, algae wafers
Plant food: Big Al’s Multi-Purpose Plant Food Supplement

As for decorations: Live plants, drift wood, and a bridge all purchased at my LFS.

I have a layer of substrate and a layer of gravel on top of that.

That is really my tank all in all.

Nice thing though last few days I've noticed 4 what I believe to be Sunset Platy fry and then today I noticed 4 Black Molly fry.

All my fish seem to happy.

Is having the GH that high a big issue or can it affect my fish badly.

Thanks again and will update you guys when I’ve visited my LFS.

 

[Lotus]

Did you do a water change after taking out the crystal rocks? It will probably take several water changes to get the GH back to "normal" if it was the rocks causing the GH rise.

What kind of substrate is it underneath the gravel?

A high GH could affect some fish. A slow rise in GH probably wouldn't make them sick straight away. High GH can lead to osmotic problems, kidney stones and general stress.

 

[bpal]

I haven’t done a water change as I'm in the middle of cycling the tank. Should I do a water change anyways? If so how much? Will it affect my cycling or ????

Brandon

 

[Lotus]

Are you doing a fish-in cycle?

 

[bpal]

yup doing a fish in cycle

 

[Lotus]

Yes, you can do a water change, or several of them, without really harming the cycling process.

 

[bpal]

what % of the water should I change?

 

[Lotus]

I'd recommend you start with a 25% change. You don't want to shock the fish with huge swings in the GH.

 

[bpal]

Update

So was @ lfs today and they tested my water and they have my GH at about 46. I told him which rocks I had purchased and they told me this is what changed my GH level. I have already done one water change how frequently can I do them to get my levels back to normal? They said that the high GH might be affecting my tank from cycling properly.

Thanks again.

 

[TLH]

I can't see GH getting in the way of the cycle.There is no reason it should.
I'd do 20% per day water changes till you get it back to where you want it,although it won't matter if you take longer about it.

 

[Lotus]

I guess the GH could in some way affect the bacterial multiplying in some way. The osmotic pressure would be my guess, if it does cause a problem. Of course, this is just a theory.

You will want to get that GH down before you add more fish, though. Did the store offer to take the rocks back, or at least apologize for not telling you they would raise the GH? I'm always suspicious of those attractive rocks at the LFS.