question for soulfish

[lightning]

Soulfish

i had asked you earlier <months ago> for recomendations for SA cichlids and you gave me your water recepie, and i have been using it, but after testing my tap water several times im wondering if i should be adding anything to it, here are my water paremeters before ading your recomendations,

ph = 8
gh = 100 ppm
kh = 60 ppm
amonia = 0
nitrite = .3
nitrate = 10/20

tomorrow is my 20% water change day wich happens every 4 days, my current tank conditions are

ph = 7.8
gh = 220
kh = 60
amonia = 0
nitrite = .3
nitrate = 110

is the gh too high? and i need to stop adding the stuff ?

 

[SoulFish]

hm if you are referring to the baking soda, epsom salt, instant ocean mix thats for rift lake africans, south americans generally need softer more acidic water so it owuld be better without the mix, although the little bit of salt never hurts, what kind of fish do you have, dont remember your setup.

*edit* i looked at the early posts about your tank and most your fish are african rift lakes (if its the same one as im looking at) so the ph and hardness are fine and i would continue using it if you want, water would be a bit soft but the fish could survive with straight tap water if it doesnt not drop in pH too much

 

[lightning]

ok its not a problem to use it, i was just wonderin if the gh was too high, i have johani's, chocolates, yello labs, zebra's,kennya's, bumblebee's,
i have been adding 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon epson salt with 1 tablespoon instant ocean for every 5 gallons when i do my 20%water change

 

[Somonas]

I add the same amounts to my tank for each 5 gallons as well, and it works fine.

 

[lightning]

what part of the mix raises the ph the most?

 

[SoulFish]

Baking soda raises the pH the most, the others make the water hard and add different trace elements

 

[lightning]

ok, thanks, i can get filtered water down the street that has 0 nitrates, only the ph is 5.5, i thought i might try mixin up some of that water to try and get my nitrates down better since my tap water had a 30 on the nitrates right now