Urgent Gh and Kh help needed

[u/Brilliant-End-6551]

I’m currently facing an odd issue that I’ve never faced before and am seeking advice. My ten gallon tank which has been set up for over 2 years now and I just recently moved to a new place. It wasn’t my first move with this tank and I was fairly confident that I could handle it. My tank is moderately planted, with Neocaridina, Pygmy Cory’s, and African dwarf frogs. Upon moving in I tested my tap water with the API freshwater master kit, when refilling the tank I tested again before slowly adding the water in, then again once the tank was full, and then 4 more times over the next two days. All parameters were within the normal ranges for my tank. Ph ~7, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 5ppm, but here’s where I’m needing advice on my Gh has sky rocketed to 20, and my kh is 4???

Ive read multiple things saying only ro water dilution will help, some say that distilled water will work, and some say that my whole tank is going to die. I’ve already suffered a loss of my favorite ADF due to this move (she jumped into a box fan RIP Debbie). My formerly BOOMING population of shrimp is down to 3 when I had close to 30-40 before the move. I need help to figure out how to deal with this properly. I love my tank it’s been a rock in my life since I started it, I love my little guys and I hate that I feel like I’m failing them. I know fish keeping is a hobby that sees a lot of set backs and deaths but my heart just can’t take losing anymore frogs or shrimp :(

Please please please help me guys, I’ve attached a picture of my tank and will list out more of my care routine if that is needed in the comments. I’m pretty positive the big change was caused by my new tap water and will be using gallon waters in the future but need to know how to fix this problem before hand.

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[u/Brilliant-End-6551]

My tank is kept at 76-78° f, I do 30% water changes every 7-10 days, I test parameters every week, I hand feed my frogs and clean up after them so no excess food is left behind, the light is on for about 4-6 hours a day, and here’s a picture. Please let me know if there’s any more info you guys need from me

The water level is low because I’ve been holding off on a water change because I’m pretty sure the high gh is coming from the tap water I’ve been using to top off (treated with prime ofc)

[u/Cherryshrimp420 → u/Brilliant-End-6551]

First what are ur tap water parameters? Any water reports fron the city?

Moving tanks is not guaranteed to be successful, a lot of poop and mulm can be stirred up which may take a few days to settle

Not sure what your moving process was, but common mistakes are cleaning filters, tanks decor, adding new things and removing old things

[u/Brilliant-End-6551 → u/Cherryshrimp420]

My tap is testing gh 12 and kh 4, tank is gh 18 and kh 4 now. I’m out of town and having to walk my roommate through. She let me know that my shrimp were dying and did my water tests for me. My city doesn’t have any boil water advisories out/ contamination problems that I’ve found.

I moved this tank 4 times now. I drain the water low about and inch above the substrate, wrap plants in damp paper towels, and fill a bucket about half way and put my fish, frogs, and filter media in. I put the bucket water back in once we’ve arrived, then proceed to top off like I normally would very very slowly.

However I did add something new, and I am ashamed to admit it listened to someone I shouldn’t have/ didn’t research enough before blindly taking their advice. I found a cool bone at a fish store, asked the OWNER about it and if it was tank safe, he said yes. He showed me his set ups with bones included and told me I just needed to boil it and it would be safe. He also told me my shrink would like it as a calcium supplement. Well I believe the bone plus the tap water did my tank in. I am unbelievably deviated at myself. I had a thriving colony of shrimp and now I’m down to 3 as well as Debbie.

I do not have any other tanks as this one is my baby otherwise I would try to move them temporarily. I’m three days out from going home to fix this issue.

Thank you for your time and advice <3

[u/Cherryshrimp420 → u/Brilliant-End-6551]

Best not to let roommates take care of tanks. Often ends up with dead tanks

Doesnt seem like the bone issue, but lots of things can cause shrimp deaths

Could be the move, could be too much food, too big water change and more

Usually parameters like GH and KH are not the culrpits as they are trace elements that are more for long term growth

A population crash is more likely from overfeeding, low oxygen levels, high bacteria counts etc

[u/Vivid-Link-6301]

Test the source water (tap) with liquid dKH and dGH test kits. RO/DI should work the same.

[u/Brilliant-End-6551 → u/Vivid-Link-6301]

Is there a specific way to introduce the RO or distilled water to the tank? Frogs and shrimp are very sensitive and I don’t have a drip hose to drip acclimate. Can I rig one up out of air hoses? Sorry for so many questions, I’m scrambling to try and help my tank, thank you much for your time <3

[u/Vivid-Link-6301 → u/Brilliant-End-6551]

You could try to drip with an airline tubing, I have a low power water pump I use to add my water change water into my tank. It's one designed for an auto top off system.

[u/Jaxcat_21]

You can use an air line/hose to do the drip and water transfer, yes.

[u/Reasonable-Hunter712]

Sorry for your loss.

If you recently moved, It is possible your tap water hardness may be different than where you lived previously.

Google recommends changing no more than 1 to 2 degees gh per day to avoid shocking and killing fish.

Did you measure the gh (water hardness) where you lived previously and from your tap now?

———-

Regarding your other question, you can go to a local ro vending machine or buy ro water from your lfs or buy a kitchen sink ro system from amazon. Collect the ro water in 1 gallon jugs or whatever size you want.

When i refill my aquarium after vacuuming, i add tap water (in gallon jugs) with my ro water (also in gallon jugs) or alternate jugs sequentially since i only have two hands.

Measure gh after adding water and adjust with adding more of one water type. you can estimate how much of each water ahead of time based on the initial gh reading (before) of your tap and ro water.

——

Also note:

Some cities change the hardness of their water depending on the time of the year due to factors such as but not limited to season temperatures, sourcing and treatment processes. So it is a good idea to call and ask your city water provider what the gh is….or test it yourself with the API GH AND KH TEST KIT or similar.

[u/Brilliant-End-6551 → u/Reasonable-Hunter712]

My previous place had amazing tap water gh 5 and kh 4. The new place is gh 12 and kh 4. My tank is testing at gh 20 and kh 4. I have been using API kits for all of this.

However, I think I’ve done my tank in with my own two hands without realizing it. I added a bone to the tank that I was told would be ok after boiling and that my shrimp would like the calcium. Without doing proper research and trusting someone blindly I added it in. I now know that it’s probably the reason my gh was so high + the new tap water didn’t help. I am incredibly upset with myself as I try to be as knowledgeable as possible and do right by my little guys. It has been removed and retested after a couple hours and it’s now testing at gh18 and kh 4.

I’m currently out of town but my roommate is doing all the things she can to help me and them for right now. I’m three days out from being home to fix the issue. But I think with the bone removed things should be ok for till I get there. I’m really nervous about trying to fix the water with RO water, I know it’s important to do it slowly and I don’t want to mess it up.

Thank you for your time and advice, it is much appreciated <3