3.5g to a 10g

I’m trying to upgrade my betta to a 10 g tank. The 10g has been set up filtering for a few months now and the water is too hard and too much ph. I don’t know what the best way to get the parameters would be. I have a big piece of wood in the tank that has turned the water a light brown tanin colour. How should I go about making this a better habitat ?

 

What are the parameters of both tanks? GH, KH, pH
Do you use the same water source for both tanks?

 

What are the parameters of both tanks? GH, KH, pH
Do you use the same water source for both tanks?

Just tested them here’s the results and yes I use the same dechlorinated tap water for both tanks
10g GH: 300
KH:between 0&40
PH: 7
3.5G GH: between 0&25
KH:between 0&40
PH: 6.8

 

Ok, so in the 10g are there any rocks that could be hardening the water? Or are you adding anything? There must be a reason the GH is so high.

Also, KH and pH would be fine for the fish, just the GH is out of whack.

 

Yah the gh is way too high and I think it’s because I put a big piece of drift wood in there and it released a bunch of tannins but how would I go about making it a more acceptable gh

 

Yah the gh is way too high and I think it’s because I put a big piece of drift wood in there and it released a bunch of tannins but how would I go about making it a more acceptable gh

Tannins don't raise GH. GH is composed mainly of calcium and magnesium which can come from rocks or substrate but not from driftwood.

Also, have you done regular waterchanges or have you just topped off the water in the 10g?

Can you post a picture of the tank?

 

This is my first tank using the fish gear aquarium gravel that is composed of small river rocks. They are neutral so I added flourish root tabs for the rooted plants. I only did one or two smaller water changes and that was after a bunch of my small plants died from not enough light, I beleive due to the tannins. The tanks scape looks messy rn because I was gunna adjust the positioning of the plants and my Java fern cutting is still growing lol.

 

Love the tint! But then again, I'm a blackwater nut.

They are neutral so I added flourish root tabs for the rooted plants. I only did one or two smaller water changes and that was after a bunch of my small plants died from not enough light

Ok, if anything the important info is here:
- The roottabs might be leaching calcium or magnesium to the water due to the substrate being so big grain size. Look at the contents of the tabs, maybe there's a clue.
- Too little waterchanges. I see a rim of scaly material, this can be a hint to too little dilution. Did you top off for evaporation? If so, with tap?

 

Love the tint! But then again, I'm a blackwater nut.


Ok, if anything the important info is here:
- The roottabs might be leaching calcium or magnesium to the water due to the substrate being so big grain size. Look at the contents of the tabs, maybe there's a clue.
- Too little waterchanges. I see a rim of scaly material, this can be a hint to too little dilution. Did you top off for evaporation? If so, with tap?

I checked out the contents of the tabs and the calcium was at 23% so I’m assuming that must be the issue . I am using this substrate and these tabs in another uninhabited tank right now aswell and I checked that water and the general hardness was low at like 0. So maybe it’s just not enough water changes in the ten gallon, but I heard you weren’t supposed to change the water while cycling. Should I just do weekly water changes at like 25%??

 

Hm... are there any differences between the two tanks otherwise?

It's a myth that you shouldn't change water while cycling. The bacteria grow in the filter and on surfaces, so changing water is not doing anything. Just when you're doing fishless cycling remember to add enough ammonia back in afterwards. 50% waterchange per week would be ideal. Otherwise no real dilution takes place and things that get used up (certain minerals, many nutrients) aren't replenished.

 

Hm... are there any differences between the two tanks otherwise?

It's a myth that you shouldn't change water while cycling. The bacteria grow in the filter and on surfaces, so changing water is not doing anything. Just when you're doing fishless cycling remember to add enough ammonia back in afterwards. 50% waterchange per week would be ideal. Otherwise no real dilution takes place and things that get used up (certain minerals, many nutrients) aren't replenished.

Okay thank youuu and I see no other differences between the 10g and the other one I’m using the substrate with. I will do a water changes today and hope the hardness gets to a better level thank you so much for your help