How important is gh??

Hi guys!

So, I have 2 tanks. Both are fully cycled and stocked, and both have zero live plants. I was just wondering how important gh is. Here are my parameters. Ammonia: 0, Nitrites: 0 Nitrates, 0-5, ph, high sevens to low eights, kh, around 10, gh almost 0. I have a zero gh because we have a water softener at my house. One tank has only 8 harlequin rasboras and the other has one red devil cichlid. I have no inverts or live plants whatsoever. How important is gh here? Also, what should I use to raise it if it is crucial? Ive heard cruhed coral but pretty sure you need to have like a ton of it for it to work. Also, my fish are all healthy and active, eating well, I was just wondering about this.

 

The rasboras can easily live in blackwater, which has no readable hardness GH and KH and pH below 6. The water is a bit alkaline for them, but they can manage better than your other fish.

The cichlid, though, is a hardwater fish. So here GH, KH and pH are important. Longterm consequences are kidney failure and gill issues. pH and KH are great for it, GH might have to be raised a notch.

 

How might I raise my gh? i know seachem euilibrium works. is that a good option?

 

I don't use seachem products so I'm not sure right now. Limestone decorations or crushed coral would be my choice.

 

How much crushed coral would I need?
I think I might just use equilibrium
I am using the equilibrium

 

The amount of crushed coral can't exactly be predicted. Depends on tank volume and the respecitve readings for pH, GH and KH.

If equilibrium adds KH, be aware, that you might raise pH via KH so much you end up with a too alkaline water, which is detrimental in the end. If you must use something from a bottle, use a product that solely raises GH, not KH.

Before you ask: As crushed coral is a natural product there mostly calcium and magnesium would be dissolved, while the carbonates mostly stay in place as your water already has a certain saturation.

Good luck then.

 

Equilibrium does not affect the ph or kh. However, I have found a better solution.. the equilibrium gets messy and clouds the water temporarily. Also it is designed for plants. However, I have found another product called sachem replenish. It is in liquid form, and is designed for preventing osmotic stress in hardwatre fish in softwater. I tried it out and it does indeed raise the gh. I will be checking on the kh gh and ph in the future though...jjust to ensure no crazy crashes.