# Water parameters



## JGordon (Nov 1, 2010)

I have ben keeping tropical fish for many, many years. I had clown loaches for years before they all died rapidly due to ick. Currently, I have a 40 planted gallon tank. Lots of anubis nana and amazon swords. Also have a floating water sprite that needs weekly pruning. My fish are doing OK: 4 zebra danios, 5 red eyes tetras, and 8 glo-lites. May add cardinal tetras because my son likes them. My tank usually runs 75F temp, pH 6 or less (test kit no higher than 6), ammonia 0.25, nitrite 0, nitrate 20 (sometimes 10), phos 0, GH 4, KH 1, and oxygen 8. I have well water that runs pH 7.4-7.6, ammonia 0-0.25, nitrite 0, nitrate 0-5, phos 0, GH 8, and KH 5. I do have RO water set up that runs pH 6.4, GH1-2, and KH 1. I have been using the RO water without additives. I have very little algae problems. I don't vacuum the gravel so as not to disturb the plants. I do 20% water changes every ~2 weeks (although I have gone up to 4 weeks without problems). I use Fluorish for the plants twice a week. My filter has nitra-zorb and phos-zorb, although it has run OK sometimes with out this stuff. Is soft, acidic water OK for these fish and plants? Do I need to worry about running a low KH? Some people have told me to mix the tap and RO water to find a better KH level. I don't want to add chemicals to the water. I do get plants that yellow over time (the swords). The other plants do well. My fish aren't dying.


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