# Extremely high KH with very low GH



## FishFinatic (Dec 10, 2013)

I've been running a low tech setup for a while now but the plants have never flourished. I've used dry ferts on and off, but could definetly be more conisistent there.

I've been successful keeping tanks for over 15 years and even had some decent success with plants but was living in a different area where I'm sure the tap water helped me more than I realized.

My tap water and my house now is very soft and heavily chlorinated (no chloramine). I run a whole house filter that uses carbon and a series of micron filters.

Parameters pre house filter
KH - 22 dkh
GH - ~1 dgh
PH - 8.0

Post house filter and tank
KH - 22 (tap and tank)
GH - >1 (tap and tank)
PH - 8.3 (tank)
8.1 (tap)

As you can see my KH is very high. I've done some reading and realize I need to more heavily does CA and Mg, but what about my KH? Do I need to lower that? Is there a natural way to do this?

I also attached a screen shot of my most recent water quality report from our water supplier
https://southgraysonwater.org/water-quality-report

Thank You


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Do you have a water softener in your house plumbing? Have you tried phoning the water supplier and asking for the calcium and magnesium ppm in the water? You could also ask if they use a water softener. Water from an aquifer is rarely soft water, because it has had a long time to dissolve calcium and magnesium into the water. One way that water could have a high KH is for the aquifer to be in limestone, where calcium carbonate may be dissolving - but that should result in both high calcium and high carbonates.


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## FishFinatic (Dec 10, 2013)

hoppycalif said:


> Do you have a water softener in your house plumbing? Have you tried phoning the water supplier and asking for the calcium and magnesium ppm in the water? You could also ask if they use a water softener. Water from an aquifer is rarely soft water, because it has had a long time to dissolve calcium and magnesium into the water. One way that water could have a high KH is for the aquifer to be in limestone, where calcium carbonate may be dissolving - but that should result in both high calcium and high carbonates.


I called to asked and got the run around. They are a real pain to to deal with. I did find out that they do use a water softener. I do not have one in my system


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I suggest asking at https://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/dallas-ft-worth-aquatic-plant-club/ to see how others in that general area are using that water.


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## FishFinatic (Dec 10, 2013)

Ok so I got a TDS meter and here are the results 

Water Supply (Pre-house filter)
TDS - 470
KH - 22
GH - 1


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Interesting. I didn't know they make municipal wide water softener. My municipal runs UV sterilizers.

You might want to run an RO unit & add your own minerals to fix this wonky parameter. It's probably full of sodium too from the water softener.


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