# GH and KH influence on algae?



## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

I'm curious about people's experiences regarding high GH and KH levels with regards to algae.

I'm pretty convinced that the vast majority of aquatic plants can be grown in "harder" water... in fact they seem to grow just fine in my KH 15 and GH 17 water.

However I was wondering whether algae prefer hard or soft water? My water utility company changes its water source during the year and the water can go from my current water (KH 15, GH 17) to softer and less alkaline (KH 6, GH 7). Every once in a while, I'll suddenly get a limited algae outbreak but I haven't yet tried to see if it's linked to a change in my tap water...

What does everyone think? Anyone tested this out?


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Different species will appear in different GH/KH's generally.
In soft high organic water, there are certain species that will grow well, while other species do terrible.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Interesting...

Can you let us know which species we're talking about?


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

I am guessing, now that I think about, that green dust, cladaphora and maybe diatom do best in soft water while BBA does better in harder.... I am alsoe guessing that kH playes a much bigger role then Gh being that kH is more involved with C and acidity while Gh is basically just nutrient source for Ca and Mg.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

Diatoms perfer harder water. Not soft water.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

There are many species of diatoms at very soft acidic water, pH 4.7-5.2 and KH/GH of 0 degrees(less than 1 or 17.9ppm).

BBA does quite well in soft acidic waters.

The species we have do very very well at most of the parameters we have, GDA does well at harder waters also. Same with Caldphora.

That would be a nice easy way to mess with algae, but it never worked before nor now.

Everyone said soft water helped, but it doesn't.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Erirku (Oct 5, 2004)

That pretty much answers my algae issues! I have BBA growing on my cyperus and crinums, and some GSA. I guess I should raise my water params alittle more.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

So the conclusion is that water hardness and alkalinity have little or no influence on algae?

Similar to most plants then...

And here I thought I had found the magic solution to all algae problems!!  

Anyone else have different results?


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