Water readings

[tara]

Ive just set up my tank and I want to put in discus in about 2 months.
So to get ready I want to get water right.
My Tap water is:
GH-1
KH-2
PH-7
may tank has been set up for a week so it's a bit unpredictable at the moment:
GH-12
KH-2
PH-7
I just want advise on what reading I should aim for?
Also any products and brands I need to get?

[discusguy]

ok, the ph, as long as you have tank bred fish can be anywhere from 5-8 but ideally you want it about 6. gh you want to be as soft as you can get it. and kh i'm not sure about . if you want to achieve these and keep them constant i strongly suggest you stay away from chemical additives to your water, they will just give you trouble, and will cost lots of money. If you are intending on breeding them, then i would suggest you invest in an RO unit. if you just want to keep them, then your water is fine the way it is.

[Merrilyn]

Hi Tara, just wondering why your GH (general hardness) reading would change from 2 out of the tap to 12 after sitting in your tank for a week. It would suggest that there is something in your tank affecting the reading.

Can you tell me what you have in that tank, eg gravel, rocks, ornaments etc.

Are you currently cycling this tank, if so how are you doing the cycle?

Your answers should help us to track down the reason for the change in GH.

[tara]

All I have in the tank is gravel, the 3mm light coloured one. I thought it was extreemly strange as well so I tested it twice. From reading postings on the net I think the answer might be the water condition that I was adviced to used. I heard that they can make your GH rise. So I wont be using them again. I've been told that if you put drift wood in it can lower the GH, but im in the process of soaking it before I add it. So hopefully after a good water change and adding the drift wood the GH should lower. I am cycling the tank with some tetras, put some of that CYCLE product and added some filter material from an all ready cycled tank just to kick things along a bit. Also cheaked ammonia levels which is low.

[tara]

Just something to add beside the water conditioner I used when I set up me tank I used BIO-BLACK which is suppose to be good for Discus as it mimics their natural water conditions with minerals ect...
I tested a solution of tap water and the bio-black for Gh and it rose the GH from 1 (tap water) to 10 (tap water + bio-Black) has anyone else found this? or unless I just got a bad bottle.