In this video I share with you the basic understanding of GH KH and pH that all beginners will need to successfully keep fish.

GH (General Hardness or Water Hardness) and KH (Carbonate Hardness) are easily confused when first starting out in the aquarium hobby, hopefully my video will help give you the right understanding of the differences and why they are so important to keep in balance.

This video will also touch on the relationship that pH (Power/Potential of Hydrogen) and KH have in your aquarium and why it is important to not just monitor one alone, it is critical that both are checked to ensure you are creating the right environment for your aquarium fish.

GH/Water Hardness Table:
dGH (Degrees of General Hardness) | PPM (Parts Per Million)
0 - 4 dGH | 0-71 PPM = Very Soft
4 - 8 dGH | 71 - 142 PPM = Soft
8 - 12 dGH | 142 - 214 PPM = Moderately Hard
12 - 18 dGH | 214 - 321 PPM = Hard
18 - 20+ dGH | 321 - 357+ PPM = Very Hard

Typical GH levels for Aquarium Fish:
dGH (Degrees of General Hardness) | PPM (Parts Per Million)
Freshwater Aquarium: 4-12 dGH (71-214 PPM)
Discus or Planted Aquariums: 3-8 dGH (54-142 PPM)
African Cichlid Aquariums: 12-20 dGH (214-357 PPM)
Shrimp Aquariums: 4-8 dGH (71-142 PPM)

Typical KH levels for Aquarium Fish:
dKH (Degrees of Carbonate Hardness) | PPM (Parts Per Million)
Freshwater Aquarium: 4-10 dKH (71-178 PPM)
Discus or Planted Aquariums: 3-8 dKH (54-142 PPM)
African Cichlid Aquariums: 10-18 dKH (178-330 PPM)
Shrimp Aquariums: 3-6 dKH (53-107 PPM)
Saltwater Aquarium: 8-12 dKH (142-214 PPM)

Typical pH levels for Aquarium Fish:
Freshwater Aquarium: 6.5 - 7.5
Saltwater Aquarium: 8.0 - 8.4

As I mention in my video, always do the research on your fish prior to purchasing as the above levels are a rough guide to follow.

Top Tip 1: I do not recommend chasing a pH, if your tap water provides the right balance that fits within a threshold of what is acceptable for your fish, you will have far greater success keeping the levels consistent with your tap water than introducing buffers that will ultimately lead to stressing your fish. If your tap has a natural water chemistry that makes it unsuitable for your desired fish, I recommend investing in an RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis de-ionised) unit and mixing the RO water to the right levels. I use two RO/DI units, made by Vyair and Osmotics UK, below are some links to their websites:

Vyair - [ Ссылка ]

Osmotics UK - [ Ссылка ]

Top Tip 2: If you increase the KH levels in your aquarium, this will also increase and buffer your pH level. This is why some species such as discus appreciate a KH level lower than average as they would usually thrive in pH of around 6.0-7.0.

API Freshwater Master Test Kit: [ Ссылка ]

API GH & KH Test Kit: [ Ссылка ]

Red Sea Marine Care Multi Test Kit: [ Ссылка ]

Follow me on instagram: [ Ссылка ]

Support the channel by purchasing merchandise: [ Ссылка ]

#waterhardness #fishtanks #bigfishlittlefishaquatics

0:00 GH
1:38 KH
3:03 pH

свернуть