[Mieke]

Hi everyone,
I've been having an ongoing issue trying to raise my KH while lowering my GH.
I have three small tanks ( 5, 6 and 3 gallon ) and all of them have the same issue.
I tried adding crushed coral, but that just made my GH go way up, while my KH is basically as good as zero.

Every time i add new water to the tank I add * stress coat from API*
My water has always been very soft so i added first prior to the crushed coral * PH up * but it only affected my GH and not my KH

I am a novice and use these aquarium test strips to base myself on.
Does anyone have any advice for me?

Also, my betta seems to be healthy but it looks like his fins are ripped and I have no idea why.
It's been like that ever since he started to grow bigger. I tried all sorts of things but it just remains the same.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mieke]

First off, get a liquid test kit, more accurate. what are your parameters? Ph, GH, KH, its basically impossible to raise one and lower the other. What is your ph out of tap? Take a glass of water and let it sit 24 hours. Then test. Why are you trying to change so much?
Is there any sharp objects in the bettas tank that he might be catching his tail on. He looks healthy. It may be the type he is.
Something like salty shrimp or some kind of gh booster is better, stop adding stress coat to your water change, its not needede for a healthy fish. Just use Prime.

First off, get a liquid test kit, more accurate. what are your parameters? Ph, GH, KH, its basically impossible to raise one and lower the other. What is your ph out of tap? Take a glass of water and let it sit 24 hours. Then test. Why are you trying to change so much?
Is there any sharp objects in the bettas tank that he might be catching his tail on. He looks healthy. It may be the type he is.
Something like salty shrimp or some kind of gh booster is better, stop adding stress coat to your water change, its not needede for a healthy fish. Just use Prime.

Thanks for the reply! I'll invest in a liquid test kit
The reason why I added stress coat with every water change was because it removes Chlorine and Chloramines from tap water.
You recommend Prime over this?
I'll do the glass water test as well to see what the parameters are without adding anything to it.
There is nothing in the tank were he could possibly snag his tail on so it's been quite a bit of an enigma. I always thought that their tails were supposed to be full but maybe that is indeed how he is