The terms PH, GH, and KH are primarily used in water chemistry, but they are often misunderstood in freshwater aquarium activity. What’s the variation between them, and what effect do they have on our fish? This beginner’s tutorial explains what these factors are when you will test for them and adjust their levels if necessary.
KH is an acronym for Karbonat Hardness in German, and it is also known as carbonate hardness or alkalinity in English. A relates to the number of carbonates inside the water, whereas GH specifically refers to magnesium and calcium. Generally, hard water has the highest PH, KH, and GH, but this is not always the case, and freshwater has a low PH.
In the article, we’ll go over the values of KH, PH, GH in aquarium water and the optimal ranges to keep in mind. To learn more about the different species’ demands, check out the fish and plant spreadsheet. You must increase the particular ions for GH (magnesium and calcium) without introducing ions that impact KH if you want to enhance GH and not KH.
What is KH in Aquarium Water? Tips
The ratio of carbonates and bicarbonates in water is measured by KH, which impacts the water’s buffering capacity. It implies that KH in a saltwater aquarium helps moderate acids and keeps your PH from fluctuating too much, which is beneficial because unexpected PH changes might harm your fish’s health.
If KH in the aquarium is low, your water’s buffering capacity is reduced, and PH swings are more likely. A high KH indicates that your water has a higher buffering capacity and that the PH level is challenging to modify. Consider KH to be a garbage container. The higher the trash can, the greater the KH. A PH collapse occurs if we overfill that trash can.
Crushed coral is commonly used by persons with low KH in their groundwater to gradually increase the KH (or expand the size of their garbage can) and minimize PH crashes. KH, PH, and GH in aquarium water are all essential factors to consider. With this novice guide sheet, I’ll break everything down for you.
Calculate KH in Aquarium
For short, carbonate hardness is abbreviated as KH. It’s a measurement of dissolved carbonates and bicarbonates in the water. Those words aren’t necessary to recall. All you need to realize is what is KH in aquarium water and why it matters.
Consider KH in the aquarium to be a protective barrier around your PH. Instead of impacting your PH, acids produced by your aquarium eat away at KH. However, this barrier is not durable, and your PH can move freely about once it is removed.
The greater your aquarium’s KH, the much more acid it can negate before affecting the PH. KH is unnoticed. We won’t tell how much is in our water unless we have a proper test kit. You may also find KH refer to as the water’s alkalinity.
How to Raise KH in Aquarium?
To raise KH in the aquarium, you must submit the soluble carbonates and bicarbonates inside the water. Higher KH works as a replaceable buffer between acids and your tank’s PH level, ensuring that the latter remains constant. Carbonate Hardness serves as a barrier between naturally present acids in an aquarium and the PH level.
The purpose of boosting the ideal KH level freshwater aquarium will be to enhance the buffering capacity of the water. You may accomplish this by adding aragonite, crushed coral, or retail location alkalinity buffers into the aeration tank.
That suggests your PH level is less prone to change; I propose using crushed coral in your bottom or even in a filter material sack in your jar or hanging on a rear filter to elevate your KH, PH, and GH in aquarium water. Lower KH renders PH levels sensitive to significant swings.

KH in Fish Tank
KH (Carbonate Hardness) is a fluid quality characteristic that assesses soluble carbonates and bicarbonates within the fish tank. Acids are neutralized by carbonates and bicarbonates (determined by KH), which buffer their influence on the PH level of the water. KH in the fish tank isn’t stagnant as a result of this exchange.
Checking KH levels inside a fish tank is often disregarded until the consequences of a fluctuating PH level become apparent. Low KH, or a complete lack of dissolved carbonates/bicarbonates, might render your tank’s PH unprotected. This may cause the water quality to deteriorate to the point where your fish and living plants will perish.
I like to show you how to adjust KH, PH, and GH in aquarium water. Now, a word of caution. There are numerous strategies for doing so, few of which are robust, effective, and harmful in my view.
How to Lower KH in Aquarium?
KH, as previously stated, assists in keeping your PH from decreasing. But what if your tank’s or tap water’s PH is too much for fish or plants? To lower your PH, you must first reduce your KH. And if the water has a super high KH, you’ll need to decrease it before you can reduce the PH.
While increasing your KH is straightforward, dropping it is more challenging. Between KH and PH, a balance must be achieved. Otherwise, PH fluctuations may occur, potentially killing your fish. A reduction is mainly used in freshwater aquariums. Let’s take a deeper step to lower KH in the aquarium. Acid buffers change KH to CO2.
As a consequence, the KH decreases, and the PH decreases. Acid buffers are most often used in cultivated tanks to remove excess carbon dioxide from the water. On the other hand, overdosing may result in excess CO2 or a drop in PH if you don’t have any plants.
Ideal KH Level in Freshwater Aquarium
The ideal KH level freshwater aquarium will vary based on the fish type you’re keeping, as it does with other water characteristics. In freshwater aquariums, the tank is highly planted and has an impact on alkalinity. The quantity of fish you have in your aquarium, the existence of invertebrates, as well as other things may all affect how stable your KH is.
In an Ideal KH level freshwater aquarium, KH should be between 4 and 8 dKH as a general rule. Some species, particularly those that love hard water, will need water alkalinity levels that are lower than this. Looking into the water parameter requirements of fish you want to keep (and/or breed) is always a brilliant idea.
How to Lower KH in Shrimp Tank?
There are different methods that are used to lower KH in the shrimp tanks. Water that has been distilled. This water has been heated to the point that it has turned into steam. Reverse osmosis (RO) is a process that purifies water by removing (RO).
With a RO/DI machine, you can make your freshwater (check the price). Buffers for acid. Almond leaves from India. Acid buffers are commonly employed in planet tanks, so keep that in mind. Peat moss is a moss that grows in peat bogs. Bacteria decompose nitrogen.
Fish Tank PH Level Chart
The number of hydrogen ions in fluids is measured by PH, which determines whether your water is acidic or basic. Freshwater has a PH of 7.0 on a scale from 0 to 14. The PH of acidic liquids (like oranges and vinegar) is less than 7.0, while the PH of alkaline beverages (such as green tea and detergent) is more significant than 7.0. The PH value of 7 is considered neutral.
Let’s discuss the fish tank PH level chart.
0 Acidic | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Neutral | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 Basic |
Freshwater Aquarium Water Parameters Chart
The following freshwater fish PH chart shows appropriate water parameter ranges for different kinds of freshwater aquariums, seawater aquariums, and ponds. The water requirements given serve as a basic guideline for keeping each aquarium or pool in good working order.
Some fish, plants, and invertebrates have more specialized needs, so please read the description of each species for additional details. In the freshwater aquarium water parameters chart, you will study temperature, PH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and general hardiness.
Parameter | Freshwater Community | Pond | Freshwater Plant |
---|---|---|---|
Temperature | 71-82°F | 34-85°F | 75-86°F |
Ammonia | 0 | 0 | 0 |
PH | 6.6-7.6 | 6.6-7.6 | 6.1-7.5 |
Alkalinity | 5-8KH | 4-8KH | 3.8-8KH |
Nitrate | <50ppm | <51ppm | <32pmm |
General hardness | 4-11GH | 4-12GH | 3-9GH |
Nitrite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What is GH in Aquarium? Complete Guide
The acronym GH in aquarium stands for General Hardness and refers to how soft or hard your water is. If freshwater has a high concentration of dissolved minerals, it is hard; if it has a low concentration of minerals or is devoid of minerals entirely, it is said to be soft.
Because seawater includes a high concentration of dissolved minerals, it is usually challenging. Because osmosis freshwater has been depleted of minerals, it is always smooth. Hard water is always indicated by calcium oxide on knobs and in kettles.
Calculate GH in Aquarium
The quantity of magnesium and calcium ions in water is measured by GH, which tells you how soft or hard your water is. It’s among the simplest ways to see if the salts and minerals in your aquarium water are sufficient for biological activities, including fishbone and muscle formation, crustacean molting, snail shell formation, and plant development.
If you’re aiming to attain a specific GH level or even if your animals and plants exhibit health problems, we recommend utilizing the multi-test strips. Low GH symptoms include fish with a weak appetite, a sluggish pace of development, lethargy or fading coloring should be avoided. Shrimp have difficulty molting. Snails with peeling pitted or flaking shells
Keep in mind that GH in aquarium measures both calcium and magnesium; therefore, if your contains a higher GH but you’re still experiencing these symptoms, your water is likely rich in magnesium but low in calcium. In this scenario, a calcium test kit (made particularly for freshwater) might be used to see if you’re deficient in that mineral.

How to Lower GH in Your Aquarium?
Filling the aquarium using reverse osmosis water is the best technique to provide water with such a low carbonate hardness aquarium. To lower GH in aquariums, the tap filtration technique removes nitrates, chlorine, Phosphates, and minerals yielding pure water.
You will have ideal aquarium water if you treat the transparent RO with a RO demineralizer. If your groundwater has a moderate GH, but your aquarium water has a higher GH, make sure nothing is buffering the GH, such as calcareous décor, and then use dechlorinated groundwater in fluid changes to lower the GH.
Rain has a moderate GH, yet it may transport contaminants. One approach for reducing the KH, PH, and GH in aquarium water is to make small changes over time to acidify your tank or lower the PH organically.
How to Raise GH in Aquarium
Is the hardness of your tap water ranging from moderate to extreme? For the most part, it will be enough to raise GH in the aquarium. Simply sustaining with your liquid changes will suffice to refill the GH lost in your tank by the fish and plants. RO/DI water is highly soft water that has been depleted of any minerals.
It includes no GH and is harmful to fish and plants on its own. Demineralizer replenishes minerals that have been lost. But it’s not just for RO/DI water; it can also be used to boost the GH of soft wells or groundwater! Magnesium and calcium are found in wonder shells.
When these shells are placed in your aquarium, they gently disintegrate, releasing these elements and boosting your GH. It is precise as it sounds like crushed coral. Coral was taken from the remains of a dead reef. Coral is mainly calcium carbonate, so when you add it to your tank, it gently distributes calcium and carbonate into the water.
Aragonite comes in the form of rocks or sand. It’s almost wholly constituted of calcium carbonate, much like crushed coral. It releases calcium and carbonate in the aquarium’s water when it’s introduced, and raises GH in the aquarium.
What Should the GH Level be in a Fish Tank?
GH is measured in degrees of GH and parts per million (ppm) almost the same way as KH. A GH of 4-8 dGH is ideal for high levels in a fish tank (or 70-140 ppm). Minerals are required by all creatures; however, certain fish, such as goldfish, livebearers, and African cichlids, prefer more significant amounts of GH.
You may need to lower the GH to 3 dGH (or 50 ppm) or fall if you’re trying to produce discus or other soft water fish. So 4-8dGH is the GH level in a fish tank.
How to Lower GH and KH in Aquarium? Beginner’s Guide
Following techniques are used to lower GH and KH in the aquarium. If you already have an aquarium with a high GH and wish to reduce it, start using RO water with your following water change. Neat RO may be combined with a GH testing kit to reduce GH to safe levels gradually.
If your source water has a high GH, RO is the only practical technique to reduce GH in your tank since it is difficult to soften hard water using other methods. Avoid items that reduce PH or KH since they are not like that and will not remove magnesium and calcium from the water.
KH, PH, and GH in aquarium water are all ion-specific measurements. When a renewable source of minerals is added, it is likely to release various ions, which impact a variety of water parameters. Limestone, for example, has a high proportion of caco3, which includes both calcium and bicarbonates, raising both GH and KH.
You must increase the particular ions for GH (magnesium and calcium) without introducing ions that impact KH if you want to enhance GH and not KH. In reality, African cichlid owners frequently purchase or make custom salt mixtures to boost KH or GH levels.
A reduction is primarily used in freshwater aquariums. Distilled water is clean water that has gone throuGH a particular procedure. The water is heated until it becomes steam, after which it is cooled and stored in a sealed container. All of the contaminants have been removed.
As a consequence, the water is almost clean, with no KH. For decreasing both KH and PH of water tanks, the Indian almond leaf is a popular choice. It’s widespread in betta tanks. Tannic acid is released when the Indian almond leaves decompose in your tank (tannins). The KH is eroding because of the tannins.
Peat is a moss that has been dried and cut. Place this in a storage bag and insert it into your filter. Peat excretes tannic acid into water, similar to Indian almond leaves, lowering the KH and PH. You may have heard that reducing your KH to zero is a good idea for freshwater aquariums. A KH of zero is especially problematic since it may produce severe PH decreases, making the tank deadly both to fish and plants.
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