The Practical Aquarists

If you have soft tap water, remineralizing it to meet the specific needs of your fish and invertebrates is often the best path to a thriving aquarium. This article will provide you with a step-by-step guide to effectively and consistently mineralize your soft tap water to reach your target GH and KH levels, using readily available products and a reliable 'add and test' method. Here's what you need to consider when mineralizing soft tap water: First, determine the ideal GH and KH for your specific fish and invertebrates. This information is crucial. Don't just aim for a general "good" range; research the specific needs of your species. If your tap water is soft, remineralization is likely necessary to achieve the optimal GH and KH for your aquarium. However, some soft tap water may already contain a partial mineral balance. Always test your water parameters first to determine whether remineralization is needed. Several commercially available remineralizing prod...

Water change day. You either dread it or embrace it.  It can go like this: scooping, lifting, carrying, dumping, mopping—and that’s just to remove the water from your aquarium. Then comes refilling: filling, lifting, carrying, pouring, filling, lifting, carrying, pouring… and more mopping. Somewhere in between, you need to dechlorinate the water, make sure it’s close to the right temperature, and mineralize it if you're on top of things. All while trying not to blast your substrate to oblivion with a rushed pour, or worse, crack your aquarium glass in the process. A tall order if you don’t have a system, a plan, or even a solid understanding of how or why or if you should mineralize your tap water. No wonder you get by with just topping off the aquarium and doing a real water change once a month—or less. Or... it can go like this: roll out the siphon hose, hook it over the toilet bowl, and charge it with your outlet flow. Clip the hose to the aquarium glass at precisely the right d...