Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My first fish tank. It's a 4 gallon bioOrb. I've got 4 neon tetras who seem to be enjoying themselves. According to my pH strip all the levels are good except the HARD WATER is in the harmful stage. What do I need to do? What will happen to my babies? Please help. Thank you.

I wouldn't recommend messing with the water parameters if your fish are doing fine. It could mean losing your fish. How long have you had your tank set up? If your tank hasn't cycled (approximately 4-6 weeks), it could come back down into normal range. Just keep an eye on your fish, if your tank is cycled, and they seems to be getting sick, you can add a water softener to your filter... you should be able to find one at your local fish store. Keep in mind that tetras of all varieties are not hardy fish and are not recommended for cycling tanks, though I've heard it can work (depends on the person and the fish I guess).

Good luck, and keep us posted. Please let me know if I can help you further.

I've only had the baby biOrb tank set up 2 weeks. The fish have been in there for a week. I don't know what you mean by a "cycling tank." Thanks for replying.

Here's a link to understand cycling. Your tank is not cycled yet, so definitely wait until your tank has cycled before adjusting water parameters (I.e.: ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, pH, water hardness, etc). Since your tank is small, the ammonia will build up quickly, keep an eye out for your fishes health. Ammonia is a quick and silent killer. Water changes will help during this process.
new aquarium setup