https://lagonia.org/categories/water-chemistry/ Recent content in Water Chemistry on Lagonia Hugo en-gb Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/ideal-gh-for-shrimp/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/ideal-gh-for-shrimp/ Neocaridina cherry shrimp want a GH of about 6 to 12 dGH, and Caridina crystal shrimp far softer at 4 to 6. Why GH matters so much for moulting, and how to hit the right number for your shrimp. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-heater-size-watts/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-heater-size-watts/ A rough guide of 1 to 1.5 watts per litre suits most tropical tanks in a normal heated room. How to size an aquarium heater, when to go higher, and why two smaller heaters often beat one big one. https://lagonia.org/posts/ph-for-community-tank/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/ph-for-community-tank/ A stable pH anywhere between 6.5 and 8 suits almost every community fish. Why stability matters far more than the exact number, and why chasing a 'perfect' pH does more harm than good. https://lagonia.org/posts/gh-kh-explained/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/gh-kh-explained/ A plain-English guide to GH and KH for aquariums: what each number measures, how to test it, dGH and ppm conversions, and how to raise or lower hardness safely without chasing pH. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle-explained/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:22:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle-explained/ What the nitrogen cycle actually is, in plain terms: where ammonia comes from, the invisible bacteria that turn it into nitrite and then nitrate, why hard alkaline water makes ammonia more dangerous, and how you keep the whole thing ticking over. https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-aquarium-fish/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-aquarium-fish/ A first-hand stocking guide for hard, alkaline tap water: the livebearers, Rift Lake cichlids and rainbowfish that love it, the soft-water species I gave up on, and how to stock with your water instead of against it. https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-fish/ Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-fish/ Most beginners with hard tap water think it needs fixing. Usually it does not. How GH and KH really work, why chasing pH is the mistake that kills fish, and the species that thrive in hard, alkaline water. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-water-parameters/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-water-parameters/ What each aquarium water parameter means, what a healthy reading looks like, and what to do when it is off. Ammonia and nitrite at zero, nitrate low, and why stability beats chasing a perfect pH.