I finally got brave and tested my gh... after one peppered cory died, and anonther didn't look quite right.

All else zero... so did it... I am aghast.

kh is 71.6 ok so I tested gh - shocked!

I kept putting in drops, and more drops and more and more until I just dumped alot of solution. Never turned green at all. Now the first tank I tested had the rocks I found in it.. Ok so test one without rock. Same. Ok test another, same. OK test garbage bucket storage filtered water tank.. Same. Ok test local store where I get my fish.. Midtown NYC.. 2nd avenue and 50's.

Same. I have as the cichlid people say 'liquid rock water'.

So this is the question for the board.

I do twice or more weekly water changes... (intuitive to keep ph down) it goes up fast, now I know why.

Just (all in 20 gallon two long one regular) a few inches from top. (but taken from bottom area) then slowly add much lower ph original water (5.0 or so from tap) dribbled in with extra fine air flow tubing knotted, so drip drip all day long)... then change one of two filters each per week.. When others at local store, said overdoing it, made things worse, so sticking with what works for me (my fish).

so, what does this mean. I am not big on the chemistry.. local store no longer has peat, but all (most all) tanks have driftwood and does not lower hardness.

A few years ago, was low, had to add coral, then things changed. I know they must have added lime to local water supply after high summer temps, drought, and bacterial outbreak (water mold ie same time as per columinaris bacteria out break here and at most stores in NYC, saw it in many many stores in most of their tanks)

Can anyone with more information, experience with this tell me what it means.

Most of my fish are fine... with my above procedure.

Would this be what is affecting my cats, or is it the agression/stress from other fish (blind cave with albino cories, and the other cories, gouramies, but prior to that there were no agressive gourmies or agressive fish!

Any thoughts most appreciated.

Any one have thoughts on the water softener pillows. ie takes out mag cal, but with sodium.. I figures, most of my fish can handles some salt, I add a pinch to each tank.. Even with cories then can handle more then most think not being wild caught (wild caught another story) esp during treatment. but a pinch.

Thanks for any help with this. not ready to go cichlid, although I like them a lot, lol Sherry

I will post on seperate link re cory.. ie inverted belly, looks sunken.