Just as we must take care and keep the account the temperature and pH of our aquariumTo keep our fish and aquatic animals in perfect condition, it is important that we pay close attention to the hardness and density of the water.
When we talk about hardness of water, we refer to the amount of dissolved minerals it contains, especially calcium and magnesium. It is important to note that soft water will have few minerals, while hard water will have many. It is important to take into account two parameters when controlling the hardness of the water, the GH and the KH. First of all, the KH is the temporary hardness of the water, and it is what will prevent fluctuations in pH, reacting with acids and neutralizing them. On the other hand, GH is the general hardness, that is, the sum of the temporary hardness and the permanent hardness, formed by calcium and magnesium sulfates.
If you would like to lower water hardnessThe first thing you will have to do is remove the dissolved minerals, so you will have to use a reverse osmosis device. This type of apparatus, what they do is trap these minerals, producing a soft water ideal for those aquariums that require it. If, on the other hand, what you want to do is increase the hardness, you will have to add more minerals.
As for the the density of water, it is important to differentiate between salinity and hardness of water, since they are not the same, although they are closely related. The density of water serves as a basic measurement for marine aquariums and is much easier to control, since a hydrometer will suffice. It is important to remember that in fresh water, the presence of salt is negligible or even non-existent, so you should not use this type of meter, however if you have a brackish water aquarium, you must take into account the density of the water. of your aquarium.