What is hardness and softness in a aquarium?

Answer 1

Water hardness or softness refer to a number of water parameters. Most commonly hardness refers to what known as General Hardness(GH), which is basically a measure of the calcium and magnesium salts present in water. There is also Carbonate hardness(KH), which is a measure of the carbonate concentration of the water. Combined, these two form Total Hardness, ie, GH + KH = TH

Answer 2

Softening the water is harder than hardening the water. Soft and hard water is determined by minerals in the waters chemistry. These minerals can affect your PH level making it hard to regulate. Softer water produces a lower PH while Harder water promotes a higher PH.

To soften water you need to demineralize the water. Either by installing a R/O (Reverse Osmosis) unit, or applying a chemical designed to remove minerals and soften water. Most pet stores have R/O units installed and sell gallons of water to consumers. You can achieve a softer water by doing water changes and adding the R/O water instead of from the tap.

The reverse is needed to harden your water. The minerals must be added to maintain the higher PH. You can add base rock. A calcium based white rock that releases calcium into the water. Or you can buy the needed minerals in trace forms at your local petstore.

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Answer 3

The water that comes out of your tap depends on where you live and there are many specialist aquarium chemicals you can buy from any fish shop to change the hardness/softness of the water.