Need assistance deciphering my water parameters with the API master test kit

[cadd]

I tested my tap water with the following results. What does it all mean? My goal is to set up a 55g community tank with some live plants.

PH: 7.6
High PH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5

GH: 14 drops needed to turn from orange to green
KH: 9 drops needed to turn from blue to yellow

 

[fishorama]

It's not that hard to read, lol. Your pH is between 7.6 & 7.8, a tiny bit high but no big deal for most fish. 14 Gh & 9 KH are in German Degrees of Hardness (GDH), higher than my quite soft water but, again, should be ok. (if you want ppm multiply by 17.2? or so, I forget the exact number.)

You may not be able to breed some fish that may survive just fine in your parameters. I strongly suggest you not try to "fine tune" your water to any specific numbers, keep fish that are happy in the water you can easily provide. & those are not necessarily the "listed" parameters of fishes' native waters. Many fish are commercially bred over many generations now.

When we first started keeping fish, my chemistry student husband said "what exact pH do bettas (or whatever) need? I can make the water that number!". Yeah, but the yoyo effect of constantly messing with the parameters wasn't so good for the fish. 35+ years later, we don't sweat the minutia, large regular water changes are the single most important thing you can do for your tank & fish.

You should be fine with many fish & plants. When in doubt, ask us, we want you to succeed!

 

[myswtsins]

What she said! Did you let your water sit out for 24 hrs before testing? After releasing any trapped gases the pH may be different.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Hard, slighly alkaline water. Not a bad starting point at all for an avg planted community setup. Those numbers will gradually and naturally drop as the tank matures and ages. Live plants would do well in there (foxtail, crypts, vals, anubias, swords). This would be ideal for livebearers like swordtails, platies, mollies.

 

[ustabefast]

Yep, those are decent water parameters for most commonly sold tropical fish.
You won't be able to breed softwater fish but they will do fine otherwise.