Why I Started Logging GH, KH, TDS, and pH Instead of Guessing Water Stability

For a long time I treated water tests like emergency tools.

I only pulled the test kit out when something already felt wrong.

Most of the time, the tank looked fine… until suddenly it didn’t.

Over time I realised that with shrimp and soft-water aquariums, problems rarely appear overnight. They grow slowly in the background: TDS creeping up, KH quietly dropping, pH drifting further away from what they’re used to.

That’s why I stopped guessing and started logging every test in one place.

Now I use my Aqualog Water Tracker & Test Log as a simple habit to spot patterns before my shrimp show stress.

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The Time I Only Noticed a Problem After Shrimp Started Dying

One of my earlier shrimp tanks looked perfectly normal from the outside.

• Plants were growing.

• Glass was clean.

• Shrimp were grazing as usual.

Then, one week, I noticed one shrimp dead.
I checked ammonia and nitrite: both zero. I did a small water change and moved on.

A few days later, another shrimp died. Then another.

Only then did I finally pull out the full test kit and TDS meter.

• TDS was much higher than what I originally aimed for.

• KH had dropped lower than I expected.

• pH had shifted compared to my original setup notes (which were just in my head, not written anywhere).

Looking back, the changes didn’t happen in a single day. They built up slowly from:

• Topping off with untreated tap water instead of doing proper water changes.

• My active substrate continuing to pull KH down over time.

• Small “harmless” adjustments that I never wrote down: a new root tab here, a bit of extra food there.

The tank didn’t crash dramatically, it just became less stable month by month.
By the time the shrimp showed it, I was already late.

That was the moment I decided: no more guessing.
If I want stability, I need to actually see what the water is doing over time.

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What I Log Now (And Why)

My goal with logging isn’t to become a scientist.
It’s simply to answer one question:

“Is my water slowly drifting away from what my shrimp are used to?”

To do that, I track just a few key things.

1. GH (General Hardness)

GH tells me how much calcium and magnesium is in the water — basically, how “mineral-rich” it is.

Why I log GH:

• Shrimp need stable GH for moulting and shell health.

• If GH slowly rises or falls, I can adjust remineralizer instead of waiting for moult problems.

In my log, GH helps me see patterns like:

• “GH climbs a bit every month in this tank if I overdo remineralizer.”

• “This tank loses GH faster because of heavy plant and snail growth.”

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2. KH (Carbonate Hardness)

KH is the “buffer” that keeps pH from swinging too easily.

Why I log KH:

• In tanks with active soil, KH can quietly drop to near zero.

• When KH is low and unstable, pH changes more with every water change.

My log tells me things like:

• “After 3–4 months, KH in this tank is always lower. Time to adjust water change routine.”

• “This tank with inert substrate keeps KH much more stable.”

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3. TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)

TDS is my quick “overall concentration” number. It doesn’t tell me what is dissolved, but it tells me how much.

Why I log TDS:

• TDS creeping up often means: minerals, food, waste, or fertilizer are building up.

• Sudden jumps usually match something I did: new food, new remineralizer, big top-ups.

Over time, logging TDS helps me see:

• “This tank’s TDS rises 20–30 ppm every week if I don’t do a proper water change.”

• “Changing to a different shrimp food made TDS increase faster.”

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4. pH

pH changes can be slow, but shrimp do best when it’s stable.

Why I log pH:

• To see if my “soft acidic” or “slightly alkaline” goal is actually consistent.

• To understand how pH reacts after water changes, new driftwood, or new substrate.

The log has shown me patterns like:

• “When KH is low and I do a big water change, pH swings more.”

• “Adding new wood caused a small but steady pH drop over a few weeks.”

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5. Date, Water Change, and Short Notes

Numbers alone are less helpful without context.

So each row in my log also has:

• Date – when I tested.

• Water change details – how much I changed, and with what kind of water.

• Notes – small things that matter later:

  • “Changed remineralizer brand.”

  • “Added new driftwood.”

  • “Increased feeding because shrimplets appeared.”

  • “Cleaned filter sponge gently in old tank water.”

Later, when I look back at the log, these small notes explain why the numbers moved.

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How the Aqualog Helps Me

At some point, I got tired of random scraps of paper and messy phone notes.

That’s why I created a simple Aqualog Water Tracker & Test Log for myself — a small web tool where I can:

• Enter GH, KH, TDS, pH for each tank.

• Add date, water change size, and short notes.

• Scroll back and see patterns without getting lost.

Instead of “I think TDS has been rising…?”, I can actually see it.

Spotting Trends Before Shrimp Feel It

With Aqualog, I can:

• Notice TDS creeping up week by week and plan a slightly larger water change.

• See KH slowly dropping in a soil tank and adjust how I remineralize.

• Confirm that pH is staying stable even after changing something in my routine.

It turns quiet water changes into clear, visible data — but still in a simple format I can read at a glance.

Connecting Changes to Actions

Here’s where the notes section becomes powerful.

When I look at the log, I often see patterns like:

• “TDS started rising faster from this date…”
  → Check the note: “Switched to a richer shrimp food.”

• “GH dropped more than usual during this period…”
  → Note: “Skipped remineralizer for a few water changes.”

That connection between numbers and actions helps me adjust slowly, instead of doing big, panicked changes.

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Simple Examples from My Tanks

Here are two common situations where the log has helped me stay ahead.

1. Before and After Adding New Substrate

When I add or replace substrate, I log:

• Baseline GH, KH, TDS, pH before the change.

• The same parameters weekly for the next few weeks.

Patterns I’ve seen:

• In tanks with active soil, KH drops gradually, and pH follows.

• TDS might stay similar, but pH stability slowly changes.

Because it’s logged, I can react calmly:

• Smaller, more frequent water changes instead of one huge one.

• Adjust remineralizer a little rather than chasing a “perfect” number in one day.

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2. Before and After Changing Remineralizer

Switching remineralizer brand (or dose) is another big variable.

When I do this, I log:

• GH and TDS with the old remineralizer.

• GH and TDS after a few water changes with the new one.

Sometimes I’ve found that:

• One product gives the same GH but a much higher TDS.

• Another keeps both GH and TDS closer to my “comfortable” range.

Without a log, it would just feel like, “Hmm, the tank feels different.”
With the log, I can see: “Oh, after the switch, TDS climbs faster even at the same GH.”

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How Often I Test Each Tank

I don’t test every single day. That would be too stressful.

Here’s a realistic rhythm that works for me:

• New tank (first 1–2 months):

  • Test GH, KH, TDS, pH weekly, or even twice a week at the beginning.

  • Log after each test to see how the tank “settles”.

• Mature, stable tank:

  • Test every 1–2 weeks.

  • Test again if I do something bigger than usual (large trim, big water change, new hardscape).

• Before and after major changes:

  • New substrate, new remineralizer, big changes in stocking or feeding → always log before and after.

This way, testing becomes a quiet routine, not an emergency reaction.

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Using the Water Test Tools Together

The Aqualog Water Tracker is just one part of the toolkit.

I like pairing it with my Aquarium Volume & Water Change Calculator:

• Aqualog shows me what’s happening over time (TDS creeping up, KH dropping).

• The Volume & Water Change Calculator helps me decide how much water to change when I want to gently bring those numbers back toward my target.

It turns my maintenance into a small, repeatable system:

1. Test and log GH, KH, TDS, pH in Aqualog.

2. Notice any trend or drift.

3. Use the water change calculator to plan the next few water changes.

4. Log results and see if the trend improves.

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Why I Prefer Logging Over Guessing Now

Since I started logging:

• I’m less surprised by sudden “mystery problems”.

• I catch slow changes earlier, when small adjustments are enough.

• I feel calmer when something looks off, because I can open the log and see what’s changed recently.

It’s not about chasing perfect numbers.
It’s about keeping the trend gentle and predictable, so the shrimp and plants can relax — and so can I.

If you’d like to start the same habit, you can use the same simple tool I use:

Open Aqualog Water Tracker & Test Log

And if you’re still learning the basics of GH, KH, TDS, and soft vs hard water, this article also fits nicely with:

• GH, KH, and TDS: The Three Water Numbers That Confuse Everyone

• Soft vs Hard Water: Simple Guide for Shrimp & Planted Tanks

• How I Treat Tap Water Before It Enters My Aquarium (Simple, Cheap, Effective)