Need help/advice on water perimeters

Currently my 422 tank is undergoing cycling process. Till now, had been cycling for the past 18 days.
The tank had been planted and during this 18 days, had done 2 times 50% water change and a 80% WC to get rid traces of copper or any other metals as I had been using ferts. Had also done regular top up of water almost every 2 days with water that had aged for at least 3 days.

The following are the water specs (taken over a period of 1 week and find quite constant). Be getting the CRS oni maybe in another 2 weeks. So meanwhile, wanted to get things right b4 intro them

Temp - 28.6 (getting a chiller in the coming 2 days)
CO2 running at 4 bps
pH - 6.6
kh - 6
ammonia - 0ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate - 10ppm

Had read abt the requirement for the kh to be ard 1-2

Q1. How do i lower the kh value? My tap water reads ard 3

Q2. Read abt using deionized water or distilled water. However, using distill water is rather not convenient and economically sound. How and where can I get deionized water?

Attached is my layout for my tank. Anything amiss-ed?

FTS


Left Corner


Right corner


Others

Wow super nice. By the way what is you Gh ? And for shrimp those rocks will have some effect in the long run. But your scape looks too nice to remove it. So not sure u are keeping shrimp in there? Or just scaping

As what mentioned by Bro Goody....Rock may have some effects in the long run but very nice scape you have there....try to measure your gh also...it is very important for your shrimps to live healthy and molt successfully....Btw ..what soil you use?

[gryphon]

Wow very nice landscape! Think your chiller not powerful

[gryphon]

Originally Posted by goody992828

Wow super nice. By the way what is you Gh ? And for shrimp those rocks will have some effect in the long run. But your scape looks too nice to remove it. So not sure u are keeping shrimp in there? Or just scaping

Originally Posted by soonhong

As what mentioned by Bro Goody....Rock may have some effects in the long run but very nice scape you have there....try to measure your gh also...it is very important for your shrimps to live healthy and molt successfully....Btw ..what soil you use?

Guys, the rocks would increase PH in the long run or what parameters will be affected?
Is there any types of rocks that won't affect the water parameters?

Originally Posted by gryphon

Guys, the rocks would increase PH in the long run or what parameters will be affected?
Is there any types of rocks that won't affect the water parameters?

Rocks if I am not wrong will raise your GH, which will cause problem for shrimp molting...

Yea abit too many rocks it will raise the GH

Originally Posted by goody992828

Rocks if I am not wrong will raise your GH, which will cause problem for shrimp molting...

Originally Posted by avex30

Yea abit too many rocks it will raise the GH

Yes.....agreed....

Sorry i also notice CO2 that could be one the reason for the KH to hit 6... Maybe u might need to adjust your CO2 to just 1 bps. Also some stone will bring up KH not to mention GH. Meaning u will need to use distill water or RO water system to do W/C most of the time. But do note constant use of RO or Distill water will shorten the life of the soil.

Originally Posted by avex30

Sorry i also notice CO2 that could be one the reason for the KH to hit 6... Maybe u might need to adjust your CO2 to just 1 bps. Also some stone will bring up KH not to mention GH. Meaning u will need to use distill water or RO water system to do W/C most of the time. But do note constant use of RO or Distill water will shorten the life of the soil.

I think CO2 only affects the PH.....not sure if it affects KH....