View Full Version : KH?'s
animalman
12-05-2007, 9:39 PM
So I'm doing test tonight using API kit and the dKH is 9, ppm KH/GH 161.1
Is this a good range?
why have you tested kh/gh? dKH is the one you need and 9 is good. KH and GH are mainly used on freshwater. General hardness (GH) refers to the dissolved concentration primarily of magnesium and calcium ions and Carbonate hardness (KH) or temporary hardness. Measures the buffering capacity or the ability to absorb and neutralize added acid without major changes to pH.
Instead of test for KH/GH you should just test for Carbonate Alkalinity which is the buffering capacity (measured as dKH or meq/l) and Calcium (measured in parts pppm). This is a handy balance calculater to ensure that your calcium/alk readings are in or around the right range:
http://www.andy-hipkiss.co.uk/
Can I suggest you use salifert test kits rather than the api as they are more accurate and better suited to saltwater testing
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:08 PM
The test kit is a carbonate hardness test kit. Is that diff then a carbonate alk test kit? I had to order one from my LFS all I asked for was a alk test kit and this is what they ordered me. I couldn't find just the alk without buying the master kit which I have but it didn't comw with alk test, just ammo, nitrite,nitrate and ph.
mandy21
12-05-2007, 10:14 PM
why have you tested kh/gh? dKH is the one you need and 9 is good. KH and GH are mainly used on freshwater. General hardness (GH) refers to the dissolved concentration primarily of magnesium and calcium ions and Carbonate hardness (KH) or temporary hardness. Measures the buffering capacity or the ability to absorb and neutralize added acid without major changes to pH.
Instead of test for KH/GH you should just test for Carbonate Alkalinity which is the buffering capacity (measured as dKH or meq/l) and Calcium (measured in parts pppm). This is a handy balance calculater to ensure that your calcium/alk readings are in or around the right range:
http://www.andy-hipkiss.co.uk/
Can I suggest you use salifert test kits rather than the api as they are more accurate and better suited to saltwater testing
I'm glad you posted this. I never tested for either before since all was doing well but with wanting to do more to my tank, I grabbed the test kit animalman used. It came up with nothing, defective I'm assuming. Thanks for that info, I can actually buy something else. I wish Salifert had a pick your own test kit package. I hate having all those retarded little boxes all over. I'd like a nice plastic briefcase type deal to keep all my test kit stuff together.
I have the API KH/GH kit for my freshwater tanks but bought a Salifert Alkalinity test kit for my saltwater
Here is a good list of stuff you need to test for:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/waterquality/l/bltkitchartreef.htm
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:18 PM
why have you tested kh/gh?
When you read the chart it has number of drops then across from that is dKH and across from that is ppm KH/GH. I didn't know KH/GH was for the freshwater. The kit says for fresh/saltwater on it. Just when I think I'm getting this whole SW thing I realize that I'm still a :newbie:. I got more reading to do.:irked:
I'm glad you posted this. I never tested for either before since all was doing well but with wanting to do more to my tank, I grabbed the test kit animalman used. It came up with nothing, defective I'm assuming. Thanks for that info, I can actually buy something else. I wish Salifert had a pick your own test kit package. I hate having all those retarded little boxes all over. I'd like a nice plastic briefcase type deal to keep all my test kit stuff together.
I would to lol, I currently have the api saltwater test kit for ph,ammonia,nitrite and nitrate and salifert kits for alkalinity,calcium,iodide,phosphate. I've just ordered salifert kits for magnesium and nitrate (api one not that accurate) and the d and d merck kit for phosphate, boxes everywhere!!!!
mandy21
12-05-2007, 10:22 PM
When you read the chart it has number of drops then across from that is dKH and across from that is ppm KH/GH. I didn't know KH/GH was for the freshwater. The kit says for fresh/saltwater on it. Just when I think I'm getting this whole SW thing I realize that I'm still a :newbie:. I got more reading to do.:irked:
hey, me too and I've had tanks for 2-3 years hahaha. I swear somewhere something I read told me that GH was freshwater, KH was salt. but i'm taking the forum's advice over wherever I read that. Off to spend more money hehe
When you read the chart it has number of drops then across from that is dKH and across from that is ppm KH/GH. I didn't know KH/GH was for the freshwater. The kit says for fresh/saltwater on it. Just when I think I'm getting this whole SW thing I realize that I'm still a :newbie:. I got more reading to do.:irked:
I'm still new to saltwater to, only been in it for 3 months but had freshwater for 7 years. I should of said really that KH is the same as testing for Alkalinity but I would recommend a salifert test kit rather than the api one. Did you not get the 2 seperate tests with api kit, one for KH and one for GH?
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:25 PM
Here is a good list of stuff you need to test for:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/waterquality/l/bltkitchartreef.htm
thanx for the link. here's what i test for temp,ammo,nitrite,nitrate,ph,calcium,phosphate,sal t, and now dKH. Should I test for anyting else?
hey, me too and I've had tanks for 2-3 years hahaha. I swear somewhere something I read told me that GH was freshwater, KH was salt. but i'm taking the forum's advice over wherever I read that. Off to spend more money hehe
You can test KH for both. I test KH on my cichlid tank as they like harder water than most fish and the higher the KH the longer the PH will stay at a higher level, I raise the KH in my cichlid tank by adding bicarbonate of soda.
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:28 PM
I'm still new to saltwater to, only been in it for 3 months but had freshwater for 7 years. I should of said really that KH is the same as testing for Alkalinity but I would recommend a salifert test kit rather than the api one. Did you not get the 2 seperate tests with api kit, one for KH and one for GH?
No only one bottle in kit. When I read instructions it showed KH then showed GH. I wondered if there should be 2 bottles or one but was just one. The bottle says KH on it. Thats all i need tho right. the KH bot.
thanx for the link. here's what i test for temp,ammo,nitrite,nitrate,ph,calcium,phosphate,sal t, and now dKH. Should I test for anyting else?
Sounds good to me, I started to notice a lot of people testing for magnesium around various forums so I have now ordered myself the test kit for that!
No only one bottle in kit. When I read instructions it showed KH then showed GH. I wondered if there should be 2 bottles or one but was just one. The bottle says KH on it. Thats all i need tho right. the KH bot.
yes. to test for GH you would need a different bottle but its the KH (buffering capacity) your interested in
mandy21
12-05-2007, 10:33 PM
No only one bottle in kit. When I read instructions it showed KH then showed GH. I wondered if there should be 2 bottles or one but was just one. The bottle says KH on it. Thats all i need tho right. the KH bot.
Doesn't it change different colors (or is supposed to) based on whether it is freshwater or saltwater? I just threw mine out so I didn't look. I do know it had 2 different color comparison charts.
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:33 PM
Thanx Wanye and Mandy for clearing this up for me. Being a newb would be alot harder without my AC family. :)
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:34 PM
Doesn't it change different colors (or is supposed to) based on whether it is freshwater or saltwater? I just threw mine out so I didn't look. I do know it had 2 different color comparison charts.
No my chart had only 1 area on the chart. let me look...
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:36 PM
No just one chart. Its the KH & GH conversion chart.
Doesn't it change different colors (or is supposed to) based on whether it is freshwater or saltwater? I just threw mine out so I didn't look. I do know it had 2 different color comparison charts.
If you mean the api kit, it would be different colours yes. I got a saltwater colour card in my kit but threw it out because at the time I didn't have my saltwater
No just one chart. Its the KH & GH conversion chart.
I can see why your confused lol. GH and KH, like I mentioned before, are two seperate things and require seperate tests. Just stick with the KH testing, does the chart say for saltwater?
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:38 PM
NO i'm wrong it does say KH blue turn to yellow and GH Orange to green, sorry
NO i'm wrong it does say KH blue turn to yellow and GH Orange to green, sorry
There you go lol
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:42 PM
I can see why your confused lol. GH and KH, like I mentioned before, are two seperate things and require seperate tests. Just stick with the KH testing, does the chart say for saltwater?
Me confused noooooo...:grinyes:....Ya know i now see after reading just a lil more it says Marine fish and invert should be 8-12KH and 140-200ppm. duh:confused:
Me confused noooooo...:grinyes:....Ya know i now see after reading just a lil more it says Marine fish and invert should be 8-12KH and 140-200ppm. duh:confused:
If it wasn't 3.46 in the morning and I wasn't being paid by the military to sit here in the uk helping you, i'd take that test and beat you to death with it haha
mandy21
12-05-2007, 10:46 PM
haha Thanks for posting this. After I hit up the LFS tomorrow and do some shopping for other people, I'm converting over to Salifert test kits, at least for a few of the API ones that I've questioned accuracy a few times.
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:47 PM
If it wasn't 3.46 in the morning and I wasn't being paid by the military to sit here in the uk helping you, i'd take that test and beat you to death with it haha
:lol:LMAO
haha Thanks for posting this. After I hit up the LFS tomorrow and do some shopping for other people, I'm converting over to Salifert test kits, at least for a few of the API ones that I've questioned accuracy a few times.
Just make sure you use them away from neighbours view! I'm sure that due to the syringes you use in the salifert test kits my neighbour thinks I'm a junkie lol
animalman
12-05-2007, 10:56 PM
All joking aside....anybody in the military gets a big THANX from me.
Cheers animalman, I'm looking forward to this night shift ending so I can get to my bed though! Still one more to do after this
animalman
12-05-2007, 11:04 PM
Hope I made everybody laugh tonight. I need my bed as well. Thanx again to you guys and girls. :)
mandy21
12-06-2007, 6:37 AM
Just make sure you use them away from neighbours view! I'm sure that due to the syringes you use in the salifert test kits my neighbour thinks I'm a junkie lol
hahaha too funny. True story - I went to Rite Aid to see if they had syringes to kill some aiptasia on a rock I just bought with xenia on it before i put it in the main tank. Of course, there's none and if there are, I can't find any. So, I ask the guy at the pharmacy and he asked me what the medical reason was. I explained, no medical reason . . . had a marine tank and had to kill some nasty anemones. He looked confused and told me he couldn't sell me any because of the drug problem in this area plus my name being on a list for buying ephedrine. :wall:
Grins
12-06-2007, 10:07 AM
lol, you do look kinda shifty. I got mine from my mom who gets them with one of her prescriptions. Maybe you could ask someone with diabetes or something that uses them?
mandy21
12-06-2007, 3:16 PM
lol, you do look kinda shifty. I got mine from my mom who gets them with one of her prescriptions. Maybe you could ask someone with diabetes or something that uses them?
haha yep, I'm sure I'm everyone's stereotypical heroin user.
I'm going to ask my vet, whom I'm sure would either give me one or sell one to me for a couple of bucks if I can't find anyone else with diabetes or something (not sure if I know anyone that's around here).
haha yep, I'm sure I'm everyone's stereotypical heroin user.
I'm going to ask my vet, whom I'm sure would either give me one or sell one to me for a couple of bucks if I can't find anyone else with diabetes or something (not sure if I know anyone that's around here).
Most diabetics tend to use injector pens these days, I know my wifes uncle does, he pushes it against his skin and needle automatically fires into him