HELP water test

[cloran]

I just tested my water, PH is around 8, gh is around 7, but my kh is way to high, gave up on drops at 40. Any help is welcomed

[Starry]

Sounds fishy, I'd try another test kit. If your GH is that low, I don't see why KH would be so crazy.

[Hebdizzle]

one time i made a mistake when testing. I was using PH instead of KH.

I noticed after 20 drops at least.

ha

Aaron

[cloran]

I do know that are well water was high in iron, but I would've never thought that high

[Tempest]

kH is carbonate hardness. It isn't related to iron. :)

[cloran]

Could it be my GH then, I can never keep them apart. Which one do I want to watch for plants

[Pink Pat]

GH is the measure of calcium and magnesium (Ca++ and Mg++) ions in the water. It also has nothing to do with iron. Well water does tend to be high in GH.

There could be a lot of reasons why the KH reading is so high. Being exposed to the ground/rock is the most obvious. I do believe the test results should be attempted with at least 2 different testing kits. (Doing only one other test can only indicate a difference, not indicate which result is accurate). I would also suggest testing a sample, both tap and aquarium, that has been drawn 24 hours earlier.

I also don't believe that your KH can be too high. It makes little difference to most fish or plants. Some fish may not attempt breeding in less than optimal conditions but maintainance should not be a problem. A high KH means your pH should be rock steady, resisting any attempt to shift it.

HTH

PP

[cloran]

I ran some test again, PH=7.5-8, KH=6, GH=50+
HELP

[cpr4cpu]

let your water sit in a glass, exposed to the air for 24 hours before ou test again.

Well water in my area is KH 18 and GH 12, but when the water is run through a water softener or water conditioner it substitutes potassium or sodium ions for the calcium and magnesium, and of course that ruins any hope of an accurate reading with a reagent test kit. When you test the water add a single drop and see if you can detect both reagent colors (blue and yellow) before you mix it up. Add 1 drop at a time and gently swirl to mix. You must be sure to invert the test tube to ensure the reagent is thoroughly mixed before adding more drops.