how to increase kh

[drew22to375]

Is there something that I can use to increase my buffering without changing the PH. My kh is reading 0-1

[wetmanNY]

Any form of carbonate will raise the buffering, a.k.a. alkalinity or carbonate hardness (KH). Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is highly soluble so works in a flash. Go easy with it. Calcium carbonate is the stuff of shells and coral. The "crushed coral"substrate used in marine tanks is calcium carbonate. It dissolves slowly. Buy a cheap cupful from the open bag at the lfs.

Increase the alkalinity/buffer/KH and your pH will rise. If you don't want higher pH, you don't want additional alkalinity.

[Wulfy]

Im still so confused about the whole deal.
I have read much about it but still.

Kh is meant to act as a buffer to keep the Ph stable.
So if you do not increase the Kh, you cant have stable Ph if your Kh is low.

EVERYTHING used to bring up the Kh increases the Ph too.

Should I worry? My Kh is <1 (Instead of 3-10).
My Gh is <1 too.
My Ph is 6.4 atm.

My discus are fine.

[RedTez]

Hi wulfy, Hi ALL.

Think of it like this - what your trying to do in regards to pH is set up a balancing act like weighing scales with the needle pointed just slightly over to the side of acid.


If you set up the scales with it slightly over to the acid side but with very little on the alkaline side - it is going to tip over in either direction very easily with only a small amount added to either side.


If you set it up slightly over to the acid side but with a moderate amount of alkaline then it will take a moderate amount to tip it over in either direction.


The sodium bicarbonate or baking soda is the alkaline additive that is meassured in kH. Make that upto 4 degrees or so and then tip the 'scales' back to slightly acid with either Co2 or the addition of Peat or the use of a product such as pH down. (The order of preference being the first to the third.)

1/4 tsp of baking soda will increase the kH of 50l of water by 1 degree.

Hope that helps

http://www.cbx1100xx.btinternet.co.uk/Want1.jpg

Best Regards ALL

[Dtman]

In all my years on the boards, I think thats the best explaination I've ever seen....geared towards the more novice hobbiest. Awesome Red Tez.


I remember trying to grasp that concept when I started my planted tanks.

[Tim Bo]

Agreed. Great way of explaining it...