Water Test Results - Question

[kokeefe]

I just bought a Aquarium Pharmaceuticals "Freshwater Master Kit" And I have a question for those that may have this kit also. On the GH test, does the water have to be the same color as the drops coming from the dropper? or is any shade of greenish/Yellow the end result of this test?

My water is: pH:8.3, NH3:0, NO2:0, KH:225ppm (14 drops) and GH:3drops (if light greenish yellow is OK, if not, dark green is 15 drops)

I just added a few ounces of Peat to the filter, to bring the PH down (tap is 8-8.2) the African cichlids seem to be OK with the water so far. Any suggestions anyone has would be greatly appreciated! :)

[Radek Z]

It's little unusual that the KH is higher than GH (not impossible chemically I think but unusual). I have different kits (Tetra and JBL) and the jump from one color to another is much more rapid - my GH would be red(ish) on 7; turn muddy green on 8 and 9 would just make it the same color as the drops. As well with pH8.2 it seems to me that the GH of 15 is more like it. But may be some expert can step in...

[kokeefe]

I was expecting the GH test to be like the KH test. My KH test was blue all the way till drop 13 when it turned green, then on 14 bright yellow. The GH was a little Green on the first drop and mostly green on drop 3. (even though I could still see signs of yellow in the tube.) <Confused>

[RTR]

There is no requirement that GH and KH must be similar. In many natural waters they are, but it not required, especially with public utility processed water.

[PumaWard]

I have the AP gH test kit. The difference in the two colors (green and yellow) should be quite easy to tell as the kit should go from yellowish-red or yellowish-green-red to dark green.


Are your africans rift lake or west african?

[kokeefe]

Puma - My GH kit is suppose to be orange on the first drop. It doesn't turn orange with my water, is kinda yellow-green. With every subsequent drop it gets a little less yellow. ( I tried this with 2 separate kits, just to make sure I didn't get a bad one)
I starting to think my well water is just weird. ;)

And the fish are the Rift like variety.

[PumaWard]

Mine does the same thing, it only get really orange when I test my african tank.

The reason I asked about your cichlids is I what wondering why your were putting peat in you filter (which I could understand if they were west africans); you're water is perfect for rift-lake cichlids as they like hard, alkaline water.