Drop Checker Help

E

Ezekielz

AC Members
Dec 8, 2008
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So Cal
Okay, So I orderd this drop checker http://cgi.ebay.com/Drop-Checker-CO2-pH-Test-Live-Aquarium-Plant-Diffuser_W0QQitemZ250305624190QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item250305624190&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50.


I understand I need 4kh solution unlike the instructions point out. My question is how do I go about this? All the articles I have read are very confusing and its hard to understand. Right now I have 2 gallons of Distilled water sitting by me. So is the kh at zero for distilled water? Or would I have to test the water before? I want to get the kh to 4 right? I hear you need to cook baking soda so its accurate? Is this even true? How can one "cook" baking soda? Thanks

Also how many ph regent drops would you have to put in? And I have the api master freshwater test kit. Which ph regent would I use? The high ph regent or the low ph regent? So confusing!
 
From Here:

To make a KH standard using baking soda you would need the following:

distilled water
baking soda (new and unopened would be best)
.01 gram scale (a calibration weight)
500 ml graduated cylinder
50 ml graduated cylinder

1. Measure 3000 ml of distilled water using the 500 ml graduated cylinder and put it in a clean container. The container could be an empty 1 gallon distilled water bottle. (I found it easier to use 3000 ml, instead of the often suggested 5000 ml because you can make your standard with 1 gallon of distilled water instead of having to have a larger container or multiple containers)

To read the precise water level in the graduated cylinder.

-Place the cylinder on a flat surface.
-Make sure your eye is on a level plane with the of the meniscus.
-The meniscus is the half-moon curve formed at the surface of liquid.
-Water should be read from the bottom of the meniscus

2. Weigh 3.60 grams of baking soda, add it to the 3000 ml of distilled water and mix well, this will make a 40 dKH / KH standard.

3. Pour 450 ml of distilled water into the 500 ml graduated cylinder.

4. Pour 50 ml of the 40 dKH standard into the 50 ml graduated cylinder

5. Pour the 50 ml of 40 dKH standard into the 500 ml graduated cylinder and mix well, this will give you 500 ml of a 4 dKH standard.

6. If you want a 5 dKH standard instead of a 4 dKH - change step 3 from 450 ml to 400 ml and you will end up with 450 ml of a 5 dKH standard.

=Or=

Here's a calculator

=Or=

You can do what I did and just order some pre-made from http://liquidarthome.net/khstandard

I use 2-3 drops of indicator solution.
 
It's not that difficult...

I tested my method 3 times with the same results..
 
I got lucky with having 4kh water out of the tap. I took 5 ml of it, added 3 drops of ph tester, took some in a syringe with a curved tip and injected it into the bulb of the drop checker. It's been working really great for me too. The plants only pearl if its at green.
 
DAVIDFBT said:
I got lucky with having 4kh water out of the tap. I took 5 ml of it, added 3 drops of ph tester, took some in a syringe with a curved tip and injected it into the bulb of the drop checker. It's been working really great for me too. The plants only pearl if its at green.
Click to expand...

The problem is that you need KH4 water where the only acid is CO2 and the only buffer bicarbonate. If your tap water is nearly that, then fine. If it's not, then you will get erroneous results. That's why distilled water should be used. That way you know there's nothing in there except bicarbonate and CO2. And Na+, of course, but that's not relevant to the function.
 
After adding the 4dkh water to your drop checker, which pH regent do you use? I have an api master freshwater kit and I'm not sure which one to use, either the high range regent or the low range regent?
 
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