Hi pH and 0 KH

[cpr4cpu]

okay, let me slow down.
I use an aquarium pharmaceuticals general freshwater test kit.
My test results compare exactly with the LFS so I am sure my reagents are fine.

The GH and KH tests require that you put a drop of reagent into the test tube and make sure it is mixed up. From that point on, each drop added equals 1 degree or 17.9 ppm. The target on the KH scale is to go from Blue to Yellow in the test tube.

My issue is that it takes 17 drops; which is 17 degrees, or 304.3 ppm of carbonate hardness. Is alkalinity really a measure of carbonate hardness or is alkalinity is a measure of pH?.

My GH is 0. My pH is 7.0.

My question is this: Is all the carbonate hardness of the water merely a buffer that will prevent change to pH through CO2 usage, or will the CO2 lower the pH below 7.0? What does the CO2 bond to, the Calcium or the Carbonate? Do I lose permanent hardness in the form of calcium and magnesium, or do I lose temporary hardness in the form of carbonate through the use of CO2?

Thanks for the help Wetman, I'm trying to step up to your level so we can see eye to eye
Now maybe we

 

[rdelbalso]

I retested my water at the new place this morning. The tank shows a dropped pH=7.0 and a GH=1.5 degrees and a KH=1 degree. My test kits aren't bad. I then retested and got the same thing. I thought I must have been going crazy last night so I tested the tap water. I wasn't crazy, it comes from the tap around pH=8.0. So what do I do to prevent problems? Do I have to let my water sit for a day before adding to the tank? This makes water changes a real problem since I don't have anywhere to store extra water overnight. Also if I am storing water in the buckets I have, then I won't have a bucket to drain the tank water in before I add the new water! What do I need to do?

 

[avoxo]

Hi rdelbalso, I went through (for over 10 years) the same thing. Not sure how big you tank or tanks are but I have a 55, 20 and a 10 gallon up right now. All I did was buy a 22 gallon tote (paid less than $5 for it), fill it with water add a air stone from one of my tanks and overnight the ph is in the safe range to add to the tanks.

Not sure what the temperature is from the water coming out of your tap but mine is in the mid 50's and I need to let it sit out anyways.

 

[OrionGirl]

pH is often high straight from the tap, since there are a lot of dissolved gasses in there. Allowing it to sit overnight or agitating it will usually result in a much lower reading---the true pH of your water.

Alk is not pH, though the two are linked.

This is confusing--we have two similar threads going on here, from two different members.

 

[cpr4cpu]

well, just to humor myself, I bought some quick dip strips for Kh and gH.
I am no longer concerned. My buffering capacity is great, 304.3ppm of alkaline hardness, and the gH of the water is 10ppm.

After sitting for three days, my pH has not moved at all. I borrowed one of the office's pH meters for the a week and now I can measure to the mark much easier. I am staying at 7.2 exactly, with agitation, aeration, and even CO2 injection.

I retested all my parameters this morning and I am confident that with a minor adjustment to the water controls, I can have tetra safe water after a few recharge cycles.

Thanks everyone for the information, my fish appreciate it.