KH Test Kit Help, Please

[Roan Art]

I just got my RedSea Fresh Test KH kit and am having trouble figuring out WHEN to stop adding drops. Am I supposed to match the END color exactly? Or do I stop when it's as close as it can be?

I can't find any help on the ReSea site and it's Sunday -- I doubt they'd be open for help.

Anyone?

 

[knashash]

well I dont have the exact same kit....but I believe once the color changes your done. If it only chanes a bit, it should only take one more drop for it to fully change and you could stop there. But once it starts to change, that should be it.....being one or 2 degrees off is not gonna kill you.

 

[Roan Art]

well I dont have the exact same kit....but I believe once the color changes your done. If it only chanes a bit, it should only take one more drop for it to fully change and you could stop there. But once it starts to change, that should be it.....being one or 2 degrees off is not gonna kill you.

Hrm, but it starts to change after the 1st drop. The chart starts at blue and then goes to this orangey/pinky/browny tinge. You add one drop to bring it to blue, then as many drops as needed to bring it to the last color. It starts to change the minute you start adding the additional drops. Am I supposed to stop there??? That doesn't seem right to me, but then I'm comparing the process to the other test kits I have.

Confuzzled!
Roan

 

[knashash]

Hrm, but it starts to change after the 1st drop. The chart starts at blue and then goes to this orangey/pinky/browny tinge. You add one drop to bring it to blue, then as many drops as needed to bring it to the last color. It starts to change the minute you start adding the additional drops. Am I supposed to stop there??? That doesn't seem right to me, but then I'm comparing the process to the other test kits I have.

Confuzzled!
Roan

Well, again I dont have the same kit. But yes mine works the same way. The first drop will change it to the first color. Then you keeping adding drops until it changes to the second and final color. So if your first drop changes directy into the final color...then your KH is one. I should add its pretty common for people to have a low KH........

 

[Roan Art]

Well, again I dont have the same kit. But yes mine works the same way. The first drop will change it to the first color. Then you keeping adding drops until it changes to the second and final color. So if your first drop changes directy into the final color...then your KH is one. I should add its pretty common for people to have a low KH........

Sigh. I guess I'm not making myself clear: I don't know when it changes into the final color. Like I said, is it suppose to just be close to the final color or dead on? I get it sorta close, but very diluted looking and not *quite* the same shade. If I keep going and adding drops it starts getting pinkish.

My question is: how close to the final color is it supposed to be? Dead on, or as close as you can get without going pinkish?

Roan

 

[knashash]

You are making yourself clear and I thought I answered your question. Once it changes from the first color to the second color I would stop there. Even if it is a diluted version of what the second color is supposed to be. Maybe just add one to your final calucalations and be done with it. So if it takes 3 drops to get to your diluted version then you can say you have a KH of 3-4 and just work with that.

Keep in mind I have the Aquarium Pharmicuticals test kit and this is how mine works.

 

[Roan Art]

okay, just so I do this right here's what I think I do:

Add 1 drop, turns blue
Add 1 drop starts turning brownish
I keep adding drops until I get as close to the color on the chart as I can, without going over

If that is right then my KH is 13, which is about what I expected.

Trying to wash your hair in my house is an adventure in itself. Especially long hair like mine.

How often to I have to test the KH? Is this something that has to be done with every aquarium in the house, or is it the GH only that differentiates?

Hope I got this right and I REALLY appreciate your help, knashash.

Just hope I don't have as much of a problem with the rest of the test kits I have on order. I'm going to be testing for pretty much *everything*. They're all RedSea kits, though, I heard they were one of the best ones. I have an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master kit, and I really like it, but the Red Sea Freshwater Deluxe Lab Test Kit has the same tests plus GH, KH, chlorine, CO2, iron and I ordered a separate test for O2. Huh, there is one test that AP has that RedSea doesn't: a nitrate test. Strange, that.

Thanks for your help,
Roan

 

[knashash]

Cool....well the AP test kit for KH is different I guess. For me I put one drop in...it turns blue...then I keep putting drops in until it turns yellow....or whatever. There are no in between colors for me....so take all my advise with a grain of salt.

As far as how often you should test, well I guess I should ask why your testing in the first place? The only reason I test for KH is to determine my C02 level for my plants.

 

[Roan Art]

As far as how often you should test, well I guess I should ask why your testing in the first place? The only reason I test for KH is to determine my C02 level for my plants.

Same reason

Plus I want my fish to be as close to what is in their natural habitat as possible. I've gone a little rainbow crazy and the water here is very close to what they have insofar as alkalinity and hardness goes. Some of the fish I've been looking at are wild caught.

Roan

 

[nursie]

Hey Roan..you're not crazy. I had the same problem with mine, and I have the red sea kit. From what I have heard from others around that know..the rad Sea kits are not very good. I plan to upgrade mine some time, but will do as best I can whith what I have.