Simple quesiton: dH

WinterWind

WinterWind

Mad pianist
Feb 11, 2005
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I read a book that uses dH as carbonate hardness. On this forum, you guys use kH for carbonate hardness, right? So basically, is dH the same thing as kH?

And books say that hard water is more stable, they are referring to the gH, right? Does raising kH raise also the pH and or gH?

THanks.
 
dH = (German) degrees of hardness that are used to measure General and Carbonate hardness.

KH = Carbonate hardness (the carbonate and bicarbonate content)

GH = General hardness (dissolved calcium and magnesium salts)

Harder water carries a higher or alkaline reading or higher pH. If you increase the KH, the pH will increase, but it (the pH) is more stable and less apt to fluctuate due to the buffering effect of the higher KH.
 
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So do I need to buy a test kit for dH, KH, and GH seperately?

KH and dH don't measure the same things?

What are the most important ones to measure and keep track of in an aquarium?
 
Usually GH and KH are sold together as test kits. KH and dH are parts of the same thing. KH is Carbonate hardness and dH is the measurement of it in degrees. dH is also the measurement of GH in degrees or degrees of hardness. For example, the KH in my tank is 4 dH and the GH is 7 dh.

As for what is important, it depends on whether you want plants or not and what types of fish you keep. For example, KH tends to be more important in a planted tank, but GH and more so, pH is important for both a planted or strickly fish based tank. pH will matter with respect to the type of fish you keepl Some tolerate lower (Raspboras) or higher (Swordtails) level and range of pH levels, but you will find it stated on this board frequently that a stable pH is more beneficial than fluctuations in an attempt to reach the "perfect" pH.

Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are important, but will vary depending on what stage of cycling your tank is in or if it is already established. Ammonia and Nitrites will be more important in a tank just beginning or early in the cycling process as the ammonia is turned into nitrites by the bacteria that forms over time. Subsequently, the nitrites are turned into nitrates as other bacteria forms to make that transformation as the cycling process proceeds. Eventually, in an established tank, you will find yourself focusing more on Nitrates than Nitrites and Ammonia.
 
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Thanks for the info!

So basically, dH and kH are the same but different degrees? If I have the dH value, I can ge the kH, and vice versa?
 
Sorry, but degrees and ppm are measuring the same thing. One degree of hardness (either GH or KH) is 17.86 ppm. You can convert degrees to ppm by multiplying by 17.86 ppm per degree. Or you can convert ppm to degerees by dividing ppm by 17.86. It does not matter which unit your test kit reads, as they are fully interchangable.

The tests for GH and KH are quite different chemically as they are measuring different things, but they both report as the equivalent of CaCO3, calcium carbonate.
 
So kH and dH measure the same thing?

Can I use dH and kH interchangably?

Do dH and kH measure the same thing, but only in different units?
 
That is Geman terminology. In this country we refer to GH or KH, and those two are specific and not interchangable, even though they are measured using the same standard (CaCO3). If you want to use "dH" you will have to define what it means.

"Hardness" has multiple meanings. In the hobby litertature, references to "hard" and "soft" water are usually aimed at the fish's native water, not at tank conditions. It is important for breeding certain fish. Alkalinity or KH or carbonate hardness is far more meaningful and useful to hobbyists maintaining fishtanks but not necessarily breeding them.
 
Oh, so dH is just the german term? dH can stand for either kH or gH but you have to state what it is first?
 
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