GH Measurement solution. Please help.

[kashif314]

To cut story short I had strips to measure gh which were inaccurate so I ordered api Gh KH kit. I tested my distilled water which has a TDS of 3 (Measured by tds meter which is accurate) but test kit showed my GH is like between 3 and 4. I am thinking how its possible? With such Gh TDS can never be 3.

I don't want to waste money on buying another test kit. So my questions are:

1) Is it possible that tds is between 2 to 3 but you have Gh to 4?

2) I want to reach a Gh of 5 for my Shrimps. Can I just use Distilled water which has a TDS of 2 or 3 and remineraliz it according to instructions of reminilizer? It says 10 ml of conditioner will increase Gh to 1 for 100 litter (26.5 US gallon) So I can measure and remineraliz my water according to this calculation and reach 5 Gh without using a Gh kit hence I know water TDS is only 3.

But again I am only confused and want confirmation that its not possible strictly to have such Gh on such low tds. Please share your thoughts. Thanks.

(In above readings I mentioned. Tds measurement is in ppm. Gh measurement is in German degree dgh)

 

[ZxC]

Your gH of your distilled water is 0

Remineralize per the manufactures recommendation and then test + make adjustments.

API gH/kH kits are very hard to read correctly when you are mucking about with RO/Distilled water. There is nothing in the water to cause a reaction (colour change) so they are extremely faint and impossible to see correctly.

 

[kashif314]

Your gH of your distilled water is 0

Remineralize per the manufactures recommendation and then test + make adjustments.

API gH/kH kits are very hard to read correctly when you are mucking about with RO/Distilled water. There is nothing in the water to cause a reaction (colour change) so they are extremely faint and impossible to see correctly.

Thanks. Problem is that water change color to green at 4 drops. I didn't know much technical stuff but is it possible if such low tds have such Gh?

 

[ZxC]

Does it go orange after the first three drops and then green on the fourth drop?

 

[kashif314]

Does it go orange after the first three drops and then green on the fourth drop?

Thanks a lot for the reply. I believe my TDS pen is accurate and I have calibrated solution and tds pen always show the same TDS for distilled water. They sell in 500 ml bottles. I buy ten twenty bottles and tds show same TDS for all bottles. My tank water it shows 180-190 tds and I immediately put in distilled and it shows 3 tds means tds meter is fine.

About the test I my water never get blue on first drop for KH. It stays colorless until it develops a yellow after two three drops. And for Gh it doesn't get orange as well on first few drops. It stays colorless and slowly develope orange after few drops like two three and then turns green. Kit expiry date is 2021 means its not old.

Now my main question is that is it possible with such low tds such Gh and KH? I am inclined to just trust tds pen and manufacturers instructions for water.

I am not familiar with these chemical things. All I know is that tds is total disolved solids in water which can be anything. So if a TDS is 3 means it is very pure and no ions inside. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks

 

[ZxC]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I believe my TDS pen is accurate and I have calibrated solution and tds pen always show the same TDS for distilled water. They sell in 500 ml bottles. I buy ten twenty bottles and tds show same TDS for all bottles. My tank water it shows 180-190 tds and I immediately put in distilled and it shows 3 tds means tds meter is fine.

About the test I my water never get blue on first drop for KH. It stays colorless until it develops a yellow after two three drops. And for Gh it doesn't get orange as well on first few drops. It stays colorless and slowly develope orange after few drops like two three and then turns green. Kit expiry date is 2021 means its not old.

Now my main question is that is it possible with such low tds such Gh and KH? I am inclined to just trust tds pen and manufacturers instructions for water.

I am not familiar with these chemical things. All I know is that tds is total disolved solids in water which can be anything. So if a TDS is 3 means it is very pure and no ions inside. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks

With a tds that low, no you cannot have a gH of 4. API kits won’t work on pure water. Your best bet is to assume a gH of zero (with a tds of 4 that’s what you have, 0 gH) remineralize per manufacture recommendations and then test gH to see where you are.

Because your water never turned the first colour of each test, you likely have 0’s for both kH and gH.

 

[kashif314]

With a tds that low, no you cannot have a gH of 4. API kits won’t work on pure water. Your best bet is to assume a gH of zero (with a tds of 4 that’s what you have, 0 gH) remineralize per manufacture recommendations and then test gH to see where you are.

Because your water never turned the first colour of each test, you likely have 0’s for both kH and gH.

Thanks a lot. This cleared all my doubts. I will reminilize water according to instructions and then will test gH KH and tds. Thanks a lot for the continuous support.

 

[kashif314]

I finally achieved the water parameters I was looking for Bees.

Tds: 160
PH: 6.5
GH: 5
KH: 1-2
Amonia: Nill
NO3: Nill
NO2: Nill
Temperature: 72-74