KH Test Question

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Hulka9

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
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298
Location
Charleston, SC
So I used the API test for KHand it never turned blue or bright yellow. First drop was pale, second thru fourth were light yellow. Then it turned orange after that. What does that mean?
 
You may have been holding the gH bottle. The gH test is complete when it changes from orange to green.

Did you cap the vial and invert a few times after each drop?
 
I would continue adding up to 12 drops total. If the color does not change as described in the instructions, you may be entitled to a refund.
 
Okay I'll give another try. Last time it just turned really orange. Like the drop looks when it comes out of the bottle.
 
What you described is exactly how my tap water behaves. I have no kh out of the tap. I use a small bag of crushed coal in my filter to provide some kh value

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
I have crushed coral in my filter. Will that do the same thing? I was having trouble with my PH dropping quickly last week and my guy at the lfs suggested that.
 
Yes, that should help. Do you have any space to add more? Maybe it's not enough. But I understand that with a filter there is only so much room.
 
Not in my current marineland penguin, but I'm getting an eheim 2213 in the mail tomorrow. Maybe that will help... Also I have space in a hollowed out rock in the thank i put some coral in and I can definitely fit more in there.
 
Yeah I would definitely put it anywhere you can hide it. Some people suggest to mix it into the substrate, but I find that has some drawbacks - a) it's quite sharp if you have any bottom fish and b) it does eventually need replacing, and you do you do that if it's mixed into the substrate?
In your 2213 I would take out the carbon pad and see how much coral you can get into its place, in a media bag.

I have this problem too, my water has absolutely no kH and it's always a struggle
 
It will go up at, but not astronomically, and perhaps temporarily. Mine goes up .2-.3 for a week or so after fresh coral, but then goes back down to where it started.
 
I was at 6.0 PH, after 5 days its up to 6.8-7.0 and I don't think it would be good to raise it much more right? If thats true, is it worth having a higher PH to get the kH up?
 
It can be higher than that no problem. Higher is not a problematic pH level.

In fact I would only call under 6.5 a problematic pH level.
 
Awesome thanks for the advice. I have leftover coral (bought 1lb put half in). Ill put the rest in tomorrow when my new filter comes! :D
 
API test kit start from pale blue, and will turn orange, depending on the KH. If the KH is low, then you may finish with very very pale orange.

It means your water is probably 1 dKH°. Mine is 2dKH° and is a bit hard to read too...

If I test RODI water, then it start from transparent/light yellow to darker orange... It means the KH is 0 dKH°

I suggest you add a bit baking soda to new replacement water as it seems really really soft. PH flukes are bad for fishs... KH is a PH buffer that prevent flukes and raise PH a bit. Half a teaspoon of baking soda for 4-6 gallons new water is almost enough, depend on the final KH you want to reach.


If you want to test your test kit, take a 4-10g bucket, full it with water, add a teaspoon of baking soda to it, stirr, then test it. You'll get higer KH reading, and you'll be able to see the color change.
 
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