Interpreting KH and GH results - API test kit

[gd007]

Hello,
I recently purchase the KH & GH testing solutions to enhance the API Freshwater Master Kit I already own.

I am having a hard time understanding the differences given I have a wide range between KH & GH. Here are my results:

KH - took 3 drops (including drop#1) to turn yellow. Do I read this as 3 degrees or 53.7 PPM?
GH - took 10 drops (including drop#1) to turn green. Same as above - do we read this in degrees of ppm.

What does it mean that I have such a low KH and a high GH? Should I be concerned?

Here are my other water results:
temp: 80
pH: 7.4-7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10


I have a freshwater, 55 gallon, planted tank with the following recently added fish:
6 Boesemani Rainbows
7 female Fancy Guppies
7 Panda Corys
~8-10 Ghost Shrimp
~12+ Malaysian trumpet snails

I have several 'standard' hardy plants and a live driftwood (with java moss).

Thanks for reading!
-GD007

 

[mistersprinkles]

Hello,
I recently purchase the KH & GH testing solutions to enhance the API Freshwater Master Kit I already own.

I am having a hard time understanding the differences given I have a wide range between KH & GH. Here are my results:

KH - took 3 drops (including drop#1) to turn yellow. Do I read this as 3 degrees or 53.7 PPM?
GH - took 10 drops (including drop#1) to turn green. Same as above - do we read this in degrees of ppm.

What does it mean that I have such a low KH and a high GH? Should I be concerned?

Here are my other water results:
temp: 80
pH: 7.4-7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10


I have a freshwater, 55 gallon, planted tank with the following recently added fish:
6 Boesemani Rainbows
7 female Fancy Guppies
7 Panda Corys
~8-10 Ghost Shrimp
~12+ Malaysian trumpet snails

I have several 'standard' hardy plants and a live driftwood (with java moss).

Thanks for reading!
-GD007

A low kH is in and of itself not a bad thing. A low kH compared to a relatively high gH is also nothing to worry about. Only 3 degrees of buffering to 10 degrees of hardness. Not a big deal.

What concerns me is kH as it relates to pH stability.

You can think of kH as a paperweight and PH as a stack of papers on a windy day. The lighter the paperweight, the more easily the papers blow around.

A higher kH maintains a rock-solid pH while a lower kH will allow the pH to be influenced by other conditions (such as acids in the water from things like co2).

Keep a close eye on your pH and make sure it doesn't swing. Do frequent water changes to keep your kH up. You may even want to use a kH booster when you do water changes to bring the kH up to 5. Use the booster in the bucket as you fill it from the tap and mix it before adding it to the tank. Not necessary to do this, but I would consider it. I'm paranoid, though.

HTH.

 

[Caliban07]

Hi gd007

This article helped me to understand the
Differences between those. The last poster is correct also.
http://irenastankadventure.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/water-quality-ph-gh-kh-oh-my.html?m=1

 

[gd007]

You may even want to use a kH booster when you do water changes to bring the kH up to 5. Use the booster in the bucket as you fill it from the tap and mix it before adding it to the tank. Not necessary to do this, but I would consider it. I'm paranoid, though.
HTH.

Great reply - thank you!
I like 'natural' methods versus adding chemicals. Are you aware if there anything I can add to the tank, like a certain rock or plants or less bubbles or less plants... versus adding a chemical to raise the kH?
Thanks,
-GD007

 

[Brookster123]

Great reply - thank you! I like 'natural' methods versus adding chemicals. Are you aware if there anything I can add to the tank, like a certain rock or plants or less bubbles or less plants... versus adding a chemical to raise the kH? Thanks, -GD007

Maybe look into limestone as a buffer??

 

[gd007]

Hi gd007

This article helped me to understand the
Differences between those. The last poster is correct also.
My Planted Tank Adventures: Water quality … pH, GH, KH Oh my!

Excellent - I have bookmarked it and shall be reading it over the holiday.
-GD007

 

[mistersprinkles]

Excellent - I have bookmarked it and shall be reading it over the holiday.
-GD007

kH boosters are not chemicals. They are carbonate buffers. Natural carbonate buffers. Just like what would naturally be in your water if you naturally had a higher kH. There's nothing chemical about it. Water conditioner is a chemical. This is not.

 

[gd007]

kH boosters are not chemicals. They are carbonate buffers. Natural carbonate buffers. Just like what would naturally be in your water if you naturally had a higher kH. There's nothing chemical about it. Water conditioner is a chemical. This is not.

understand.
I think i'll just go with the more frequent water changes and I'll test my tap water for kH and GH just to see what those are.