KH Test Kit - really needed?

"battlelance" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 15:37:21 -0000, "Richard Phillips"
wrote:

I see,
So you are saying that with a KH test kit, it's easier to gauge how much
baking soda to add to achieve a particular KH (and hence a particular
pH)?
Roughly how closely linked are KH and pH values? I know they are linked
to
eachother in chemistry terms, but does it usually hold that at a
particular
KH you tend to have a particular pH?

You should have pH, KH and GH test kits to determine the amount of
additives (baking soda, epsom salts, marine salt, etc.) you need for
your particular tap chemisty and tank size.

And they aren't linked 1:1. For example, my pH is 8.0 and my KH is
around 250. My tap water is 7.5 and my KH & GH are 10 ppm.

You'll want to read:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/gh_kh_ph.php

And any other article that me be of relevance to you on that site.

Good luck.



you read those articles and came to the conclusion that PH and KH are not
linked?? They are linked in so far if you buffer your water using baking
soda to obtain a higher PH then your KH will also rise. If you lower your KH
say using R/O water then your PH will drop. Linked, yes definitely.

Rick

Rick

He did say they aren't linked "1:1", I think he means that low pH and low KH
tend to go together, but there is not a predictable relationship (unless I
guess, you get very scientific about it?!).
R.

"Rick" wrote in message
...

"battlelance" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 15:37:21 -0000, "Richard Phillips"
wrote:

I see,
So you are saying that with a KH test kit, it's easier to gauge how
much
baking soda to add to achieve a particular KH (and hence a particular
pH)?
Roughly how closely linked are KH and pH values? I know they are
linked
to
eachother in chemistry terms, but does it usually hold that at a
particular
KH you tend to have a particular pH?

You should have pH, KH and GH test kits to determine the amount of
additives (baking soda, epsom salts, marine salt, etc.) you need for
your particular tap chemisty and tank size.

And they aren't linked 1:1. For example, my pH is 8.0 and my KH is
around 250. My tap water is 7.5 and my KH & GH are 10 ppm.

You'll want to read:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/gh_kh_ph.php

And any other article that me be of relevance to you on that site.

Good luck.



you read those articles and came to the conclusion that PH and KH are not
linked?? They are linked in so far if you buffer your water using baking
soda to obtain a higher PH then your KH will also rise. If you lower your
KH
say using R/O water then your PH will drop. Linked, yes definitely.

Rick

Rick

"Richard Phillips" wrote in message
...
He did say they aren't linked "1:1", I think he means that low pH and low
KH
tend to go together, but there is not a predictable relationship (unless I
guess, you get very scientific about it?!).
R.



you can have very hard water with a high KH and a very low PH. Using CO2
will lower your Ph but not your KH which is what people like me with planted
tanks do all the time. My 77g tank has a PH of 6.5 and a KH of 70 PPM and GH
of 100. Basically the PH of your water is determined by the combination of
CO2 and KH . You can take water right out of the tap and the gas content
will be high and your PH will be low. Add an airstone to it and remeasure
and the PH will be much higher as the gas content is expelled. Anyway it can
get very confusing at times but I think you can figure it out.

Rick

Ok, you got very scientific about it
I have a lot of reading to do tonight!
R.

"Rick" wrote in message
...

"Richard Phillips" wrote in message
...
He did say they aren't linked "1:1", I think he means that low pH and
low
KH
tend to go together, but there is not a predictable relationship (unless
I
guess, you get very scientific about it?!).
R.



you can have very hard water with a high KH and a very low PH. Using CO2
will lower your Ph but not your KH which is what people like me with
planted
tanks do all the time. My 77g tank has a PH of 6.5 and a KH of 70 PPM and
GH
of 100. Basically the PH of your water is determined by the combination
of
CO2 and KH . You can take water right out of the tap and the gas content
will be high and your PH will be low. Add an airstone to it and remeasure
and the PH will be much higher as the gas content is expelled. Anyway it
can
get very confusing at times but I think you can figure it out.

Rick

"Richard Phillips" wrote in message
...
Ok, you got very scientific about it
I have a lot of reading to do tonight!
R.

I also participate in an Aquarium Plants group where the relationship of
CO2/KH /GH and PH is one of the most common topics. There are as many
different opinions on these topics as topics themselves!!. Here is another
link to some stuff on the Krib site which you may as well read while your at
it.

http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html#reference

Rick

On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 12:25:35 -0600, "Rick"
wrote:


you read those articles and came to the conclusion that PH and KH are not
linked??

I think you may want to take your time and re-read what I said.