KH Test Kit - really needed?

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