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    Water Chemistry GH/KH

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    joefish72


    Posts : 530
    Join date : 2011-06-16
    Location : Fort Myers

    Water Chemistry GH/KH Empty Water Chemistry GH/KH

    Post by joefish72 Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:09 pm

    Since I'm using RO water I have had to manipulate my water to make it suitable for fish. Here is what I have learned about GH/KH along the way:

    GH (general hardness) relates to the amount of Calcium & Mangnesium in your water.
    Can be raised using (CaCO3)Calcium Carbonate which is simply shells, Coral Sand, Chalk, or Lime. If used it will also raise your KH.

    Can be raised using (MgSO4) Magnesium Sulphate which is Epsom Salts and will not raise KH.
    Freshwater combo mix = (3 parts CaCo3) with (1 part MgSO4) Commercially sold as DOLOMITE
    Most fish do well in a GH of 6-8

    Some people prefer CaC12 Calcium Chloride which is road salt but I don't know where to get it and I know nothing about how it is used in aquariums.

    Can be reduced by dilution with RO water

    KH (Carbonate Hardness) also called buffering capacity
    Can be raised using (K2CO3) Potassium carbonate or potash which will not raise Ph and the potassium is good for your aquatic plants.

    Can be raised using (NaHCO3) Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda but it also raises Ph and it breaks down quickly which causes Ph swings that could kill your fish. Here is a link to a calculator that will tell you how much your Ph will rise by using baking soda in your tank http://dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/calKH.asp If you use this calculator you should know how much actual water is in your tank "not what it said on the label when you bought it". Once you add decorations and gravel your tank has less water than stated.

    Can be reduced by boiling water.
    Can be reduced by water surface agitation.
    Can be redced by nitrifying bacteria.
    FishVixen
    FishVixen
    Modorater


    Posts : 1141
    Join date : 2011-03-09
    Age : 66
    Location : Cape Coral Fl

    Water Chemistry GH/KH Empty Re: Water Chemistry GH/KH

    Post by FishVixen Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:15 pm

    Good research Joe. Now that I have a salt tank boy am I learning about different components of sea water. Ca, Alkalinity, salinity, Magnesium, Etc, ect, ect,...........................
    williemcd
    williemcd


    Posts : 482
    Join date : 2011-03-09
    Age : 71
    Location : Richmond, Virginia

    Water Chemistry GH/KH Empty Re: Water Chemistry GH/KH

    Post by williemcd Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:44 am

    My mailcarrier is a reefer... He's been trying to convince me to dip my toes into salt.. Well.. he just lost about 1,000.00 due to no power for 5 days... All of his SPS's.. and some fish..
    I was just having a conversation with another fish keeper and a neighbor a few nights ago and I stated "You practically need to be a chemist" to keep saltwater fishes!.. Bill in Va.
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    joefish72


    Posts : 530
    Join date : 2011-06-16
    Location : Fort Myers

    Water Chemistry GH/KH Empty Re: Water Chemistry GH/KH

    Post by joefish72 Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:10 pm

    williemcd wrote:My mailcarrier is a reefer... He's been trying to convince me to dip my toes into salt.. Well.. he just lost about 1,000.00 due to no power for 5 days... All of his SPS's.. and some fish..

    I had the same thing happen about 20 years ago and now that I'm in Florida and the power goes out at leat once a month there is no way I would do salt. In addition the ground water here is disgusting, it has sulfer, heavy metals, in my case salt, and last week I lost a bunch of fish because it rained really hard and the well water had so much amonia it was off the chart of the test kit. Now I have to test the water coming out of the well each time before I put it in the tanks. No


    Last edited by joefish72 on Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
    FishVixen
    FishVixen
    Modorater


    Posts : 1141
    Join date : 2011-03-09
    Age : 66
    Location : Cape Coral Fl

    Water Chemistry GH/KH Empty Re: Water Chemistry GH/KH

    Post by FishVixen Thu Sep 01, 2011 2:29 pm

    The fun of well water. I think the water in the local canals are cleaner then some of the wells around here. (I'd just stay out of the canals in Cape Coral due to monitor lizards) LOL

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