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L# Freshwater Aquaria
 L# Water Quality
  L# Boosting kH?
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SubscribeBoosting kH?
tinfoil
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Big Fish
Posts: 438
Kudos: 252
Votes: 1
Registered: 27-Feb-2003
male netherlands
I tested my tank water this weekend and came up with the following results:
- pH: 7.5 - 8
- kH: 3
- gH: 7 - 8

I know a kH that low can be dangerous, but literature only tells me how to bring it down; can anyone tell me what to do to boost my kH?

By the way; the fish don't seem to mind, they're all colorfull and happy. (Somehow in all my tanks kH never seems to come higher than 4...)
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:19Profile Homepage MSN PM Edit Report 
Untitled No. 4
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Big Fish
Posts: 488
Kudos: 452
Votes: 33
Registered: 07-Nov-2004
male uk
As far as I know, the easiest method is to add baking soda to the tank. A teaspoon of baking soda per 50 litres will raise the KH in about 4 degrees. It will also raise your pH, but it's supposed to be only a light change. "About" and "supposed" are the key words here, so you want to do the change slowly, maybe dissolve 1/4 of a teaspoon (for every 50 litres (12 - 13 gallons)) in some tank water in a small container and add it to the tank, then wait a while, and then test for KH and pH and see your new values, and then continue, if necessary.

You will also have to calculate, or experiment, with water that you'll be adding to the tank later, how much baking soda you need to add to keep the current values.

On the other hand, you might not need all that. If you don't have any plans to add co2 to your water, and if your water is well aerated, then it's not very likely that your pH will crash just like that...
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:19Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
garyroland
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---Prime Fish---
Posts: 7878
Kudos: 4010
Votes: 103
Registered: 31-Dec-2001
male usa
Your pH is within a good range to leave the KH and GH alone...

Happy, healthy fish are also indicators to leave the mineral content alone.

--garyroland.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:19Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Small Fry with Ketchup
Posts: 6833
Kudos: 8324
Votes: 1570
Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
I used baking soda to raise my Kh over 3 degrees over a one week period....it was 1dkh @the time .....and my MTS sure werent happy .

Since your fish are happy I'd leave it alone.

^_^

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Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:19Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
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