Water Chemistry & CO2
First of all, let us go over the more tested water parameters before we get into what they mean to you. I’m going to be explaining it in English, as a good beginner’s guide.
pH- Nobody really knows for sure where the term itself came from, but , in English anyway, it’s said to mean ” Power of Hydrogen” or “Potential of Hydrogen”, among others. It is the measure of the activity levels of hydrogen ions in a solution. The main use of this measurement is for determining if your solution is acidic, neutral, or alkaline. A pH of below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and above 7 is alkaline. The lower you go below 7, the more acidic something is, so 5 is more acidic than 6. The reverse is true for alkaline, in that a pH of 9 is more alkaline than 8.
Ways to lower pH - (coming soon)
Ways to raise pH - (coming soon)
KH - This is the measure of carbonate and bicarbonate ions present in the water. This is what is referred to as your “carbonate buffer” as it has a direct impact on how much acidity your tank’s water can handle. Kh comes from the German term ” Karbonate Haerte” and it is usually expressed in German “degrees”. One degree is equal to roughly 17.83 ppm (parts per million) or mg/L (milligrams per liter), which are the other two typical measurements. If I had 17.83 ppm of KH, I would have 1 dKH (German degree KH) . Baking soda ( NOT BAKING POWDER) , among other things, can be added to raise the KH, as it is sodium bicarbonate. You can imagine how it would have an influence on the ability of the tank water to absorb acids if you have ever had a science project that involved putting either vinegar and baking soda or lemon juice and baking soda together. As the baking soda neutralized the acid, it sure did fizz up a lot, didn’t it? Luckily it doesn’t do that in the tank. Obviously, if it affects the acidity of the water in the tank, it will also therefore affect the pH of the tank towards the alkaline side.
Ways to lower KH - (coming soon)
Ways to raise KH- (coming soon)
GH- Is your water soft or is it hard? That is a question answered mostly by your GH test kit. There’s more to it then just this, but your GH is mostly comprised of calcium and magnesium ions. Hey, plants need both of those! It is typically measured in degrees, much like KH is. 1dGH = 17.83ppm= 17.83 mg of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) equivalents per litre of water. To figure out roughly, ( and I DO mean roughly), how much calcium and magnesium is in your GH specifically, you will need a Calcium test kit and a GH test kit. Then, follow these instructions, as given on a Hagen calcium test kit:
1. Calcium mg/L (Ca2+) times 2.5 = Calcium Hardness mg/L (CaCO3)
2. General Hardness mg/L (expressed as CaCO3 units or equivalents) minus Calcium Hardness mg/L (CaCO3) = Magnesium Hardness (in CaCO2 units)
3. Magnesium Hardness (in CaCO2 units) divided by 4.1 = Magnesium mg/L (Mg2+)
The calcium test tells you the calcium, and the above equations should tell you the magnesium.
Way too eggheaded for me. If I have at least 3 dGH and 3 dKH in a planted tank, I don’t much care about it.
If you’re one of those that do, you might find this site that converts water hardness from all sorts of different degrees or ppm / mg/L to all sorts of other ones interesting.
( More coming soon)
Ways to raise GH - (coming soon)
Ways to lower GH - ( coming soon)
I am just a hobbyist trying to help other hobbyists. If this site helps you at all, or you have more questions, or have comments, please contact me. Thanks!