GH / KH / Carbonates / Bicarbonates trying to make sense of it all. - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T09:24:08Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/gh-kh-and-ph-what-the-heck?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A523785&feed=yes&xn_auth=noTo be honest I stopped gettin…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2014-01-29:4778851:Comment:5444452014-01-29T11:10:38.016ZBarthttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/bartman
To be honest I stopped getting all bent out of shape over the numbers and stay focused on the plant health and the fish. I use potassium hydroxide and a little dolomitic lime. Are you sure the gh is really an issue? Here is an interesting read, the gh info is half way down <a href="http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/ph/113548-understanding-ph-kh-gh-home-aqauriums.html" target="_blank">http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/ph/113548-understanding-ph-kh-gh-home-aqauriums.html</a>
To be honest I stopped getting all bent out of shape over the numbers and stay focused on the plant health and the fish. I use potassium hydroxide and a little dolomitic lime. Are you sure the gh is really an issue? Here is an interesting read, the gh info is half way down <a href="http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/ph/113548-understanding-ph-kh-gh-home-aqauriums.html" target="_blank">http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/ph/113548-understanding-ph-kh-gh-home-aqauriums.html</a> After reading through this th…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2014-01-28:4778851:Comment:5443592014-01-28T19:03:59.892ZDavid Bowserhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidBowser
<p>After reading through this thread and others I still don't see any answers on how to address the very low KH and high GH.</p>
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<p>I just added filtered tap water. Our water supply in Colorado is mountain run-off and they utility shows it as low to medium hardness. I have topped off a few times. I have also used your pH up kit with Potassium Carbonate and Calcium Carbonate many times to adjust pH. I have a 130 Gallon glass tank with a hydroton filled grow bed and about 30 young…</p>
<p>After reading through this thread and others I still don't see any answers on how to address the very low KH and high GH.</p>
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<p>I just added filtered tap water. Our water supply in Colorado is mountain run-off and they utility shows it as low to medium hardness. I have topped off a few times. I have also used your pH up kit with Potassium Carbonate and Calcium Carbonate many times to adjust pH. I have a 130 Gallon glass tank with a hydroton filled grow bed and about 30 young tilapia. My KH is very low (~35ppm) and my GH is VERY high (>350ppm).</p>
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<p>What else can I do to get KH up and GH down?</p>
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<p>The API test kit suggest their water softener pillows but I saw some discussion that made them look dangerous to use and saying they release sodium. </p>
<p>They say they have a carbonate buffer to increase KH but is that any better or worse than using pH up?</p>
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<p>I purchased a SenEye aquarium meter which doesn't match at all the pH or Ammonia values I see with an API test kit and they say a low KH may be the problem.</p>
<p>BTW, I spent over 5 months trying to cycle my system until I realized my API Ammonia test solution for Ammonia was reading totally wrong. I had purchased another and finally decided to try it even though they said there was NO WAY their test kit would be wrong. Sure enough it showed my ammonia was long gone! Ugh! </p>
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<p></p> Thanks for the great link !tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-10-16:4778851:Comment:5238322013-10-16T17:10:37.828ZFredhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Deepshadow
<p>Thanks for the great link !</p>
<p>Thanks for the great link !</p> Fred here is a resource that…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-10-16:4778851:Comment:5237852013-10-16T11:32:44.485ZBarthttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/bartman
Fred here is a resource that can help sort out what levels are optimum. I don't shoot for optimum but it helps to know when you are way off the mark or over.<br />
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/116298550/Hydroponics-A-Practical-Guide" target="_blank">http://www.scribd.com/doc/116298550/Hydroponics-A-Practical-Guide</a><br />
Cheers
Fred here is a resource that can help sort out what levels are optimum. I don't shoot for optimum but it helps to know when you are way off the mark or over.<br />
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/116298550/Hydroponics-A-Practical-Guide" target="_blank">http://www.scribd.com/doc/116298550/Hydroponics-A-Practical-Guide</a><br />
Cheers Thanks for the tip. I found…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-10-15:4778851:Comment:5234802013-10-15T17:01:08.842ZFredhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Deepshadow
<p>Thanks for the tip. I found a lab called soilkits.com that charged $160 for their most complete water test. Since this is my first test, I wanted to try to cover more area's as I'm not getting great results from crops in my system.</p>
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<p>First, my PH is 6.6. For some reason the sample tested lower. I suspect this is from the sample being shipped and taking nearly a week before it was tested. I have several PH meters and use a chem test kit routinely to verify.…</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip. I found a lab called soilkits.com that charged $160 for their most complete water test. Since this is my first test, I wanted to try to cover more area's as I'm not getting great results from crops in my system.</p>
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<p>First, my PH is 6.6. For some reason the sample tested lower. I suspect this is from the sample being shipped and taking nearly a week before it was tested. I have several PH meters and use a chem test kit routinely to verify. </p>
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<p>I'm running RO water and I've added maxcrop with cheleated iron on a few occasions. The system is about 3 months old and I've been using what I believe is good quality pellet food. Fish are ok but I did lose 1 larger fish a month ago. Tomato's and lettuce are ok but some plants are not doing as well and show some signs of deficiency.</p>
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<p>Phosphates look high at 6.13</p>
<p>Chlorides also look high at 131</p>
<p>Alkalinity is very low 4.70 which I had confirmed with my own tests.</p>
<p>Hardness is too high at 274 which I had also confirmed with my own tests but not nearly as accurately.</p>
<p>All of my metals seem to be low (iron, zinc, boron, copper, manganese)</p>
<p>Can anyone else comment on this or make suggestions?</p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772252656?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772252656?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p> These guys look like the migh…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-09-28:4778851:Comment:5205702013-09-28T11:12:42.478ZBarthttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/bartman
These guys look like the might be able to help <a href="http://www.texasplantandsoillab.com/water-testing.asp" target="_blank">http://www.texasplantandsoillab.com/water-testing.asp</a><br />
Looked like the standard test was $53 and includes the basics, $70 for the next test up the list.<br />
Good luck.
These guys look like the might be able to help <a href="http://www.texasplantandsoillab.com/water-testing.asp" target="_blank">http://www.texasplantandsoillab.com/water-testing.asp</a><br />
Looked like the standard test was $53 and includes the basics, $70 for the next test up the list.<br />
Good luck. Thanks for the response Bart…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-09-25:4778851:Comment:5200712013-09-25T23:19:52.017ZFredhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Deepshadow
<p>Thanks for the response Bart and Jonathan.</p>
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<p>A quick google search for water testing in the US doesn't look very promising. This site - <a href="http://www.budgetwater.com/mailed_tests.htm">http://www.budgetwater.com/mailed_tests.htm</a> comes up and their prices start at $135 for pretty much what I can test with a pond test kit.</p>
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<p>Anyone know any test labs in the united states where we can get a comprehensive water test for under $100 ?</p>
<p>Thanks for the response Bart and Jonathan.</p>
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<p>A quick google search for water testing in the US doesn't look very promising. This site - <a href="http://www.budgetwater.com/mailed_tests.htm">http://www.budgetwater.com/mailed_tests.htm</a> comes up and their prices start at $135 for pretty much what I can test with a pond test kit.</p>
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<p>Anyone know any test labs in the united states where we can get a comprehensive water test for under $100 ?</p> $34 seems like one heck of a…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-09-25:4778851:Comment:5201172013-09-25T22:17:16.871ZJon Paulhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JonathanPaulGrenard
<p>$34 seems like one heck of a deal. I bought a bunch of test kits but gave up testing after there was over 8 tests. I spent like $200 on tests for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphorus, potassium, iron, magneseum, caceum, general harness, carbonate hardness. Its hard making sense of all the numbers. I started adding Glacial Rock Dust instead of Calcium, bicarbonate. Magnesium, potassium, carbonate, and iron. The rock dust had everything i had been adding, and makes thing a lot simpler.…</p>
<p>$34 seems like one heck of a deal. I bought a bunch of test kits but gave up testing after there was over 8 tests. I spent like $200 on tests for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphorus, potassium, iron, magneseum, caceum, general harness, carbonate hardness. Its hard making sense of all the numbers. I started adding Glacial Rock Dust instead of Calcium, bicarbonate. Magnesium, potassium, carbonate, and iron. The rock dust had everything i had been adding, and makes thing a lot simpler. As a added benefit i notice the the rock dust worked very well as a buffer. </p> Wow that's a little rich. The…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-09-25:4778851:Comment:5200192013-09-25T10:36:42.169ZBarthttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/bartman
Wow that's a little rich. The test cost me $34<br />
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The company does testing for agricultural purposes, I think they called it an irrigation water test. Details are in the PDF attachment above.<br />
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Good luck finding a better provider.
Wow that's a little rich. The test cost me $34<br />
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The company does testing for agricultural purposes, I think they called it an irrigation water test. Details are in the PDF attachment above.<br />
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Good luck finding a better provider. how much did you have to pay…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-09-24:4778851:Comment:5196622013-09-24T18:23:48.749ZFredhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Deepshadow
<p>how much did you have to pay for the water test? A local lab quoted me at $500 for a test.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Bart said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/gh-kh-and-ph-what-the-heck#4778851Comment447209"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>I had a water analysis done at a local lab</p>
<p>Bicarbonate 41.7 ug/ml ( I think that is the same as PPM)</p>
<p>Carbonate came back as BDL ( below detectable levels ) and the lab indicates the can detect…</p>
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<p>how much did you have to pay for the water test? A local lab quoted me at $500 for a test.<br/> <br/> <cite>Bart said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/gh-kh-and-ph-what-the-heck#4778851Comment447209"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>I had a water analysis done at a local lab</p>
<p>Bicarbonate 41.7 ug/ml ( I think that is the same as PPM)</p>
<p>Carbonate came back as BDL ( below detectable levels ) and the lab indicates the can detect down to 10 ug/ml.</p>
<p>So maybe this is really strange, but my lettuce seems to be doing pretty good but I'm trying to understand if anything is way off?? I have read that we should be shooting for a KH of 40 minimum but is that the same as this Carbonate reading? <a rel="nofollow" style="cursor: pointer;"><img src="http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad93/ucsycybersmiley/39.gif"/></a></p>
<p>I will attach the full analysis.</p>
<p>Thanks for any feedback you can provide.</p>
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