THANK YOU! I've watched many video's and read alot of articles on this subject, only to still be slightly confused. I really appreciate you taking the time and effort into making not only a VERY informative but also entertaining video!
Minuteman - my pleasure! Very glad the video was helpful. Like you, I was always slightly confused on this topic and it took me some time to get my arms around it. Thanks for checking out the video!
Really love your videos. These are the MOST helpful and easily understandable for the subject on RUclips, and your editing style is professional. Super clear; and, your creative analogies and explanations are SO helpful.
Coralocean - as always thank you for the support and kind words. WOW! That is some hard water you have! As long as your fish are adapting to it....it works - and you'll never have to worry about kH getting too low and causing pH swings. The only real rule mother nature provided is that you can't have a kH higher than gH....Wow do you have some minerals in your water - is that kH and gH reading from your tap water??
Oh wow! No kH at all, huh? Yes, perhaps add to the "ozone layer" a little? These are the tradeoffs in the hobby with our respective water parameters. I am lucky in the sense that I have really nice water coming out of the tap as far as gH and kH are concerned, but....I also can't keep many soft water fish. Without RO or really working at it, I can't have discus, and many south american cichlids. Hoping when work isn't so busy and I have more room to work with I can get an RO system going - until then, I just kind of stick with fish that like my water 😊
Nice follow up. I only measure my tap which has GH 5 KH 2-3, ph 7.2-7.4. Just would like API to develop a more precise matching charts. I always have trouble interpreting between the vial and the chart. Looking forward to part 3.
Rod - good looking specs there! Perfect! I hear ya, absolutely. Not only do I wish API would have more precise matching charts, but I also wonder why more companies don't develop their own? Seems like everyone uses API - perhaps they have some type of proprietary product there and some patent that prevents it, but I never hear of many other companies coming to market....
If you want to try test strips, Tetra has an app for the UK where you take a photo of the 6 in 1 test strip before & after you test the water. It's super precise, leaves the guess work out, gives recommendations on what to do, & you can save your test results. You can use it for their US test strips by switching which box you highlight for each chemical you're testing. It goes 1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5.
Thanks for the kind words, Eugenio and thanks for watching! More on the way! I do have a third part to the series: ruclips.net/video/IdVmng1BdgI/видео.html as well as a part 1.
I have a question. My KH is around 4, or 80ppm, and my PH is around 7.5, and it's been like this for at least 6 months. I have very soft tap water (being from the Pacific Northwest), but the PH will literally not go lower. I need to adjust the PH to 7.2 to work better for angelfish, tetras, and rainbowfish. It's been an established tank for months or more. GH is also pretty hard, at 120-150ppm, or 7.2dGH. I have no idea why it is so hard, when our local water is so soft here. It's lightly planted and lightly stocked.
If kh is about 20ppm and ph is 6.6 is that a good relation? I have tetras and guppies and all seem to like 6.6ph but a fish forum is telling me ph needs to be 7 and kh needs brought up. Having an ammonia issue after adding new fish. Added them a month ago seen normal spike but it never left! I have tested daily and never have nirites but constantly ammonia, after water change it will drop to .25 but rises daily
One thing I've noticed with a heavily planted tank is that it's hard to maintain KH where I want it: the plants seem to consume it all. Have you experienced that?
Anthony - as Colin mentioned below, yes, especially if your fish stocking level is low in relation to the amount of plants you have, if you don't run CO2. I don't run CO2 in any of my tanks, but I believe (and this is just a guess) that my fish stocking levels are adequate and producing enough CO2 for the plants so that the kH remains right at a stable level. I don't know if this makes a difference at all, as this is not true CO2, but I've been using NilocG's new THRIVEC. It's like their normal liquid fertilizer but also adds a non-glut bio-available carbon supplement. I'm not sure if that makes a difference adding carbon, but according to NilocG it adds 2 - 3x the amount of other carbon supplements. And no polycycloglutaracetal like Excel uses. I've long stopped using Excel. Perhaps the THRIVEC is adding enough extra carbon as a supplement to keep the kH stable...I'm thinking of doing a video on the new NilocG fertilizer because I think it is that good: nilocg.com/ThriveC/
@@dmichaelsfishden It's a good thing I just checked: RUclips never informed me there were replies. :/ Anyway, I do use pressurized CO2 on the tank I had in mind, and it's very heavily stocked, but KH is regularly minimal and, as you know, LA has hard water. Everything seem healthy. It's just... weird.
Hi Mich, im from Brazil. Just a question: if i want a acid ph (6.8/6.6) my kh must be 0-3? Is it possible to have a 6.6 ph with a kh 3-6? Tks for the help and congratulations for the video.
Hi Frederico - thank you for the message all the way in Brazil! Thank you also, for checking out the video - glad it was helpful. Can I ask what your water's pH is now? Are you wanting your current pH down to 6.8 or 6.6? First, yes, you would need to move your kH level down in order to be able to get your pH to 6.8/6.6. Do you know what your current kH level is? Yes, it would be best to move your kH down 0 - 3 drops, or about 40 - 50ppm. A kH of about 2 would be perfect, if we are measuring in drops. It is safest to bring both your kH and pH down together. You might be able to bring your pH down temporarily for a few days with chemicals, but it will shoot back up within a few days if you haven't lowered your kH as well. If your pH swings back up again, this can be toxic to your fish. Try to aim for a kH of about 2. Let me know if I can help further!
@@dmichaelsfishden Tks for your help Jedi Master of KH. My history: i had a ph 6.8/gh 8 but Kh 0. So I add carbonate from aquavitro. My Kh raise to 3 and my ph also raise to 7.2/7.5. Now i'm traing to bring my ph to 6.6. But to do this i have to lower my Kh to 1 or 0 again. How can i get a 6.6 ph with a 3 or 4 kh? Is it possible? Tks for your support.
@@fredmomentoone Lol - not sure I'm Jedi Master of KH yet...just sharing my research and experience. 😉You are doing the right stuff! Nice job adding carbonate. As you saw, you brought your KH up - your pH will move a little with it, so that's natural. Nice work! You are right, you may need to lower your kH a little again, perhaps to about 2. You shouldn't have to lower it to 0 or 1 to be able to get a ph of 6.6. Some of this is trial and error and experimentation with your water. Now that you have your kH up a bit, have you tried any natural (not using chemicals) but natural ways to lower your pH a little like indian almond leaves, driftwood (malaysian driftwood), or peat moss in your filter? I still think you may need to shoot for a kH of about 2 to get to a 6.6 pH (so we just need to add a little less carbonate next time or wait until some of that carbonate is used up), but you can try to see if you can naturally lower the pH, slowly, and see if it holds. See what pH your kH of 3 will allow you to keep. If your kH of 3 won't allow a pH of 6.6, we'll need to get the kH to 2. Hope that helps my friend!
My levels are all off now, used to be right at KH ideal and pH levels 7-80ph I have community tank 21 total fish 2 Molly's 4 guppies 2 Dalmatian Mollies 2 Albino Cory's 2 rainbows 2 Kuhli Loach's 2 dwarfs 2 Leopard Bush Fish and now I'm literally in Idkk what it is ammonia was 0-0.5 power outage happened for 20 minutes then came home and boom ask the way to danger level of ammonia and 50% WC 2 days later 40% then 3 days later 25% to not shock the fish..... Now since none of that worked using Fritz-Zywme turbo start and water conditioner etc... My ammo is still 8ppm and my KH and pH levels are down drastically! Acidic and pH is like 5-6! There's little sizzling bubbles at the top of my tank that's like cooking bacon? With allll this not ONE fish has died no red gills and there noot grasping for air no signs from ammonia which is driving myself crazzy on what I did/what to do PLEASE anyone that can help lmk... I've asked on other videos and nobody's answered to my knowledge? So PLEASE email me before my 60 gallon tall tank all the fish die! Ksarni12@Gmail.com if this doesn't work on my phone a lot! Thanks in advance for your help!
Calvin - absolutely right, pH raises need to be slow. I do the same with KH but that is what works for me. When it comes to eater chemistry, I tend to be really slow, deliberate, and conservative with it. So if it was me, I’d aim to slowly raise KH as well. Keep in mind that as you raise KH, pH will raise slightly as well - so personally I prefer a slow methodical process, testing the water daily to monitor it. Does that help a little?
I just don’t get it. When i bring the pH down to pH6 and I add seachem alkaline to buffer my water, I only get KH 2.5 and my pH goes all the way to 8.00. I am trying to keep guppies (sunrise guppy) with a KH of 10 or even 15 but i find this impossible because as I add the buffer pH goes way higher. :( this is way i just want to quit. Or just have my guppies with filtered water with out KH. (So boring water) does anyone knows how to get a KH of 10-30 with a 7-8pH. Is this even possible?
The best VDO for KH so far. Thanks man
Simply outstanding explanation.
Thanks VideoHereBob! Appreciate the kind words and very glad it was helpful. Thank you for watching!
Thanks for this video it is the only clear explanation I can find
Brooooooooo...... dope ass 3 parts to this thank you
THANK YOU! I've watched many video's and read alot of articles on this subject, only to still be slightly confused. I really appreciate you taking the time and effort into making not only a VERY informative but also entertaining video!
Minuteman - my pleasure! Very glad the video was helpful. Like you, I was always slightly confused on this topic and it took me some time to get my arms around it. Thanks for checking out the video!
Now it makes sense! I was treating my water for low KH even when my pH was fine. That's what was causing my KH spikes! Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
Really love your videos. These are the MOST helpful and easily understandable for the subject on RUclips, and your editing style is professional. Super clear; and, your creative analogies and explanations are SO helpful.
Excellent video, very helpful, thanks!
Love how you explained it! Definitely subscribing to this channel.
Vannak - appreciate the kind words and thanks for the sub! Glad the video was helpful and proud to have you on board!
Very nicely done. My KH is 17 and my GH is 25!!!!!!!!!
Coralocean - as always thank you for the support and kind words. WOW! That is some hard water you have! As long as your fish are adapting to it....it works - and you'll never have to worry about kH getting too low and causing pH swings. The only real rule mother nature provided is that you can't have a kH higher than gH....Wow do you have some minerals in your water - is that kH and gH reading from your tap water??
🌴Mahalo or thank you for making testing our water parameters so much more easier to understand.🌺
Mahalo, Wanda! Glad the videos have been helpful! Hope you and your family are well and doing great in paradise!
You are so lucky Mike.
My water KH is 0 and GH 1, so I need to add my "Ozone Layer".
Oh wow! No kH at all, huh? Yes, perhaps add to the "ozone layer" a little? These are the tradeoffs in the hobby with our respective water parameters. I am lucky in the sense that I have really nice water coming out of the tap as far as gH and kH are concerned, but....I also can't keep many soft water fish. Without RO or really working at it, I can't have discus, and many south american cichlids. Hoping when work isn't so busy and I have more room to work with I can get an RO system going - until then, I just kind of stick with fish that like my water 😊
Oh yes, Part 2 is here!
Nice follow up. I only measure my tap which has GH 5 KH 2-3, ph 7.2-7.4. Just would like API to develop a more precise matching charts. I always have trouble interpreting between the vial and the chart. Looking forward to part 3.
Rod - good looking specs there! Perfect! I hear ya, absolutely. Not only do I wish API would have more precise matching charts, but I also wonder why more companies don't develop their own? Seems like everyone uses API - perhaps they have some type of proprietary product there and some patent that prevents it, but I never hear of many other companies coming to market....
If you want to try test strips, Tetra has an app for the UK where you take a photo of the 6 in 1 test strip before & after you test the water. It's super precise, leaves the guess work out, gives recommendations on what to do, & you can save your test results. You can use it for their US test strips by switching which box you highlight for each chemical you're testing. It goes 1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5.
thank you man!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope it was helpful!
😃👍 need to see more
Thanks for the kind words, Eugenio and thanks for watching! More on the way! I do have a third part to the series: ruclips.net/video/IdVmng1BdgI/видео.html as well as a part 1.
Good infos
Glad they were helpful!
I have a question. My KH is around 4, or 80ppm, and my PH is around 7.5, and it's been like this for at least 6 months. I have very soft tap water (being from the Pacific Northwest), but the PH will literally not go lower. I need to adjust the PH to 7.2 to work better for angelfish, tetras, and rainbowfish. It's been an established tank for months or more. GH is also pretty hard, at 120-150ppm, or 7.2dGH. I have no idea why it is so hard, when our local water is so soft here. It's lightly planted and lightly stocked.
If kh is about 20ppm and ph is 6.6 is that a good relation? I have tetras and guppies and all seem to like 6.6ph but a fish forum is telling me ph needs to be 7 and kh needs brought up. Having an ammonia issue after adding new fish. Added them a month ago seen normal spike but it never left! I have tested daily and never have nirites but constantly ammonia, after water change it will drop to .25 but rises daily
One thing I've noticed with a heavily planted tank is that it's hard to maintain KH where I want it: the plants seem to consume it all. Have you experienced that?
Yes. If available CO2 is low for plants, the plants will consume carbon from the water KH.
Absolutely right!
Anthony - as Colin mentioned below, yes, especially if your fish stocking level is low in relation to the amount of plants you have, if you don't run CO2. I don't run CO2 in any of my tanks, but I believe (and this is just a guess) that my fish stocking levels are adequate and producing enough CO2 for the plants so that the kH remains right at a stable level. I don't know if this makes a difference at all, as this is not true CO2, but I've been using NilocG's new THRIVEC. It's like their normal liquid fertilizer but also adds a non-glut bio-available carbon supplement. I'm not sure if that makes a difference adding carbon, but according to NilocG it adds 2 - 3x the amount of other carbon supplements. And no polycycloglutaracetal like Excel uses. I've long stopped using Excel. Perhaps the THRIVEC is adding enough extra carbon as a supplement to keep the kH stable...I'm thinking of doing a video on the new NilocG fertilizer because I think it is that good: nilocg.com/ThriveC/
@@dmichaelsfishden It's a good thing I just checked: RUclips never informed me there were replies. :/ Anyway, I do use pressurized CO2 on the tank I had in mind, and it's very heavily stocked, but KH is regularly minimal and, as you know, LA has hard water. Everything seem healthy. It's just... weird.
Seem here I have lowtech planted tank my pH is 7.8 but my Kh 1-2 only. Should I use thrive Kh boost?
Hi Mich, im from Brazil. Just a question: if i want a acid ph (6.8/6.6) my kh must be 0-3? Is it possible to have a 6.6 ph with a kh 3-6? Tks
for the help and congratulations for the video.
Hi Frederico - thank you for the message all the way in Brazil! Thank you also, for checking out the video - glad it was helpful. Can I ask what your water's pH is now? Are you wanting your current pH down to 6.8 or 6.6? First, yes, you would need to move your kH level down in order to be able to get your pH to 6.8/6.6. Do you know what your current kH level is? Yes, it would be best to move your kH down 0 - 3 drops, or about 40 - 50ppm. A kH of about 2 would be perfect, if we are measuring in drops. It is safest to bring both your kH and pH down together. You might be able to bring your pH down temporarily for a few days with chemicals, but it will shoot back up within a few days if you haven't lowered your kH as well. If your pH swings back up again, this can be toxic to your fish. Try to aim for a kH of about 2. Let me know if I can help further!
@@dmichaelsfishden Tks for your help Jedi Master of KH. My history: i had a ph 6.8/gh 8 but Kh 0. So I add carbonate from aquavitro. My Kh raise to 3 and my ph also raise to 7.2/7.5. Now i'm traing to bring my ph to 6.6. But to do this i have to lower my Kh to 1 or 0 again. How can i get a 6.6 ph with a 3 or 4 kh? Is it possible? Tks for your support.
@@fredmomentoone Lol - not sure I'm Jedi Master of KH yet...just sharing my research and experience. 😉You are doing the right stuff! Nice job adding carbonate. As you saw, you brought your KH up - your pH will move a little with it, so that's natural. Nice work! You are right, you may need to lower your kH a little again, perhaps to about 2. You shouldn't have to lower it to 0 or 1 to be able to get a ph of 6.6. Some of this is trial and error and experimentation with your water. Now that you have your kH up a bit, have you tried any natural (not using chemicals) but natural ways to lower your pH a little like indian almond leaves, driftwood (malaysian driftwood), or peat moss in your filter? I still think you may need to shoot for a kH of about 2 to get to a 6.6 pH (so we just need to add a little less carbonate next time or wait until some of that carbonate is used up), but you can try to see if you can naturally lower the pH, slowly, and see if it holds. See what pH your kH of 3 will allow you to keep. If your kH of 3 won't allow a pH of 6.6, we'll need to get the kH to 2. Hope that helps my friend!
@@dmichaelsfishden Tks my friend. I will try to naturally lower my ph. And my KH already lower to 2. Tks for your help. Expecting the third video.
I have african Cichlids took 10 to 11 drops to turn yellow added the 11th drop and was more yellow the 10 was barely yellow which one is the right one
My levels are all off now, used to be right at KH ideal and pH levels 7-80ph I have community tank 21 total fish 2 Molly's 4 guppies 2 Dalmatian Mollies 2 Albino Cory's 2 rainbows 2 Kuhli Loach's 2 dwarfs 2 Leopard Bush Fish and now I'm literally in Idkk what it is ammonia was 0-0.5 power outage happened for 20 minutes then came home and boom ask the way to danger level of ammonia and 50% WC 2 days later 40% then 3 days later 25% to not shock the fish..... Now since none of that worked using Fritz-Zywme turbo start and water conditioner etc... My ammo is still 8ppm and my KH and pH levels are down drastically! Acidic and pH is like 5-6! There's little sizzling bubbles at the top of my tank that's like cooking bacon? With allll this not ONE fish has died no red gills and there noot grasping for air no signs from ammonia which is driving myself crazzy on what I did/what to do PLEASE anyone that can help lmk... I've asked on other videos and nobody's answered to my knowledge? So PLEASE email me before my 60 gallon tall tank all the fish die! Ksarni12@Gmail.com if this doesn't work on my phone a lot! Thanks in advance for your help!
raise ph must go slow , how about raise kh, can i go from 2 kh to 7 ?
Calvin - absolutely right, pH raises need to be slow. I do the same with KH but that is what works for me. When it comes to eater chemistry, I tend to be really slow, deliberate, and conservative with it. So if it was me, I’d aim to slowly raise KH as well. Keep in mind that as you raise KH, pH will raise slightly as well - so personally I prefer a slow methodical process, testing the water daily to monitor it. Does that help a little?
I just don’t get it. When i bring the pH down to pH6 and I add seachem alkaline to buffer my water, I only get KH 2.5 and my pH goes all the way to 8.00. I am trying to keep guppies (sunrise guppy) with a KH of 10 or even 15 but i find this impossible because as I add the buffer pH goes way higher. :( this is way i just want to quit. Or just have my guppies with filtered water with out KH. (So boring water) does anyone knows how to get a KH of 10-30 with a 7-8pH. Is this even possible?
Hey, does this mean that aqua soils are bad due they lower KH? :/ any toughs anyone? cheers