# Gh, Kh, and Ph.....?



## LovinLiveBearer (Nov 26, 2007)

I noticed that my Ph was at around 6.2-6.4 which is too low and not alkaline enough. I was told that the Ph correlates with the Kh and Gh so I went a GREAT fish store I found online today and got a kit for the Gh and Kh. ( I couldn't find that test anywhere else!) Anyways. I got the test home and was thinking that it was going to have the little cards in it like the master test does that tells you what level your water is when it is a specific color. Well it did not. It said to add drops until the Kh turned bright yellow and the Gh turned green, and however many drops it took to get to those colors were the ppms.... Well all sounds fine and dandy till I realized I don't know what they consider bright yellow or green. Is there anyone here that maybe has a link to the color guide for this or any info on how to help me? The guy that owned the fish shop said it needs to be at a 3 for my tank...and that drift wood will actually make the water softer. Any help is sooooo appreciated. Thanks!


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

The color change isn't going to be gradual. When the color suddenly shifts to the color you're waiting for, you'll know it's the color you're waiting for even if you don't know the shade if it. You're used to comparing a certain shade of hue to a color chart, but these kits don't work that way. This test measures how long it takes to overcome the alkalinity of the sample, and when you finally break through the barrier, the colorchange will be swift and easily spotted.


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## LovinLiveBearer (Nov 26, 2007)

Because after a few drops it was sort of light yellow and sort of light green. Am I looking for an intense yellow and green? The green I got was sort of brown green and they yellow was really light and I stopped at 9 drops when it got dark yellow.


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2007)

After the initial color change (which is very obvious) it should get even more yellow after the next drop. I usually consider that yellow enough, even though its not bright. The color change is what you are looking for.

Remember to shake it after each drop.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Most importantly why do you think your pH is not alkaline enough??? Most fish are fine in that pH, and will thrive in that pH. If you want to manipulate pH then you are probably trying to breed something... if that is the case what type of fish are you trying to breed? If you aren't trying to breed something, then I would say you are fine, or just get a buffer that sets your pH to 7.0 if your alkalinity is really low and is swinging your pH from day to night.


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## LovinLiveBearer (Nov 26, 2007)

I am not truely trying to breed them although I do love having fry and the LFS I found told me they buy fish from their costomers so I thought it would be a good way to make a little money. I have guppies, platies, and mollies. I did just get 3 Red Cherry shrimp and feel like I read that all these critters need closer to 7 ph....?...


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2007)

Your pH is fine.  You don't need to change it at all. If your Kh is really low, that can lead to pH swings, but your pH of 6.2 isn't bad at all.


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## LovinLiveBearer (Nov 26, 2007)

I tested the kh and it was 6-9 ppm....is this good? And I only say 6 to 9 because like before I did not know how yellow it had to be. But it started turning yellow at 6 drops. Is that soft or hard? I got calcium carbonate to add to the filter to make it harder...I havn't added it though because I was not sure if I needed to with my water hardness. Any advice?


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