[APD] KH reference stock solution or: my hidden agenda

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at yahoo_com>]

Liz/Vaughn,
Points well taken.
Bear with me here, I do have an agenda.

But........ why bother with a KH test kit at all?
See where I am going with this?,<light bulb>.

If you have a stock known solution, that KH test kit is no
longer even required. Just like maiing a partial stock solution
for your tank using EI.

Baking soda and water is pretty cheap(Cheaper than the KH test
kit and does not expire).

The real problem is a practical one. Many simply do not know how
to make a reference solution easily and are scared, confused or
otherwise lacking the desire.
Seeing a simple way to do it, thus remove a KH test kit
altogether and minimize test kit errors makes life a lot more
bearable for them/us/future newbies.

Adding 5 liters of DI water and 4.99 grams of baking soda cooked
will make a nice 40Kh stock solution that's pretty accurate no
matter which method(drop checker or pH probe) you plan on using.

Then you can also make other stock solutions for references as
well, and likewise, one should always make a concentrated
version, then follow by dilutions. That way for example, you can
make a 1ppm, 5ppm, 10ppm , 20 ppm, 30ppm solution of KNO3, by
just changing the dilution volumes from say a stock solution of
200ppm. 

So if you like test kits for some reason, you can make sure they
are good and we can get a better comparative overview of the
ones on the market that are decent/useful etc.
So the test kit love fest is not hurt by this really, but it
does make the requirement for a KH test kit go away. 

This is not just about KH here. 
These are simple methods for other nutrients and parameters.
If they can make a KH ref solution, they can also make a NO3
reference, or PO4 reference etc.

I think that EI addressed the test kit issues, same deal here.
Just removing **one more test kit** from the mess.

Now all I am left with is pH.
One test kit/pH probe.
That is about as simple as I can get here.
And this reduction and simplification will lead to a simpler and
better hobby.

Using the visual or the pH probe method, you no longer will have
much issue with measure of CO2, how much accuracy goes right
back the original issue ..... a pH monitor probe vs a
colormetric test kit. Without the KH reference solution involved
at all you may still can have that debate.

Point here I am driving at is removal of the KH tests.
Now I am down to ***just the pH measurement***.
One simple unified test and equation.

pH= MC^2

Well, not quite:)

Once every few months/years, I make a KH reference solution for
what? Less than 1$? Cheaper than any KH test kit or any test kit
for that matter. 

This is simple, cheaper, most anyone can do it and in means more
accurate than KH test kits. 

Some smart person will start selling KH stock solution for 2$
per 500mls etc on line. Or the DIY folks hopefully will give it
a wing. I think Greg Watson might consider it and shipping a
500ml bottle full or a pre measured amount of baking soda inside
a bottle that you just add DI water to.
You can have your accuracy, low cost, less work all in one.

Why test water often if you do not have to?
Most are infrequent testers of KH as it is(we all are), most
focusing solely on pH and rarely on KH.

So do away with KH test kits entirely and go to the ref KH and
just focus on pH change.

If folks can do that, they may still use their test kits and
measure, calibrate them and once they can do this for KH, then
NO3, PO4, etc reference solutions are much easier to address.

So this benefits the tester crowd(better methods), they lazy I
don't wanna test crowd(No KH test any more), the cheap
crowd(very cheap, 5 grams of baking soda is not expensive, the
DI water will cost you more), the DIY crowd(Drop checkers of DO
ph probe membranes, the anal accuracy crowd(Am I alone in this
group?), and the general principle I've focused on for the last
few years, tying all this seemingly diverse monkey business
about growing plants into a simpler model for horticulture and
explaining why it all works.

When we only need one test kit, one that only requires up to
look at it every so often and not much else, then we have a very
easy system to monitor and the skills and reagents to make sure
if you do test, at least for whatever parameter it is, the
hobbyists can make a reference solution very easy and simply.

Think about only glancing at pH and not worrying about anything
else.

This idea of a ref and removing yet another test kit down to one
now goes along with EI seamlessly.
  
Regards, 
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com





 
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