Re: Lowering KH

• To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
• Subject: Re: Lowering KH
• From: rrs0062 at ibm_net (Mark A. Thompson)
• Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 21:30:15 -0500
• Newsgroups: list.aquatic-plants
• References: <199505181939.PAA04958 at looney_actwin.com>

>From: George Booth <booth at hpmtlgb1_lvld.hp.com>
>Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 08:35:29 -0600
>Subject: Re: Lowering KH
>
>> What about Muriatic acid?  It'll lower KH and I've not seen any
>> harmful side-effect.
>
>Muriatic acid is the commercial name for hydrochloric acid, HCl.  HCl
>is a strong acid that will dissociate completely in water producing H+
>and Cl- ions.  The H+ will combine with bicarbonate ions (HCO3-)
>lowering the KH a bit and will add to the equilibrium values of H2CO3
>(carbonic acid) and free CO2.

Actually, muriatic acid is diluted HCl (28%).

>However, the Cl- ions will have the same effect on your plants as
>adding salt (NaCl).
>
>Not recommended.

Ah, thanks for that bit of information.  I hadn't considered that the CL- ions
would latch onto something else.
--
Mark A. Thompson - rrs0062 at ibm_net

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