[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Sudden drop in KH



> From: RGORDONPF at aol_com
> Subject: Sudden drop in dKH
> 
> Over the past two weeks I have been setting up my new 100 gallon plant tank.  
> Yesterday I added the plants and eight large pieces of bog wood.  During the 
> two weeks of set up as I ironed out mechanical problems with the CO2 and 
> trickle filter, the dKH measured a consistent 3.0.  This morning the dKH 
> measured 1.3.  This was using a Tetra KH test kit using 1 drop=1/3 dKH.  
> Thinking the test kit might be in error, I reran the test using an Aquarium 
> Pharmaceutical test kit which showed dKH greater than 1 and less than 2.
> 
> Question:  How could the dKH drop from 3 to 1.3 in 24 hours?

	KH is the HCO3- concentration in the water.  If it drops, it means
that you have added acid in some way.  I expect that the bog wood is the
culprit.  It wasn't the plants, and it wasn't the KMnO4, except that that
might have increased the acidity of the bog wood by oxidation. 

-- 
Paul Sears        Ottawa, Canada