Help with API hardness results

[alron2]

I had rhe following results with my freshwater hardness test. GH took 5 drops to change color, kh took 9 to change colors. I can not read the small print on the instruction so I was hoping someone could tell me what ppm are and what changes would be required to make the water suitable for breeding? Thanks for your help
Ron

[Filip]

Hi Ron.
Each -1 drop of Api kits usually refers to 1 degree of GH / Kh.
So you have GH - 5 degrees , and KH of 9 .
1 degree equals aprox. 17.9 ppm . So you just multiply the number of drops / degrees by 17.9 and you'll end up with ppm .

GH of 89.5 with KH 161.1 is a very unusual reading IMO .
GH of 89.5 should get your spawn to hatch but your carbonates on the other hand are too high and you might need to lower them down if your proven pair spawn don't hatch after the initial 60+ hours from the spawning .
Its a game of trial and error Ron.
Maybe you will sucseed with your 89.5 GH or maybe you ll have to mix 50-50% with a RO O tds water.

[alron2]

Flip,

Thanks, that helped. I was still concerned about my KH being almost twice my GH, and I think you were also, so I googled and found the following discussion that helped me understand a little better. My PH is almost 8 so after reading the discussion it sounds like I could add acid with little change of a PH crush since my KH is high.
What do y'all think.
Ron
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...-gh-40777.html

[Filip]

Flip,

Thanks, that helped. I was still concerned about my KH being almost twice my GH, and I think you were also, so I googled and found the following discussion that helped me understand a little better. My PH is almost 8 so after reading the discussion it sounds like I could add acid with little change of a PH crush since my KH is high.
What do y'all think.
Ron
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...-gh-40777.html

It was done by fishkeepers in the past Ron. Now the use and availability of RO units replaced this methods for water softening and lowering your KH.
I've never had the guts and any need to experiment my self with muratic acids to lower KH and PH of the water since this can be very unstable and dangerous method . One of the problems I have read about is that PH once lowered ,can bounce back to its original values and than you have to pour more Acid until the KH is exhausted enough to keep the PH stable.
Anyway its a dangerous method IMO and it sure requires a lots of parameter measuring and a lots of trial and eroror until you catch how your water parameters react and what's the % of HCL to get to desired PH and get it stabilized without bouncing it back .

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Ron,

I would suggest trying the water as is. As Filip said messing with acids is very tricky and you can kill fish quite easily if you are not very careful. RO is a much safer option.
Pat

[alron2]

Thanks Flip and Pat. I had the discus in the same water for two years, but was trying to learn more in case they decided it was time to order eggs and babies, I guess I will worry about that if and when it happens.
Ron