Potasium chloride for Kh

[lado]

I have Sera "Kh/gh UP" for ponds. As main ingredient is listed potassium chloride. Would that be fine to use in bare bottom tank to bring KH up?

[Graham]

Nows when I wish I was a chemist...I can't see how Potassium Chloride could possibly raise either KH or GH...One is carbonate/bicarbonate and the other mainly calcium and magnesium........are you sure it's potassium?

If Sera says you can use it then it doesn't matter if the tank is graveled or BB

[kaceyo]

FWIW, Kent's RO Right is largly potasium and sodium, tho I don't know what form of potassium. It raises GH but not KH.

Kacey

[Graham]

Kaceyo, From the Kent web site RO Right has all kinds of things in it

''...Specially formulated mixture of dissolvable solids (also called general hardness or GH) which includes major salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium together with all necessary minor and trace minerals, together with a small amount of carbonate alkalinity (KH) to reproduce artificial river water (most aquarium fish are river fish)....''

[phidelt85]

I have a chemistry degree and can't figure how the heck KCl would increase your alkalinity. It will spike your TDS like nobody's business however.

[kaceyo]

Graham,
I called the techs at Kent when I first got started with discus again to find out how much of the mix was calcium. There was alot of talk at the time about the best recipe for remineralizing RO water and what was best for growout water. They told me that their mix was primarily potassium and sodium with calcium, magnesium and electrolites added as suppliments. I asked why they didn't add more calcium and was told that it's more toxic and less stable. I have no idea what they meant by that. I'm far from being a chemist so didn't ask further.
Maybe one of us here can call them and find out more about it? They were reluctant to talk about the actual ratios of ingreds in the recipe.

Kacey