gh & kh???

[schizo_fish]

can anyone explain to me what gh and kh is? what each of the means and there relation to fish keeping? and also what is a good (advisable) level for keeping fish?
thankyou

 

[corrosive]

Not to sure, my lfs did tests on my water today, they had the equipment for it, but they never used it... Not to sure if its necessary... Maybe because of using tap water in the tank or something?

 

[schizo_fish]

can anyone help me please?

 

[impur]

Carbonate Hardness (KH)

Measured in mg/l, ppm, or the German dKH. Measured with test kits. Carbonate hardness (also known as alkalinity) is the measure of carbonate (CO3-) and bicarbonate (HCO3-) ion concentrations dissolved in water. These minerals are present in municipal, well, and bottled spring water. The level of carbonate hardness in tap and bottled water depends on the source of the water and the treatment processes it has undergone. Carbonate hardness helps stabilize pH in the aquarium. An aquarium with a low KH level (50 ppm or less) will tend to be acidic. Aquariums with very low KH are also subject to rapid pH shifts, if not monitored carefully. Water with a high KH level (>200 ppm) usually has a high pH. In many saltwater aquariums, especially reef aquariums, the demands for carbonate hardness are high. Carbonate hardness in marine aquaria constantly decreases as biological processes, primarily biological filtration, produce acids that neutralize bicarbonate ions and remove them from the water.

General hardness (GH)

Measured in mg/l or ppm. Mainly a test for freshwater aquaria. Test kits are used to measure this most often. General hardness is the measure of calcium (Ca++) and magnesium (Mg++) ion concentrations dissolved in water. These minerals are present in well, and bottled spring water. The level of general hardness in tap and bottled water depends on the source of the water and the treatment processes it has undergone. Hard water (>200 ppm) is high in calcium and magnesium, while soft water (50-100 ppm) is low in these minerals. Below is a table of recommended GH and KH ranges for different species.

Want more info?

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters (a summary general article)
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

Solving Common Problems

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Solutions to pH Problems
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ne2002/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Phosphate Issues
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2002/chem.htm

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm



Calcium and Alkalinity

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...il2004/chem.htm

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Purity of Calcium Chloride
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

Calcium and Alkalinity Balance Issues
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-...ature/index.htm

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement (Aragamight; Liquid Reactor)
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ly2002/chem.htm

The Relationship Between Alkalinity and pH.
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/chem.htm

The Chemical & Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification in Corals
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/chem.htm

Calcium
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm

Alkalinity
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...2/chemistry.htm


Salinity

Temperature Corrections for Hydrometers
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rhf/index.htm

Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm

Specific Gravity Measurement
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...2/chemistry.htm

Using Conductivity to Measure Salinity
http/www.aquariumfish.com/aquariu...l.aspx?aid=1804

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters (a summary general article)
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

What is TDS?
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2...ature/index.htm

Iron

First Iron Article: Macroalgae and Dosing Recommendations
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm

Second Iron Article: Iron: A Look at Organisms Other than Macroalgae
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm

Iodine

Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Iodine in Reef Tanks 2: Effects on Macroalgae Growth
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...il2003/chem.htm


Magnesium and Strontium

Strontium
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2003/chem.htm

Magnesium
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm

Magnesium and Strontium in Limewater
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm


Limewater (kalkwasser)

The Self Purification of Limewater (Kalkwasser)
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2003/chem.htm

The Degradation of Limewater (Kalkwasser) in Air
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Magnesium and Strontium in Limewater
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Metals in Aquaria

Aluminum and aluminum-based phosphate binders
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ly2003/chem.htm

Reef Aquaria with Low Soluble Metals
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

First Iron Article: Macroalgae and Dosing Recommendations
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm

Second Iron Article: Iron: A Look at Organisms Other than Macroalgae
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm

The Self Purification of Limewater (Kalkwasser)
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2003/chem.htm

Test Kit Reviews

The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ne2003/chem.htm

The Salifert Boron Test Kit
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2003/chem.htm

Boron and Borate (and pH buffering)

Boron in a Reef Tank (and its effect on pH buffering)
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm

The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ne2003/chem.htm

The Salifert Boron Test Kit
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2003/chem.htm



Others

Measuring pH with a Meter
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2004/chem.htm

Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http/www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

ORP
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Chloramine
http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Silica in a Reef Tank
http/advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm

What is TDS?
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2...ature/index.htm

 

[impur]

Hope that helps, should be enough reading for a few weeks. If you need more let me know!!!!