KH?

[FishFun]

Hmmm, what does KH stand for? Is it hardness of the water? I am looking into getting a large aquarium soon and some of the fish that I have chosen for my aquarium have very different KH requirements. Does this mean they are not compatible?

Example:

Angelfish - KH = 1-5

Platy and Rummynose Tetra's = 10 - 25

Is this a deal breaker?

 

[pseud]

It's the carbonate hardness of the water (which makes no sense because the chemical symbol for Carbon is C (K is potassium))

 

[FishFun]

It's the carbonate hardness of the water (which makes no sense because the chemical symbol for Carbon is C (K is potassium))

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HA! So what we are really looking at is potassium hardness! (that is a K, right?)

 

[modernhamlet]

KH come from German term "Karbonat Haerte" meaning carbonate hardness or alkalinity. It is the parameter that determines the stability of your pH. A very low KH means that there is very little buffer to prevent great swings of pH.

It's not a super important parameter for the normal aquarium keeper, as most fish are a) very adaptable and B) bred and raised in different water conditions than you read about in their natural environment.

KH is important for those with heavily planted tanks or whose tap water has a very low KH (rare).

 

[pseud]

KH come from German term "Karbonat Haerte"

[snapback]907301[/snapback]​

Interesting to know!
Now explain this one:

pH means Parts Hydrogen. More hydrogen ions make a solution more acidic. Which means it has a lower number on the pH scale. When you add a base to a solution it releases ions that bond to hydrogen ions, which makes the solution more basic, thus have a HIGHER pH. How does that work out? Surely the scale is back to front...

 

[modernhamlet]

Now explain this one:

pH means Parts Hydrogen. More hydrogen ions make a solution more acidic. Which means it has a lower number on the pH scale. When you add a base to a solution it releases ions that bond to hydrogen ions, which makes the solution more basic, thus have a HIGHER pH. How does that work out? Surely the scale is back to front...

[snapback]907306[/snapback]​

Actually, pH stands for Potential of Hydrogen. Again random, but true...

And I think the below quote explains how the pH scale works pretty well (better than I can at least).

Note: the numbers in red are exponents that should be superscripted above the 10. The site code doesn't allow this though...

In pure water the concentration of hydrogen ions is equal to 0.0000001, or 10−7, moles per liter... When an acid is added to pure water, the hydrogen ion concentration increases above this level. When an alkaline substance, or base, is added to pure water, the hydrogen ion concentration decreases below this level. Once the concentration is determined, the pH value is found by taking the exponent used in expressing this concentration and reversing its sign. This is expressed as pH=−log10[H+]. For example, if the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution is 10−4, or 0.0001, moles per liter, the pH is 4.
Source

Basically, though it's counterintuitive, the smaller the pH number, the more hydrogen ions.

Hope that helps...

 

[FishFun]

And I thought I would never use all those chem classes I took in college.... Silly me!

Now explain this one:

pH means Parts Hydrogen. More hydrogen ions make a solution more acidic. Which means it has a lower number on the pH scale. When you add a base to a solution it releases ions that bond to hydrogen ions, which makes the solution more basic, thus have a HIGHER pH. How does that work out? Surely the scale is back to front...

[snapback]907306[/snapback]​

Actually, pH stands for Potential of Hydrogen. Again random, but true...

And I think the below quote explains how the pH scale works pretty well (better than I can at least).

Note: the numbers in red are exponents that should be superscripted above the 10. The site code doesn't allow this though...

In pure water the concentration of hydrogen ions is equal to 0.0000001, or 10−7, moles per liter... When an acid is added to pure water, the hydrogen ion concentration increases above this level. When an alkaline substance, or base, is added to pure water, the hydrogen ion concentration decreases below this level. Once the concentration is determined, the pH value is found by taking the exponent used in expressing this concentration and reversing its sign. This is expressed as pH=−log10[H+]. For example, if the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution is 10−4, or 0.0001, moles per liter, the pH is 4.
Source

Basically, though it's counterintuitive, the smaller the pH number, the more hydrogen ions.

Hope that helps...

[snapback]908095[/snapback]​

 

[pseud]

Basically, though it's counterintuitive, the smaller the pH number, the more hydrogen ions.

Hope that helps...

[snapback]908095[/snapback]​

Exactly, it makes no sense

oh, and i'm using another one of these: cuz they look neat!