CO2 Levels and KH correlation

Silversea

Junior Poster
Feb 5, 2013
11
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According to the chart provided by API in the API GH & KH test kit
3 drops of KH solution would mean 3 dkh at 53.7ppm
The readings from tap water and my aquarium is 3dkh (53.7ppm) but according to the city of Lansing water analysis posted on the board of water and light website. http://www.lbwl.com/Community-Impact/Water-Quality/Water-Monitoring/ My alkalinity is as follows:

Calcium CaCO3 50
Magnesium CaCO3 40
Total Hardness* CaCO3 90
Carbonate (CO3) CaCO3 20
Bicarbonate( HCO3) CaCO3 15

Total alkalinity CaCO3 35

This does not seem to correlate with the API test kit, either the API test kit is way off or the Board of Water and Light is way off because, if Carbonate (Co3) reported as mg/l is at 20 this would equal 56dkh, or 1000ppm and the Bicarbonate (HCO3) reported as CaCO3 is 15mg/l this would equal 42dkh or 750ppm and the API chart shows that at a dkh of 3 I would have roughly 53.7ppm of KH making the ppm at 1750 for a difference of 1696.3ppm. This seems very off.
Also, having 15mg/l or 42dkh (750ppm) of my alkalinity coming from Bicarbonate (HCO3) would through off my ability to judge CO2 from a KH PH CO2 chart wouldn’t it?

I think I figured out the discrepancy. According to some information I found, I would need to divide the alkalinity reported as CaCO2 by 0.6 to get the correct ppm:

20mg/l /0.6=33.3
15mg/l /0.6=25
For a total of 58.3 and the range between 3 and 4dkh according to the API KH &GH test kit is between 53.7 and 71.6.

According to Tom Barr, Having a portion of your KH from something other than CaCO3 would through off your ability to judge CO2 levels using the KH PH chart. Does anyone know how to correct this, a calculation perhaps?
 
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Yo-han

Guru Class Expert
Feb 6, 2011
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This can't be done, because you don't know the other buffers (phosphate for example buffers as well) in your water and don't know the acids (like humus acid from wood for example) in your aquarium. This table only works with pure RO water, and sodium carbonate. So calculating your CO2 is impossible in real life. According to the table, I once had 120 ppm CO2. And my angelfish were breeding!

The only way to get anywhere close to knowing your real CO2 value is by measuring the pH before and after aeration. The difference in pH can be used to calculate the amount of CO2 (or buy a $1500,- CO2 meter) :p
 

ShadowMac

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Mar 25, 2010
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is the chart still useful? If it has a tendency to over estimate, could it still be effective in determining insufficient levels?

Using the method of pH drop prior to injection to measurement point, is there an expected ppm that correlates to a pH drop ie "x" ppm = 0.2 pH drop? I'm assuming we may need to know the kH for this since some measure of buffering capacity would be relevant or am I incorrect in assuming this?
 

Yo-han

Guru Class Expert
Feb 6, 2011
285
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Netherlands
You can use the table for this:p after aearation, your CO2 will be about 4-5 ppm. Measure pH and find the CO2 value around 4-5 in this column(/row). Now look at 1 pH lower and you see a value around 30 ppm. Pick any KH and look at 1 pH drop = 30 ppm. This way you ruled out any acids in the water. If you want to rule out any buffers you can't use the table either.

My recommandatie: With soft water and a normal amount of light, make sure your pH drops 1 point. With very hard water, a drop of 0.7 pH is a good start. But with the insane amount of light people often use in the US (I see recommandations of 4wpg quite often) you never know whether this is enough.