Bringing up KH/GH

[jeremyh]

The water in my area (Vancouver BC) is extremely soft - in the range of 0.25-0.75 degrees of KH and GH according to the water authority's published tests. Certainly undetectable by any test kit I've ever used.

I currently increase the water parameters using a 2:1 ratio of Calcium Carbonate and Barr's GH Booster (as sold by aquariumfertilizer.com), to get me to a kH of approx. 3 degrees, and a GH of approx 4-5 degrees.

My question is: given that 3 degrees of the GH is coming from the Calcium Carbonate, does the remaining 1-2 degrees from the GH booster provide the other salts in sufficient quantity? Or should I think about upping the proportion of GH booster a bit further?

Cheers,

~Jeremy

 

[jonny_ftm]

You could be short on Magnesium. Why don't you only use GH booster?

 

[jeremyh]

My understanding is that 0.25 degrees of kH is pretty darn low, and everything I've read to date so far has led me to believe that 3 degrees kH is a good level to shoot for. Is that not the case?

Anyway, it sounds like tweaking the gH a bit higher would be a good idea then?

 

[Tom Barr]

I do not mess with the KH typically...........

Even if low, what matters is the CO2, that stays the same regardless of KH movement or low etc. as long as there's some KH.........even a little......


regards,
Tom Barr

 

[jeremyh]

Interesting. Thanks for setting me straight.

There are so many myths and misconceptions out there that it takes a concerted effort to find reliable sources of information with which to get past them. Score another one for The Barr Report...

 

[Tom Barr]

Well, that is not to say that adding some more KH will not hurt either.
Adding say 1 degree is fine............still, I've used pure RO in tanks and super soft systems without issue, but you just cannot use the pH/KH method for testing if the parameter is zero...........

Regards,
Tom Barr