4Dkh Solotion

[ty_s]

so i have a drop checker on hold right now at Aquarium Central for pick up when i get home from work.

My understanding of a drop checker is you add a small amount of water with a 4Dkh and 2 drops of api low range PH blue. When your Co2 is below at 20ppm it will stay blue 30ppm it will turn green at and if it is over 35ppm it will turn brown. this is due to the fact the Co2 lowers your PH in your tank and it will indicate in the drop checker.

What i would like to know is where can i find water with a known 4dkh in edmonton? 500ml would most likely do a life time.

I know you can make it with tap water and baking soda or buy boiling the heck out of water. but thous methods are hit and miss.

some times you can find indicator pre mixed. but it sounds ez to make your own with the right stuff

from the site i snagged the photo from

"Maintaining proper Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels in the planted aquarium is one of the most important factors in the health of the planted aquarium ecosystem. A CO2 drop checker is an essential tool for monitoring CO2 levels in the aquarium. The CO2 drop checker is a reservoir designed to contain an indicator solution and an airspace. The indicator solution is a combination of KH Standard / 4 degree KH (4 dKH) and pH indicator (Bromothymol Blue).

When the drop checker is submerged in the aquarium, the carbon dioxide will outgas from the aquarium water into the airspace of the drop checker and will eventually be absorbed into the indicator solution. The carbon dioxide gas will seek a point of equilibrium between the indicator solution and the aquarium water. As equilibrium is achieved, the color of the indicator solution inside of the drop checker will change based on the concentration of CO2 in the aquarium water.

If the indicator solution is green in color, then appropriate levels of carbon dioxide exist in the aquarium, and no action is required. If the solution in the drop checker changes to blue or yellow, then the CO2 levels in the aquarium are too low or too high, respectively.."

Edited May 10, 2011 by 55gallon

[Nicklfire]

http://greenleafaquariums.com/co2-drop-checkers/kh-standard.html

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/ae-design-4-dkh-solution-250ml-p-1447.html

That's the only place I know of where you can buy it... many places dont carry it because it only costs like.. 1 cent to make it..

Make a big batch of it.. like 4 liters.. and you will be pretty accurate.

Keep in mind those drop checkers are not always EXACT. They are a good reference but not always correct

Edited May 10, 2011 by Nicklfire

[ty_s]

http://greenleafaqua...h-standard.html

http://www.aquaessen...0ml-p-1447.html

That's the only place I know of where you can buy it... many places dont carry it because it only costs like.. 1 cent to make it..

Make a big batch of it.. like 4 liters.. and you will be pretty accurate.

Keep in mind those drop checkers are not always EXACT. They are a good reference but not always correct

http://greenleafaqua...h-standard.html is out ill check out the other site

[Nicklfire]

this guy could probably make you some too:

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3218

[jcgd]

EBay too.

[ty_s]

should not some sort of medical store have this stuff? making my own would work it is just baking soda and water. but how close can i get it with just a api test kit?

[ubr0ke]

Diy instructions...Make your own

Use a drop checker as a reference only...co2 levels may appear to be higher according to a drop checker because of the inaccuracy of the ph kh relationship...

My advice is use the drop checker to estabilish what bubble count turns your solution green...Then over a week slowy increase bubble count..I mean really slowly..Once your fish act a little funny decrease bubble count to the previous day and cause a little surface agitaion to gas off co2 to safe levels.. As plant mass increases co2 must also be increased..

co2 is tough...make it easy on yourself dose ei for ferts and if you have algae its co2 related.

Edited May 11, 2011 by ubr0ke

[werner]

Also remember that color perception varies greatly from person to person. Can you differentiate between the various shades of blue-green, green, and yellow-green you're going to get near 30ppm?

[ty_s]

with edmonton water my last water test my PH was down to 6.8 i cut back the bps a bit then got on a plane to come to work my kh was about 7 if i remember right so from the charts it put me at about 37ppm

co2 chart

Edited May 11, 2011 by ty_s

[ubr0ke]

werner also has a good point...

Perception of color can lead to huge misreadings...a 0.1 change in ph is roughly a 10ppm co2 swing...

[jcgd]

The co2 chart is a bit outdated and inaccurate as well. The drop checker is about as good as it gets for a rough idea, if your checker is a nice green colour you should be between 20 and 30ppm of co2 which are good levels. Like urbroke said, slowly increase the bubble rate until you notice the fish in distress and then back off a bit. Its the best way to get highest safe levels pa co2. I dropped from a ph of 7.7 to 6.85 with my controller and I go probably go a lot lower. Patience and a good eye is key.

[ty_s]

this is all good but dose any one know were to get 4d KH water in edmonton? with out mail order?

[platiesman]

hi,

this works for me :

To make 4 deg. KH water dissolve 1.2 gr. NaHCO3 (ordinary baking soda) in 500 ml of distilled water. One teaspoon is equal to about 4.2 grams. So it is a little over of a 1/4 teaspoon. (0.29 teasppon)

Then take 5 mls (1 teaspoon) and dilute that with 100 ml of distilled water.

you can double check if you have it correct if you have a KH test kit.

make sure you are using a DISTILLED WATER and not SPRING WATER or TAP Water.

My first attempt, is always wrong because i am using SPRING BOTTLED WATER.