![]() The sixth reason is the temperature of the water. So lighting does play a role in the KH and the pH of the tank. In the absence of light, the plants will allow more CO 2 to remain in the water thus affecting the KH. Plants need light to indulge in Photosynthesis. The fifth reason is the light your plants get. It would be best if use a spoon or measure the food. Pro Tip: Most people tend to feed fish an unmeasured quantity each time. This affects the nitrification and thus the KH. Under these circumstances, more waste is generated in the tank. It may happen that you use more than required food to feed your fish. The fourth is how much you feed your fish. This is then a vicious circle which needs to be broken. However, as the KH starts lowering, the pH fluctuates. If you do have plants, then the excess that is not absorbed poses a threat to the tank. ![]() If you do not have live plants in the aquarium, then it can so happen that the acidic content in the water is more. This in turn increases the acidity of the water. Carbon di-oxide dissolves into water to become carbonic acid. So, depending on the number of fish in the tank, you will have to do water changes to supplement the KH. This is very dangerous for the fish since the pH begins fluctuating. This is because, the more the fish, the more nitrification that occurs and therefore the KH is lower at a faster pace. The second reason is overcrowding a tank. If the water changes are not done regularly, the KH is not replenished. KH gets depleted during the nitrification cycle. The first cause is infrequent water changes. There are five main causes why KH can vary. So this means that there will be changes if one or more factors change (for example amount of waste produced by inhabitants). If you think about it, a fish tank is an enclosed ecosystem where every living thing inside exchanges chemicals with the environment. The causes of variation in KH are manifold. In other words, every number you see on a test kit for either parameter means exactly the same thing. KH and GH are measured in the same units, ppm or dKH/dGH (degree of carbonate hardness). So if your pH is stable and good, do not meddle with KH and GH unless the fish show symptoms. This is the most important thing to remember. Pro Tip: KH and GH work together to keep the pH stable. When that happens, the natural consequence is that the GH will also increase. When you increase KH, that’s the calcium carbonate, the calcium ions increase. ![]() Tap water will have both of them while pure freshwater has zero calcium or magnesium content. KH is connected to GH (general hardness of your water). It makes sense to have a general understanding about this parameter is beneficial for people who want to take care of their aquarium. This keeps your tank healthy and stable.Īs you can see from these numbers how important KH has become for aquarists, especially if there are species that are sensitive towards their living conditions or have special requirements when it comes to water chemistry. ![]() KH is a nutrient which the good bacteria need to help with the nitrification cycle (ammonia is converted to nitrite and then to nitrate). KH also affects fish because the amount of bicarbonates in the aquarium are related to the quantity of CO2(carbon dioxide) present in the water. The need for investigating will arise when something goes wrong in your tank and you need to find out the cause before deciding your solution. One need not worry too much about KH if the pH is just fine and the fish are doing fine. So, you can definitely say that the pH requires KH for its stability. KH affects fish by allowing the pH to fluctuate. The KH is expressed in terms of degrees or parts per million(ppm) 1 degree is 17.85 ppm. Hence, KH is also referred to as the Total Alkalinity or Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC). It essentially performs a protective or rather a barrier function by preventing pH fluctuations which is very important for the aquarium. Some people compare KH to the ozone layer of the earth. In simple terms, KH prevents the harmful nitrates in the tank from altering the pH. It’s an important parameter because it affects the pH. ![]() It also indicates the bicarbonates in the aquarium. The k is used instead of the c because of the German spelling of Karbonate. KH is the carbonate hardness in your aquarium. ![]()
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