Now, here is what you might not be aware of: So yeah, it’s something you want to avoid! Rapid changes in pH can shock and even kill your fish. Why is KH important to your aquarium?Īs I touched on earlier, KH prevents acids from causing your pH to swing. So, just having a high GH does not automatically mean that you also have a high KH. It’s actually possible for your tap water to have a really high GH and a very low KH. If a waterway has a high GH, it will also have a high KH.īut tap water is usually anything but natural… General hardness (GH): The measure of magnesium and calcium dissolved in water. While both have the word hardness in their name, they measure different parameters of your water.Ĭarbonate hardness (KH): The measure of carbonates and bicarbonates dissolved in water. What is the difference between KH and GH?īeginners often confuse carbonate hardness (KH) with general hardness (GH). You might also hear KH referred to as the alkalinity of the water.įishLab Fact: Carbonate Hardness is shortened to KH because it is derived from the German spelling of the word, Karbonate Hardness. While it exists in your water, you won’t be able to know how much is there without a special test kit. The higher the KH of your aquarium, the more acid it can neutralize before the pH is affected. However, this barrier is not permanent and once gone, your pH is free to move around again. As your aquarium creates acids, they eat away at KH instead of affecting your pH Think of KH as a protective barrier that surrounds your pH. You just need to know what KH is and why it’s important. It’s basically a measure of carbonates (CO3) and bicarbonates (HCO3) dissolved in your water.ĭon’t worry! You don’t need to remember those words. Why should your KH levels NEVER reach zero?Ĭarbonate hardness is referred to as KH for short.How do you test the KH of your aquarium?.Will increasing my KH also raise my pH?.What is the best KH level for your tank?.What is the difference between KH and GH?.
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