Testing For Water Hardness

[wombat1100]

Hi guys,
I have been using a GH tester for all of the time i have had an aquarium , the test tube type and add a drop of gh tester until it turns from yellow/orange to green , count the drops etc,but have found that in the last couple of years that i am having trouble seeing the colour change in the test tube, maybe I'm going colour blind or just getting older i don't know,Is there any other way of testing water hardness?
PLEASE HELP
Dazz

[joz]

Nah your just old :biggrin:

Seriously,it may just be the age of your test chemicals../



So how are the guppies settling in,also are the plants OK??

[wombat1100]

Nah your just old :biggrin:

Seriously,it may just be the age of your test chemicals../



So how are the guppies settling in,also are the plants OK??[/b]


Hi Joz,
Guppies are settling in well so far, just finished cleaning the plants and setting them out in the tank, hope they go OK!
Thanks again for plants and of course the 15 guppies! :wink:
If you look close at the driftwood you can see 2 of the bristlenose females on the side.
Dazz

[joz]

Great stuff,gald the kids are doing fine.Thanks for the pics.

BTW watch those little plants in the front,they have a tendency to grow huge and quik!!But they are very simple to just chop back.
When you left I got stuck into some more gardening,the tank looks a bit better now :rolleyes:

[Jools]

Dazz
Chuck it away and get yourself a KH carbonate hardness test, this is a bit more imprtant than GH General Hardness as its the KH that buffers the water :)
Jules

[wombat1100]

Jools, I have one of them and never use it!
might have to research what to do with it i think.
Any hints on what it should read and how to alter it?
Dazz

[PeteFromTassie]

You could do your tests over a white piece of paper, that seems to make the colour change easier for me!

BOTH KH and GH are important to most fish, they are completely different tests for completely different things. Think of GH as salts and heavy metals, and KH as what stabalises your pH.

If you want to know more flick me an email anytime Wombat! ;-)

Cheers,
Pete.

[wombat1100]

Hi Pete, i would love to know more , but it think it might be better if you did a little spiel in its own thread so others could also benefit from your knowledge.
Any chance mate!!??
Dazz