# alternative to Liquid tests



## robbkit (23 Sep 2010)

please can anyone recommend an alternative to liquidKH/GH tests as being red/green color blind they mean
little to me - the TDS meter I added to my RO unit is top because it gives me a number instead of me 
standing there like a numpty trying to decide if its orange or green/ green or orange     

have been reading the fora on chemistry and I need to inc my nitrates as its currently 0.

I use dennerle V30, E15 and S7 - can I add daily KNO3 to this brew?  I have a 275litre planted tank (100x50cms wide x 70 cms deep) with co2, 4 x T5s 10hrs per day and some slow growth going on.  I have very few fish (4 x elderly cardinals, 5 x peru neon green corys, 1x sae & about 12amano shrimp). I plan to add about 30 harlequins this weekend - will this raise my nitrates enough or should I still add KNO3 to my fert regime

thanks 

robbkit


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## Whitebeam (23 Sep 2010)

The Nutrafix GH/KH test is a titration test. You add a drop and shake and look for a clear colour change (no comparing vague shades on a theme of one colour). The colours are pink changes to blue and blue changes to yellow - do you think you would be able to see these changes?

Peter


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## ceg4048 (23 Sep 2010)

Hi,
    I'd suggest you re-think your fertilization schedule because the three products you mention are completely redundant. They are all basically different combinations of Trace Element mix and more or less duplicate the function of the others. V30 is Dennerle's Trace mix and contains mostly Iron. The E15 is only Iron, so why would you want to buy this when you are already dosing Iron from the V30? The S7 is also a Trace mix with some other unspecified stuff that's not really all that useful for plants. It's unclear what it does for fish. In any case, you're adding three Trace Mixes. On top of that they seem to be rather expensive.

Were you aware you could just buy some of this Chelated Trace Element Mix from Garden Direct?






It's much kinder on your wallet and only requires 1/2 teaspoon (about 3 grams) twice a week if you have good flow, and perhaps double that if you don't have good flow. So the half kilo pack will last you anywhere between a year and 2 years for that size tank. The 2Kg pack works out to be 4X as cheap.

You can just cut your RO with 1/2 tap and be done with it. That way you don't have to measure anything.
f you don't like the idea of cutting with tap then you can raise the GH by using GH Booster by beeshrimp.co.uk
4-5 teaspoons or so at water change will be good enough for that size tank.

For raising the KH a couple of degrees, 2-3 teaspoons (say 10-15 grams) of Baking Soda (Not Baking Powder) at water change will do the trick.

With these basic numbers you don't have to worry about measuring anything.

You can follow the basic dosages on JamesC Dosing Guide or study the more intricate EI Dosing Tutorial to figure out the amounts of KNO3 and KH2PO4 to add. Somewhere on the order of 3/4 teaspoon KNO3 and 3/8 teaspoon KH2PO4 thrice weekly are pretty good starting points.

Cheers,


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