Permanently lowering KH, questions for chemistry wizard

[JoshP12]

This guy has done it

It's a good idea - I've played with muriatic acid while I tried to find inert rocks (vinegar didn't cause as rigorous a bubble - hah) - for reducing KH in a barrel.

Personally, I find working with those chemicals stressful.

 

[MichaelJ]

As a hobbyist who gets as much pleasure learning what plants do and how and why, as I do in making something lovely, I can totally see why folks would want to push boundaries. With the appropriate precaution taken, it’s a great way to learn…no?

Hi @KirstyF I agree. While I definitely do not endorse the wholesale use of dangerous chemicals in our aquariums as a solution to anything, lets not loose the perspective here... @Hufsa only wishes to lower the KH a couple of degrees coming from an already low ~3 KH - @Hufsa is a very skilled aquarist and know what she is trying to accomplish and to what purpose and I am sure will take the outmost precaution not put the livestock in danger (Hence the OP warning and question above). Lowering the KH two degrees is not going to take much of any of the aforementioned chemicals in a premixing container with plenty of aeration. Personally, I would just use peat moss (did I mention peat moss already? 🙂 ) - that will work - albeit slower - with an already low KH.

For peat's and your fishes sake 🙂


Cheers,
Michael

 

[_Maq_]

Personally, I find working with those chemicals stressful.

It mainly depends on in whose hands they are. People are scared of what they are not familiar with. Car accidents make much more damage than strong acids.

Can I suggest folks that want to experiment do it without live stock regardless of "safe" precautions.

I routinely fertilize with phosphoric acid. Diluted, of course, from original 88 % H3PO4.
Mind you, I'm not a chemist. I'm a lawyer, originally. But I was not lazy to learn.

 

[JoshP12]

It mainly depends on in whose hands they are. People are scared of what they are not familiar with. Car accidents make much more damage than strong acids.

I think it isn’t worth it to me so the familiarity curve has no benefit of enduring.

If I ran low tech and/or I had high KH water, I’d probably use the acids.

 

[Andy Pierce]

I routinely fertilize with phosphoric acid. Diluted, of course, from original 88 % H3PO4.
Mind you, I'm not a chemist. I'm a lawyer, originally. But I was not lazy to learn.

For the non-chemists, be certain that you add the acid to the water to do your dilution, and not other other way around. You can google the bad things that can happen if you screw this up.

 

[John q]

For the non-chemists, be certain that you add the acid to the water to do your dilution, and not other other way around.

Lol, For the non chemists, don't add acid to your fish tanks, it will KILL your fish.

 

[X3NiTH]

Definately, it’s easier and safer to dose a measured volume into a container (Jerry can) for waterchanges where you can check before addition to the tank that the pH/KH is in the desired range. I’m not sure fish would enjoy abrupt pH/KH changes due to acid addition straight to the tank.

🙂

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have come across two hydroponic products for the lowering of PH (KH) that look like they could be used for this purpose.
One contains 3% nitric acid and the other 10% phosphoric anhydride.

Yes, they are the normal ones, it isn't anything to do with the H+ ion, it is because the anion (NO3- & PO4---) <"is a plant nutrient">.

For the non-chemists, be certain that you add the acid to the water to do your dilution, and not other other way around.

No bold or upper case from me, but to quote <"NOAA">

"PHOSPHORIC ANHYDRIDE reacts violently and exothermically with water".

I'm pretty wary around conc. acids and I really wouldn't recommend using them.

cheers Darrel