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Are you using a kH Reference solution?
Drop checker??
I have the REDsea drop checker and I change the water in it at every water change but it goes yellow which is co2+ with in an hour of changing and even after the tank being aerated at night it is still yellow in the morning. My fish never seem to be o2 starved but is the drop checker working? I'm going to check the ph/kh and see what the truth is.
Just wondering if anybody had similar experience?
Just wondering if anybody had similar experience?
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I am using the stuff that came with it.
I don't know what kh reference solution is
I don't know what kh reference solution is
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370 Posts
according to the co2 chart I have about 44ppm of co2. If thats the case then I can see why the drop checker is showing + but I'm just wondering why even with aeration over night it is always so high.
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Are you putting plain water in the drop checker? You should be putting the kh reference solution in it, not plain water. A kh reference solution is a solution with a known kh that you make up beforehand, put in the drop checker, add the reagent (the stuff that came with the checker) and put it in your tank, being OH-so-careful not to get any tank water in the checker.
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Sounds like something is not right. Are you injecting CO2? What is the pH/kH of your source water (presumably your tap)?
If you put your aquarium water in the drop checker and then add the pH drops (the same stuff you use with a pH test kit) - you are just doing a continuous pH test. The color will have no bearing on your CO2 - at least not with the standard blue/green/yellow legend. You will have to test for your kH and then determine your pH from the color in the drop checker. Also, if there are any other elements in your water that mess with your pH/kH/CO2 relationship - this method will be effectively useless for measuring your CO2...
By using a kH reference solution calibrated to 4dkH instead of tank water - then your color legend will follow your CO2 levels. It is made to maximize the readability of the colors given by the pH test drops - setting solid green to 30ppm (ish). I keep mine light green to be on the safe side.
You can buy a premixed reference solution - probably off aquabid - which is highly recommended.
If you put your aquarium water in the drop checker and then add the pH drops (the same stuff you use with a pH test kit) - you are just doing a continuous pH test. The color will have no bearing on your CO2 - at least not with the standard blue/green/yellow legend. You will have to test for your kH and then determine your pH from the color in the drop checker. Also, if there are any other elements in your water that mess with your pH/kH/CO2 relationship - this method will be effectively useless for measuring your CO2...
By using a kH reference solution calibrated to 4dkH instead of tank water - then your color legend will follow your CO2 levels. It is made to maximize the readability of the colors given by the pH test drops - setting solid green to 30ppm (ish). I keep mine light green to be on the safe side.
You can buy a premixed reference solution - probably off aquabid - which is highly recommended.
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I have a similar experience with the same drop checker. Although it does go green if I turn back the co2. I didn't worry about it too much because just as you said the fish don't appear to be starving for oxygen and the plants are doing well. When I was using the red sea reactor I could never get it to go green or yellow. Also I believe the instructions on that one say to use the aquarium water and to add 2 drops of the reagent.
I am looking to get a different drop checker because the lid that goes on the red sea one is difficult to put back on after it has been filled. Could someone please recommend one that they like and tell me where to get it?
Thanks----Brian
I am looking to get a different drop checker because the lid that goes on the red sea one is difficult to put back on after it has been filled. Could someone please recommend one that they like and tell me where to get it?
Thanks----Brian
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5,003 Posts
Hi guys
I have two of the Red Sea CO2 indicators and I used billionzz's instructions for making KH reference solutions. It was quick and easy. This tells you how to make a 4 dKH solution and a 5 dKH solution.
"To make a KH standard using baking soda you would need the following:
distilled water
baking soda (new and unopened would be best)
.01 gram scale (a calibration weight)
500 ml graduated cylinder
50 ml graduated cylinder
1. Measure 3000 ml of distilled water using the 500 ml graduated cylinder and put it in a clean container. The container could be an empty 1 gallon distilled water bottle. (I found it easier to use 3000 ml, instead of the often suggested 5000 ml because you can make your standard with 1 gallon of distilled water instead of having to have a larger container or multiple containers)
To read the precise water level in the graduated cylinder.
-Place the cylinder on a flat surface.
-Make sure your eye is on a level plane with the of the meniscus.
-The meniscus is the half-moon curve formed at the surface of liquid.
-Water should be read from the bottom of the meniscus
2. Weigh 3.60 grams of baking soda, add it to the 3000 ml of distilled water and mix well, this will make a 40 dKH / KH standard.
3. Pour 450 ml of distilled water into the 500 ml graduated cylinder.
4. Pour 50 ml of the 40 dKH standard into the 50 ml graduated cylinder
5. Pour the 50 ml of 40 dKH standard into the 500 ml graduated cylinder and mix well, this will give you 500 ml of a 4 dKH standard.
6. If you want a 5 dKH standard instead of a 4 dKH - change step 3 from 450 ml to 400 ml and you will end up with 450 ml of a 5 dKH standard."
I have two of the Red Sea CO2 indicators and I used billionzz's instructions for making KH reference solutions. It was quick and easy. This tells you how to make a 4 dKH solution and a 5 dKH solution.
"To make a KH standard using baking soda you would need the following:
distilled water
baking soda (new and unopened would be best)
.01 gram scale (a calibration weight)
500 ml graduated cylinder
50 ml graduated cylinder
1. Measure 3000 ml of distilled water using the 500 ml graduated cylinder and put it in a clean container. The container could be an empty 1 gallon distilled water bottle. (I found it easier to use 3000 ml, instead of the often suggested 5000 ml because you can make your standard with 1 gallon of distilled water instead of having to have a larger container or multiple containers)
To read the precise water level in the graduated cylinder.
-Place the cylinder on a flat surface.
-Make sure your eye is on a level plane with the of the meniscus.
-The meniscus is the half-moon curve formed at the surface of liquid.
-Water should be read from the bottom of the meniscus
2. Weigh 3.60 grams of baking soda, add it to the 3000 ml of distilled water and mix well, this will make a 40 dKH / KH standard.
3. Pour 450 ml of distilled water into the 500 ml graduated cylinder.
4. Pour 50 ml of the 40 dKH standard into the 50 ml graduated cylinder
5. Pour the 50 ml of 40 dKH standard into the 500 ml graduated cylinder and mix well, this will give you 500 ml of a 4 dKH standard.
6. If you want a 5 dKH standard instead of a 4 dKH - change step 3 from 450 ml to 400 ml and you will end up with 450 ml of a 5 dKH standard."
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3,500 Posts
It's probably much easier to make a gallon of 4dKH water with small pinches of baking soda, as long as you have source water below 4dKH and trial and 'error' doesn't use up all your KH reagent, then put some in the DC. I think a couple pinches or so will bring a gallon of 0 TDS RO/DI to about 4dKH.
I have the "Blacksunshine DC", the pics don't do it justice. Make sure to use a toothpick or something to remove it's suction cup from the glass, I ended up ripping the peg off where it's welded to the DC, lol. oooops :hihi: At least it's repairable unlike my glass diffuser that met the kitchen floor.
I have the "Blacksunshine DC", the pics don't do it justice. Make sure to use a toothpick or something to remove it's suction cup from the glass, I ended up ripping the peg off where it's welded to the DC, lol. oooops :hihi: At least it's repairable unlike my glass diffuser that met the kitchen floor.
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5,003 Posts
Hi Jaidexl
You're right, it only takes a very tiny amount of baking soda to make a solution. I have over ½ gallon of 40 dKH water left over. That's probably a lifetime's worth. But, you really need to use pure water like DI/RO/De-Io to avoid contamination and false results.
I like your Avatar. "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" is one of my favorite movies. Did you see the original 3D version?
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3,500 Posts
I'm sure your way is better for those that have no KH reagent, my method can use it up fast if you're not lucky and get close the first time without going over, going over isn't as bad since you can just add RO to it.
No, I haven't seen the 3D version ,just black and white on TV a loooong time ago, lol. I wish I could see it though, I haven't ever seen anything in 3D, isn't that sad?
No, I haven't seen the 3D version ,just black and white on TV a loooong time ago, lol. I wish I could see it though, I haven't ever seen anything in 3D, isn't that sad?
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220 Posts
I made a batch - back when the word on the street was still wrong - in regards to the exact measure of Baking Soda and whether or not you should bake moisture out (ended up being a bad idea). I have since amended my text/but not the photos. For the aggravation I just spent $5 and bought a 500ml bottle of lab cert 4dkh.
http://aape.naturalaquariums.com/forum/index.php?topic=759.msg5598#msg5598
(Scroll down just to the photo log)
http://aape.naturalaquariums.com/forum/index.php?topic=759.msg5598#msg5598
(Scroll down just to the photo log)
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5,003 Posts
I forgot to mention this about the movie and your Avatar. Did you know that the lady on board the boat that "The Creature" kidnapped was in a Playboy magazine before she made the movie?
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HI! reason most likely that your red seas is showing a yellow is tank water is seeping into it. (downside to their split design)
and yeah for a person making refference soloution is its very difficult to measure out enough for just one checker because you need so very little baking soda. really for anything less then a gallon you would need a scale that is accurate down to .01 grams. otherwise you would have to make 2 gallons or so at a time. That is enough to last you a VERY VERY VERY VERY long time. Or you could just buy some ready made stuff from billions or myself.
and yeah for a person making refference soloution is its very difficult to measure out enough for just one checker because you need so very little baking soda. really for anything less then a gallon you would need a scale that is accurate down to .01 grams. otherwise you would have to make 2 gallons or so at a time. That is enough to last you a VERY VERY VERY VERY long time. Or you could just buy some ready made stuff from billions or myself.
I bought the 4KH solution and used it only to find out that the redsea kit says that my water needs to be atleast 5KH to work correctly. 4KH or lower will not work correctly. Does anybody know of indicator drops that will work with 4KH (since i got 2 bottles of it)? Or is everybody using the red sea indicator drops even with the 4KH solution?
-c
-c
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