Nevermind... disregard. I asked a dumb question and then couldn't figure out how to delete it.
Does it work? ADA glass dropcheck co2 indicator
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To quickly clarify a few pts -
1) read Hoppy's long post, AFAIK, all is correct
2) no, you don't use tank water in the bulb
3) no, you don't use RO/DI/Distilled in there either, it's 4dKH water (RO/DI & a trace baking soda)
4) add as many drops of a bromothymol blue indicator as is needed - the low range pH test solution in your AP FW Master test kit will work fine.
5) any stable vessel that will trap the indicator solution in the aquarium with an air gap between it and the tank water is fine - although visibility of the test solution is tough if it's too thin a column
1) read Hoppy's long post, AFAIK, all is correct
2) no, you don't use tank water in the bulb
3) no, you don't use RO/DI/Distilled in there either, it's 4dKH water (RO/DI & a trace baking soda)
4) add as many drops of a bromothymol blue indicator as is needed - the low range pH test solution in your AP FW Master test kit will work fine.
5) any stable vessel that will trap the indicator solution in the aquarium with an air gap between it and the tank water is fine - although visibility of the test solution is tough if it's too thin a column
Hi there!
If my tank water is at PH=6.0, should the distilled water+baking soda mixture still be adjusted to a KH= 4?
thanks everyone
If my tank water is at PH=6.0, should the distilled water+baking soda mixture still be adjusted to a KH= 4?
thanks everyone
the distilled water and baking soda should have a KH of 4. If they have a KH of 4, then your readings of co2 will show green at 30 ppm.
Right, so regardless of the ph in the tank, the kh within the dropper should be set at 4!? so basically kh=4 is universal?the distilled water and baking soda should have a KH of 4. If they have a KH of 4, then your readings of co2 will show green at 30 ppm.
According to this one person on ebay, they say use tank water.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Co2-Drop-Checke...9QQihZ015QQcategoryZ66794QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Co2-Drop-Checke...9QQihZ015QQcategoryZ66794QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Directions
1) Turn drop checker upside down and place 5 drops of reagent inside the checker.
2) With a pipette (not included) add tank water to drop checker so that it's half full of water.
3) Turn drop checker over carefully (without spilling contents) and place inside aquarium so that it is visible.
4) Within 1 hour drop checker will display a reading according to your C02 levels. Green is the ideal colour, yellow is too much C02 and blue is too little (adjust C02 output accordingly)
5) After each water change, renew reagent in drop checker by following directions above
i have one and it definitely works great : )
Yeaulman - That'll do nothing more then test your PH, you do NOT use tank water because that would bring all of the ellements that make the PH/KH graph hard to read back into play. By using a solution of a known KH, and having an air pocket trapped intbetween them, they will reach equaliberium. The CO2 levels transfered from the water trapped in the bell, will be represented by the bulb color. With a KH of 4, and the air bubble trapped in the middle the equaliberium reached will do nothing more then measure the gas (co2) in the aqurarium
That was taken from here http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquarium-equipment/38343-co2-drop-check-how.htmled seeley said:Just add the 4dKH solution to the drop checker, add the indicator solution and then turn it over and submerge so the solution can't mix with the tank water. As Muirner said, the CO2 in the water will come out of solution into the air space in the drop checker and will then dissolve into the solution in the drop checker so that the level of CO2 in all three are the same. When this is 30ppm that will turn a 4dKH solution green. The fact that the CO2 has to get out of solution into the air space then back into solution in the drop checker solution means there is a time lag in the colour change.
Ok so what happens when you run out of pH indicator solution? Can you order refills or just use a standard pH test kit?
Use a standard pH test kit and a known KH solution. Billionzzzz (sp?) sells the KH solution.
I have 2 different indicators, one is from RedSea and the other 2 are from Azoo. Both state in their directions to use tank water in the units and add the reagent to it. I have done it this way the entire time that I have had them and I have found them both to be very reliable. For the most part, the reagent reacts for anywhere from 1-2 months for me, but I usually like to clean out the indicators every other month or so or else I find they can build up with slime or other stuff. Just adding my 2 cents to the thread. 
Ok, since you have 2 from Azoo, how bout you set up one of each, one with tank water and one with knowen KH solution. I dont get how putting tank water in would make it show you the co2? Do you put tank water in and then keep an air bubble trapped in the horn of the unit? Can you show me your setup? Hopefully tomorow i'll have time to rescape and scrape the glass and i'll take a few pictures of the way i have mine set up.
I can see how tank water will give you your pH, which you can couple with KH (not an exact measurement like known KH solution) but I doubt that it's anywhere close to as helpful as the known KH method. Known KH is literally "read the color and know your CO2 level as low, high or just right".
According to this one person on ebay, they say use tank water...
Ok so what happens when you run out of pH indicator solution? Can you order refills or just use a standard pH test kit?
^^Guys - Read #42 above.^^I have 2 different indicators, one is from RedSea and the other 2 are from Azoo. Both state in their directions to use tank water in the units and add the reagent to it. I have done it this way the entire time that I have had them and I have found them both to be very reliable. For the most part, the reagent reacts for anywhere from 1-2 months for me, but I usually like to clean out the indicators every other month or so or else I find they can build up with slime or other stuff. Just adding my 2 cents to the thread. :-D
Turbomkt - Right. pH/KH charts are not as accurate because KH is a measure of (just) carbonate hardness. Your tank has sources other than carbonate contributing to hardness, but your test kit for hardness can't discern carbonate hardness from all other possible sources of hardness, so it's not that accurate. Even if it were accurate, all you get is a point in time reading. You can't spot trends without a lot more testing. Drop checkers may be a little behind in terms of time, but where things have been vs. where they're going is quite valuable information (and they're more accurate than charts unless you have aquarium water that is unusually devoid of ion sources).I can see how tank water will give you your pH, which you can couple with KH (not an exact measurement like known KH solution) but I doubt that it's anywhere close to as helpful as the known KH method. Known KH is literally "read the color and know your CO2 level as low, high or just right".
Best way is to use a soloution of known kH. using tank water introduces alot of variables to the soloution that won't read in the expected range properly.
I make ready to go regent as well as Drop checkers. And I've found in my testing of these things that using the known stable soloution is much more accurate and easier then trying to use tank water.
I make ready to go regent as well as Drop checkers. And I've found in my testing of these things that using the known stable soloution is much more accurate and easier then trying to use tank water.
I have read this topic with much interest.the distilled water and baking soda should have a KH of 4. If they have a KH of 4, then your readings of co2 will show green at 30 ppm.
But I do have some questions...
1) Is the KH of 4 depended of my pH
So yes, what will it be for by example a pH of 7
2) How must be the KH when I want 25 ppm in my water?
3) Can someone explain me the calculations?
4) What are the exact ingrediënt of dKH water?.... it's 4dKH water (RO/DI & a trace baking soda).....
KH depends on your water source.
The goal here is to find a particular KH, that will indicate a particular color with the pH test agent (bromothymol blue). Targets are based on info like this.
4 and 5 dKH solutions give good targets for CO2 levels based on Estimative Index, etc. They are a combination of RO water and a reference solution to create the target of 4 or 5 dKH.
The goal here is to find a particular KH, that will indicate a particular color with the pH test agent (bromothymol blue). Targets are based on info like this.
4 and 5 dKH solutions give good targets for CO2 levels based on Estimative Index, etc. They are a combination of RO water and a reference solution to create the target of 4 or 5 dKH.
On this moment the pH=7 and the dKH=8 of my fish tank water (CO2=24 ppm)
Remark: My dKH is this high because I don't use RO water in my fish tank.
When I understand this well, I still measure the pH value.
And the RO solution with pH reagent has a turning point of color at pH=6.6, no matter what.
So:
I need a RO solution with a dKH=4 to get a CO2=30 ppm, and do I need a RO solution with a dKH=3.6 to get a CO2= 27 ppm, no matter what.
Is this correct?
So the pH value of my fish tank has to drop to pH=6.6 directed by CO2 and will change my dKH automatic to dKH=3.6. Or is there more I need to do to get the right values?
Will this only work at a pH=6.6 or will this also work at an different pH value?
Do I need an other dKH of my RO solution when I have an different pH value?
Remark: My dKH is this high because I don't use RO water in my fish tank.
When I understand this well, I still measure the pH value.
And the RO solution with pH reagent has a turning point of color at pH=6.6, no matter what.
So:
I need a RO solution with a dKH=4 to get a CO2=30 ppm, and do I need a RO solution with a dKH=3.6 to get a CO2= 27 ppm, no matter what.
Is this correct?
So the pH value of my fish tank has to drop to pH=6.6 directed by CO2 and will change my dKH automatic to dKH=3.6. Or is there more I need to do to get the right values?
Will this only work at a pH=6.6 or will this also work at an different pH value?
Do I need an other dKH of my RO solution when I have an different pH value?
I read a lot about a dKH=4
Is it necessary to use RO water (not pure) in my fish tank?
In my fish tank the dKH=8.
Can I use this test to see my co2 value is right?
Do I need an other dKH value in my tester?
Is it necessary to use RO water (not pure) in my fish tank?
In my fish tank the dKH=8.
Can I use this test to see my co2 value is right?
Do I need an other dKH value in my tester?
The drop checker needs kh4 water NOT tank water to do its job properly. If you're going to use tank water, you'll still be subjected to the same errors you had when you were just measuring kh/pH from the tank directly.
No. Unless you want to completely control the kh of your system and/or need softer water to grow the few 'soft water' plants.Is it necessary to use RO water (not pure) in my fish tank?
Nothing wrong with that.In my fish tank the dKH=8.
You can use the drop checker to measure your CO2 values, IF you use kh4 water in your drop checker.Can I use this test to see my co2 value is right?
You need water with kh4 for your drop checker.Do I need an other dKH value in my tester?
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