[quote=cousinkenni;17076]
What would it take to calibrate the test kit? I have RO water that turns blue as soon as I add one drop of KH solution (the TDS meter reads about 6 for the RO....the unit is not used much and pretty new). I also have 4dKH refernce solution from billionz that the kit reads properly......how much more accurate do we need this kit?
[quote]
That sounds okay......you can dilute the ref solution in 1/2 and divide the sample 71.44ppm /2 and that will get in the precise range, then see how well the KH matches up to that.
I'm not there, so there are a number of things I cannot vouch for/see etc that might be done. Mulm will not have any, there may be a little in the Flourite perhaps, fish food, etc.
Quote:
I started using RO water because I want to be able to contol as many variables as possible with my tanks so I can start doing my own tests. The less variables the better the results. Standard scientific method.
Ken T.
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Well, controlling variables is one thing, seeing if those variables are actually meaningful and relevant is quite another matter. Folks wanna spend time measuring K+ and playing with that, but it's not critical.
While some obsess over one thing, another more basic issue, CO2, light, plant biomass changes through time etc occur and they attribute the effects on the nutrient rather than those other causes.
Overall, RO really does not afford you much control really as far as plant growth etc, it's more work, waste a lot of water. You can grow most anything is tap water, unless you have a rather picky list of plants, it should not matter.
This goes back decades, folks use to insist on RO, PO4 removers Silicate removers NO3 removers etc beuing the root of all evil in the tap. That was/is rubbish.
Then it was GH/KH issues, again, that proved to be rubbish with very few exception with a few species.
I've done both methods for years, if you have soft tap to start with, there's no point.
You can have plenty of control with the plant treatment, as logn as the other factors are addressed both plants should do the same except for the treatment. If less KH or GH etc is the goal, then it' is useful.
I think those arguments for RO are only good when you wanna to discuss fish, not plants. I just have done it a logn time and somewhat carefully in several cases and have not seen anything that I'd say is going to cause anyone problems.
I seldom suggest RO and general rally against it's use.
I've been that way for 25 years.
Regards,
Tom Barr