NT Labs Hardness Test
What is KH?
KH, also known as “total alkalinity” or “carbonate hardness”, is a measure of the buffering capacity of the water in your aquarium. The buffering capacity refers to how well it can resist changes in pH.
What is GH?
General Hardness is a measure of the total amount of minerals dissolved in the water. Water hardness lies on a spectrum between ‘soft water’ or ‘hard water’ depending on the amount of dissolved minerals: the more minerals present, the greater the hardness. Hard water is responsible for the build-up of limescale.
Please note: If the size and weight of your order exceeds the standard box shipping size extra courier fees will be communicated to you after you have placed your order. Due to the complexity of this it can not be calculated during checkout. The website will only calculate the minimum shipping Charge. This is company Policy.
We only ship livestock and plants Monday – Wednesday. All other products can be shipped Monday – Friday. To ensure livestock does not sit in the couriers warehouse over the weekend.
Non-livestock items are returnable within 7 days upon purchasing. If the item is found to be in working condition, the client will be liable to cover ALL shipping fees. If items is faulty, a full refund or replacement will take place and shipping will be covered by Aqua Atlantis.
What is KH?
KH, also known as “total alkalinity” or “carbonate hardness”, is a measure of the buffering capacity of the water in your aquarium. The buffering capacity refers to how well it can resist changes in pH.
What is GH?
General Hardness is a measure of the total amount of minerals dissolved in the water. Water hardness lies on a spectrum between ‘soft water’ or ‘hard water’ depending on the amount of dissolved minerals: the more minerals present, the greater the hardness. Hard water is responsible for the build-up of limescale.
KH in detail:
What is the correct KH level?
This test kit measures KH in dKH (where one dKH = 17.8 ppm as CaCO3). It is essential to maintain a minimum KH level of at least 4 dKH at all times. A KH of between 6 and 8 dKH is more desirable.
What do I do if the KH level is wrong?
Check the KH level of your tap water. If the level is above 6 dKH, then regular water changes should keep the KH value in the aquarium topped up at a reasonable level. If the KH value of your tap water is below 6 dKH, you will need to add a KH buffer such as KH Up – pH Stabiliser to your aquarium/pond.
How to use?
- Ensure the test tube is clean.
- Take a 5 ml sample of water into the test tube.
- Take the KH reagent and add one drop, mix and the water sample should turn pale blue.
- Keep adding drops, one by one (remember to count the drops), mixing between drops, until the blue colour turns to yellow. The number of drops, including the first drop, needed to bring about the colour change is equal to the KH value in dKH. Should the first drop of reagent turn the sample yellow then the KH value is below 1 dKH – this is extremely dangerous for fish.
GH in detail:
What is the correct GH level?
This test kit measures GH in dGH (where one degree = 17.8 ppm as CaCO3). The correct GH depends on the type of fish being kept. For soft water species, aim for a GH of around 3 to 6 dGH, while for hard water species, 10 to 15 dGH is the correct range.
What do I do if the GH level is wrong?
Test the GH of your tap water. The GH of tap water is determined by whether you live in a hard or soft water area. If the water is too hard for the fish being kept, alternative waters can be used, such as reverse osmosis water, to lower the GH. To increase the GH for aquarium fish, calcium carbonate rocks (like ocean rock) can be used to provide a continual source of GH minerals.
How to use?
- Ensure the test tube is clean.
- Take a 5 ml sample of water into the test tube.
- Take the GH A reagent and add two drops.
- Mix and the water sample should turn dark pink. Adding one drop of reagent GH B at a time, mixing between drops, count the number of drops required for the solution to change from pink to blue.
- The number of drops needed to bring about the colour change is equal to the GH value in dGH. Should the first drop of GH B reagent turn the sample blue then the GH value is below 1 dGH and indicates very soft water.
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RETURNS:
We don’t accept any returns on livestock. (PLANTS,AQUATIC, ANIMALS)
- Non-livestock items are returnable within 7 days upon purchasing. If the item is found to be in working condition, the client will be liable to cover ALL shipping fees. If items is faulty, a full refund or replacement will take place and shipping will be covered by Aqua Atlantis .
- Returns after 7 days will be subject to a handeling fee of 10% and the client will remain responsible for for shipping.
- Waranty claims: Items will be collected from the client or brought back to Aqua Atlantis and sent directly to the suppliers. If the item is found to be in working condition, the client will be liable for ALL shipping fees. If the item/product is faulty, a replacement unit will be sent to the client.
- We will not accept any returns on any products that are not to the buyers liking after 7 days of purchase.
- We reserve the right to cancel any order and refund the customer for whatever reason we see necessary.
PAYMENTS:
- By placing an order with Aqua Atlantis you agree to the following payment options: EFT , CASH/CARD ON COLLECTION, PAYMENT OPTIONS PROVIDED AT CHECKOUT.
SHIPPING:
- We only ship livestock and plants Monday – Wednesday. All other products can be shipped Monday – Friday. To ensure livestock does not sit in the couriers warehouse over the weekend.
- Please note that the couriers only operate Monday – Friday and do not operate over weekends.
Shipping Charges:
The Courier Guy (R120 – R500) – Depending on what you order. If there are additional shipping charges, this will be communicated to you after you have placed your order.
- We can Ship dry goods such as: hardscape, soils, gravels, nano tanks, filtration etc, using the locker to locker pudo service for only R80.
- Local Collections (cape town)- free.
- If you select courier at checkout that is not overnight/priority shipping for plants Aqua Atlantis will not be held liable for any losses that may occur.
- We will ONLY Ship aquaticanimals using the express Shipping method.
Please note: If the size and weight of your order exceeds the standard box shipping size extra courier fees will be communicated to you after you have placed your order. Due to the complexity of this it can not be calculated during checkout. The website will only calculate the minimum shipping Charge. This is company Policy.
Live Arrival Guarantee – First 24 Hours
We ship all our livestock using priority overnight delivery to give them the best chance of arriving healthy and happy. If the courier takes longer than 24 hours to deliver, we unfortunately can’t take responsibility for any losses. Our 24-hour live arrival guarantee kicks in the moment the courier picks up your parcel.
DOA GUARANTEE:
DOA Guarantee: If any livestock arrives deceased, please send us proof (photos/videos) within 1 hours of receiving your package, with the animals still in their original packaging.
1. Returns Policy
1.1 Livestock Returns
- We do not accept returns on any livestock including aquatic plants and aquatic animals under any circumstances.
1.2 Non-Livestock Returns (within 7 days)
- Non-livestock items may be returned within 7 days of purchase.
- If the item is inspected and found to be in working condition, the client is responsible for all shipping fees.
- If the item is found to be faulty, a full refund or replacement will be provided and shipping will be covered by Aqua Atlantis.
1.3 Returns After 7 Days
- Returns requested after 7 days will incur a 10 percent handling fee.
- The client remains responsible for all shipping fees.
1.4 Warranty Claims
- Items may be collected from the client or brought back to Aqua Atlantis and will then be sent to the supplier for assessment.
- If the item is found to be in working condition, the client will be liable for all associated shipping fees.
- If the item is confirmed to be faulty, a replacement unit will be provided at no additional cost to the client.
1.5 Preference-Based Returns
- We do not accept returns for items that are no longer to the buyer’s liking after 7 days of purchase.
2. Rights Reserved
- Aqua Atlantis reserves the right to cancel any order and refund the customer for any reason we deem appropriate.
- We reserve the right to refuse service or assistance to any client at our discretion to protect our staff, our business, and the integrity of our operations.
3. Payments
- By placing an order with Aqua Atlantis, you agree to the accepted payment methods: EFT, Cash or Card on Collection, and the payment options provided at checkout.
- We will only ship out your order once full payment has reflected in our account.
- Orders will not be packed, released, or dispatched until payment is confirmed.
4. Shipping Policy
4.1 Shipping Days
- Livestock and plants are shipped Monday to Wednesday only to prevent parcels from sitting in courier warehouses over weekends.
- Non-livestock items may be shipped Monday to Friday.
- Couriers operate Monday to Friday only and do not deliver on weekends or public holidays.
4.2 Shipping Charges
- The Courier Guy charges between R150 and R500 depending on order size and weight.
- If additional courier fees apply this will be communicated after your order is placed.
- PUDO locker to locker for dry goods such as hardscape, soils, gravels, nano tanks, and filtration is R80-R250.
- Local collections in Cape Town are free.
4.3 Shipping Conditions
- If a non-overnight or non-priority shipping option is selected for plants, Aqua Atlantis will not be held liable for any losses or delays that may occur.
- Aquatic animals are only shipped using express shipping.
- If the size or weight of your order exceeds standard courier box dimensions, additional courier fees will apply. These cannot be fully calculated during checkout and will be communicated once your order is processed. The website calculates only the minimum shipping charge. This is company policy.
4.4 Tracking and Courier Responsibility
- We encourage you to track your parcel during transit using the tracking information provided once your order has been dispatched.
- Once parcels leave our facilities they are in the hands of the courier company.
- For delivery updates, rerouting, delays, or any transit-related queries, it is best to communicate directly with the courier service using your tracking details.
5. Live Arrival Guarantee – First 24 Hours
- All livestock is shipped using priority overnight delivery to give the animals the best chance of arriving healthy.
- The 24 hour live arrival guarantee begins the moment the courier collects your parcel.
- If the courier takes longer than 24 hours to deliver your order, Aqua Atlantis cannot accept responsibility for losses related to livestock.
6. DOA (Dead on Arrival) Guarantee
- If any livestock arrives deceased, you must provide proof within 1 hour of receiving your parcel.
- Proof must consist of clear photos or videos of the affected livestock still in their original sealed packaging so that we can assist you properly.
Back Orders and Shipping Exclusions
Kindly note that all back-ordered items are strictly non-refundable.
Please also be aware that free shipping promotions are subject to size and weight limitations. Orders containing large or bulky items, including but not limited to glassware and aquarium cabinets larger than 60cm, do not qualify for free shipping, even if the order value exceeds the free shipping threshold.
