• Calcium is not the only substance needed to form the skeletal material of corals and allow calcareous algae to grow. Carbonate and bicarbonate are also needed and these two substances can have a major effect on stabilizing or buffering pH levels in the aquarium in the correct range of 8.1 to 8.4.
• The total carbonate and bicarbonate concentration is also called alkalinity or carbonate hardness and for a stable system the alkalinity should not fluctuate by more than 5% from the optimum level of approx. 2.8 meq/L i.e. a maximum fluctuation of 0.14 meq/L.
• The Salifert test is sensitive enough to detect small changes in levels of alkalinity, measuring in steps of 0.1 meq/L and demonstrating a very sharp color change.
• Sufficient for 100 to 200 tests.
• The Salifert KH + pH buffer additive makes correction of the alkalinity or carbonate hardness simple and does not upset the pH of the system

How to Use

1. Add 4 ml of aquarium water to the test vial with the 5 ml syringe. Using 2 ml instead gives lower resolution and twice as many tests per kit.
2. Shake the KH-Ind dropping bottle a few times and add 2 drops to the vial — 1 drop in the 2 ml mode.
3. Fit the plastic tip firmly on the 1 ml syringe and draw up the KH reagent to the 1.00 ml mark, keeping the tip submerged in the reagent throughout.
4. Add the KH reagent drop by drop, swirling for a second or two after each drop, until the blue-green turns orange-red or pink — whichever you see first.
5. Hold the syringe tip upward and read the upper end of the black piston. Alkalinity in dKH = (1 − reading) x 16. Double the result if you used the 2 ml sample.

A reef tank is usually held between 7 and 11 dKH. What matters more than the absolute number is that it does not swing — test at the same time of day, because alkalinity falls through the photoperiod as corals use it.

What’s in the Box

KH-Ind indicator in a dropping bottle, the KH reagent, 1 ml and 5 ml syringes, a plastic tip, a test vial and the instructions.

Tests per Kit

Approximately 100 tests at full resolution using a 4 ml sample, or up to 200 in the lower-resolution 2 ml mode — the highest test count in the Salifert range, which is useful for the one parameter most reef keepers test twice a week.

Freshness & Storage

Every batch we dispatch carries a minimum of 6 months’ remaining shelf life. Store this product in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap or inner foil closed tightly after each use.

Backorder & Dispatch Timeline

This item is stocked to order. Back-orders are consolidated and placed with our overseas suppliers once a month, on the last day of the month, and all such orders are shipped before the 15th of the following month.

Back-orders cannot be cancelled once they have been placed with the supplier. If you cancel before that, payment-gateway charges of 2% plus GST are deducted and the balance refunded. In the rare case a supplier cannot fulfil the item, we will offer you an alternative first, and refund in full with no deduction if you would rather not take it.

Returns & Replacement

Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery, provided the item is unused and in its original packaging. Manufacturer-sealed items cannot be returned once the seal is broken, and sale-priced items are not refundable.

If your item arrives defective or damaged, message us on WhatsApp with your order number, or email us if you would rather, and we will replace it. Approved replacements are delivered within 3 to 5 business days. Transit damage is covered by insurance on every shipment. If tracking shows delivered but nothing reached you, tell us within 72 hours, which is the reporting window Indian couriers allow. Damage caused during installation or use is not covered; replacement spares for such cases are chargeable.

Full terms are on our Cancellation & Returns page.