AQUARINO KH
Alkalinity measurement and control for marine aquariums.
Preface
Like every aquarist, I looked for what was best for my fauna and flora; it took a lot of equipment, products and study.
After buying several devices to monitor, control and help me care for my aquarium, I realised that none of them met my needs perfectly. There was difficult setup, high cost and plenty of limitations.
So I decided to use my knowledge of technology, and my own resources, to offer our hobby a new option. That is the moment Aquarino was born.
I am very proud of what we have built. Many aquarists took an active part, sending suggestions. We only reached this result because you believed in the project.
What we want to keep as the essence of Aquarino is direct contact with aquarists, close support and service, and speed in delivering new features and products.
Join our channels to ask questions, send suggestions and talk about the hobby:
- WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/IcFxySY8rgi3Inkenbbs3l
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AquarinoController
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/aquarino
Aquarino depends on all of us to move forward and become a reference in usability, features and service for aquarists worldwide.
Thank you! We will repay your trust, and take our hobby to a new level.
Laercio M F Junior
Founder and Director of Innovation, Aquarino
How to use this manual
This manual is meant to be read in order the first time, and consulted by topic afterwards. If your Aquarino KH has just arrived, follow Parts II, III and IV in sequence — in a little over an hour it will be measuring.
Four kinds of highlight appear throughout the text:
The screenshots were taken in the app, on a phone, which is how most aquarists use the Aquarino KH day to day.
Getting to know your Aquarino KH
What the equipment does, what to expect from it and what is in the box.
What the Aquarino KH is
The Aquarino KH is an alkalinity (KH) meter and controller for marine aquariums. It measures your aquarium's alkalinity automatically and continuously — no reagents, no refills and no cost per measurement — and, if you want, corrects the KH on its own within the limits you define.
Instead of a chemical test done whenever you remember, the Aquarino KH gives you a time series: up to 24 measurements a day, all recorded, with graphs, an event log and e-mail alerts.
1.1 What it does
- Measures your aquarium's alkalinity at the interval you set, from 1 to 24 times a day.
- Alerts you when KH leaves the range you consider ideal — by e-mail, by sound alert and through the panel LED.
- Corrects upward, driving an external dosing pump with KH buffer or an _all-in-one_ solution.
- Corrects downward, controlling the CO2 solenoid — or the peristaltic pump — of your calcium reactor.
- Records every measurement, every dose and every decision, with export to a spreadsheet.
- Passes the value on to other equipment, through the KH-OUT port or the Aquarino Controller integration.
1.2 What it does not do
Being clear about the limits of the equipment is part of using it well.
- The Aquarino KH does not replace your replenishment system. It makes small corrections and sustains stability; your balling or calcium reactor is still what replaces the daily consumption.
- It measures and decides on alkalinity alone. Calcium, magnesium and other elements are not measured and play no part in the dosing decision — although they may be replenished alongside, depending on the product you use (see the note below).
- It does not fix an undersized system. If the reactor has run out of CO2 or the balling is underdosed, the Aquarino KH shows the problem clearly in the graph and in the event log, but solving it is up to you.
- It does not replace your chemical test. That test is the anchor of calibration — see Chapter 10.
1.3 Who it is for
| Your system | How the Aquarino KH helps |
|---|---|
| Balling with several dosing pumps | Monitoring and alerts. You adjust your doses with real data instead of guesswork, and still have the buffer doser as a safety net. |
| 3-in-1 balling (single dose) | Automatic correction through the buffer doser. This is the scenario where the equipment comes closest to running on its own. |
| Calcium reactor | Control of the CO2 solenoid through the Co2 Port. You set the bubble counter once and the equipment handles the fine adjustment hour by hour. |
| Aquarium without automatic replenishment | Continuous monitoring and history, so you know when and how much to step in manually. |
How the Aquarino KH measures
2.1 Measuring without reagents
The Aquarino KH uses a patented method to track the changes in your alkalinity, taking as its basis a reference alkalinity that you provide beforehand.
In practice this has two consequences that are worth half of this manual:
- Since no reagent is consumed, measuring costs nothing — you can measure every hour, every day, indefinitely.
- Since the method starts from a reference you provide, measurement quality depends directly on the quality of that information. That is why calibration gets a chapter of its own and is the most important step of the installation.
2.2 The measurement cycle
Each measurement takes about 30 minutes, and you follow the progress live, as a percentage and a time remaining, on the home screen.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Preparation | The internal chambers are emptied and rinsed |
| Collection | A fresh sample is drawn from your aquarium |
| Aeration | The chambers are aerated until they stabilise |
| Reading | The probe takes the required readings |
| Result | KH is calculated, recorded and displayed |
| Close-out | Alerts are sent and the correction for the period is decided |
Throughout the cycle the equipment keeps responding normally in the app, and your calcium reactor carries on with the plan set at the previous measurement — nothing sits idle waiting for the result.
2.3 What the measurement needs in order to work
Four conditions explain almost every case of unstable readings that reaches our support desk:
| Condition | Why |
|---|---|
| Equivalent aeration in both chambers | This is the most frequent one. The side valves should leave both chambers with strong, similar airflow. The acceptable minimum is around 5 mm of foam. |
| Clean chambers | Dirt, biofilm and settled organic matter change the reading progressively and silently. |
| Stable temperature | A sharp swing during the cycle shifts the result. Hence the recommendation not to install near a chiller. |
| A representative sample | The hose tip needs to sit in water that has already mixed with the rest of the system — not next to the balling dosing point, not in the detritus at the bottom. |
2.4 The pH probe: what actually matters
The pH probe is the most delicate part of the set, and the one that most affects confidence in the readings. Two things are commonly confused:
| What it is for | Needed to measure KH? | |
|---|---|---|
| Probe calibration (pH 7 and pH 10) | Displaying the real pH of your aquarium on screen and in the graph | No |
| Probe health (a 0 to 100% index) | Telling you whether the probe is still reliable — it considers signal noise, slope, offset and probe age | Yes, this is what counts |
In other words: you could never calibrate the probe and KH would still be measured. Without calibration, only the Tank pH field stays empty and the pH series is not recorded in the graph.
In the box, and the parts
3.1 What comes in the box
- Aquarino KH;
- Universal-voltage 12 V / 5 A power supply;
- 5 × 3 mm silicone hose with sinker, to connect the equipment to the aquarium;
- pH probe with BNC connector;
- pH 7.00 and pH 10.00 calibration solutions.
3.2 Getting to know the parts
| No. | Part | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acrylic structural case | Structure and protection of the assembly |
| 2 | Reference dosing pump | Moves the reference water |
| 3 | Transfer dosing pump | Moves the sample between chambers |
| 4 | External tank dosing pump | Draws the sample from your aquarium and returns the water |
| 5 | Reservoir lid | Access for cleaning |
| 6 | pH probe | Takes the readings used to calculate KH |
| 7 | Measurement reservoir | Chamber where the aquarium sample is analysed |
| 8 | Reference reservoir | Chamber holding water of known alkalinity |
| 9 | Reference tank support base | Support |
| 10 | Airflow control valves | Fine adjustment of each chamber's aeration |
| 11 | External tank | Your aquarium or sump |
| 12 | Level sensors | Detect the presence of water in the chambers |
| 13 | Transfer chamber | Intermediate stage of the cycle |
| 14 | Air stones | Diffuse air inside the chambers |
Connector panel
| No. | Connector | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | PH-IN (BNC) | Input for the pH probe supplied with the equipment |
| 16 | KH-OUT (BNC) | Optional output: delivers KH to your aquarium controller through its pH interface (Chapter 18) |
| 17 | KH Buffer (P4) | Output for the external buffer dosing pump (Chapter 16) |
| 18 | CO2 | Control output for the CO2 solenoid or the peristaltic pump of the calcium reactor (Chapter 17) |
| 19 | 12V DC (P4) | Power, through the supply that comes with the product |
Panel lights
Four indicators show the state of the equipment without you having to open the app:
| LED | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CPU | The equipment is processing normally |
| DISK | Memory card activity |
| WIFI | Connected to your Wi-Fi network |
| NET | Internet access and Aquarino cloud reachable |
There is also a colour LED that sums up the state of the equipment without a screen:
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | KH within the range set by target and margin |
| Blue | KH below the range |
| Red | KH above the range |
| White | Measurement in progress |
If you prefer the equipment discreet, all LEDs can be switched off on the Custom. screen (Chapter 23).
Installation
The right spot on the bench, the water line and the pH probe.
Where and how to install
4.1 Where to install
Place the Aquarino KH on a flat, dry, easily reached surface intended for electronic equipment. You will come back to this spot for maintenance — leave room to open the lid comfortably.
Avoid these four places, because all of them degrade measurement quality:
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Under aquarium lighting or direct sunlight | Algae grow inside the chambers and change readings over the weeks |
| Near a chiller or any heat source | A sharp temperature swing during the cycle affects accuracy |
| Over the water line or anywhere it gets wet | This is electronic equipment; constant splashing shortens its life |
| A room with no ventilation at all | Very still air increases the spread between measurements |
4.2 Connecting the sampling hose
- Connect the silicone hose to the Aquarino KH, on the right-hand fitting of the Tank dosing pump.
- Run the other end to your sump or aquarium. The sinker supplied with the hose keeps the tip submerged.
Installing the pH probe
The pH probe is delicate and needs careful handling. Set aside a few minutes and follow the steps calmly.
- Remove the silicone protective cap from the probe. Place the probe in a cup of water from your aquarium to rinse it.
- Connect the probe's BNC to the side input marked PH-IN.
- Carefully insert the probe into the measurement compartment of the Aquarino KH.
The Aquarino app
Creating your account, adding the equipment and sharing access.
Installing the app and creating your account
Everything you do with the Aquarino KH happens through the Aquarino app, available for Android and iPhone. It is how you add the equipment, follow the measurements and change settings — at home or anywhere else.
6.1 Installing the app
Search for Aquarino in your phone's app store and install it. The same app serves the whole product line — Aquarino KH, Controller and Display.
6.2 Creating your account
When you open the app for the first time, tap Create an account and fill in:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Name and Surname | How you want to be identified in the app |
| Telephone | With the country code. Used by support to reach you |
| An address you actually check — this is where the activation PIN and every equipment alert will arrive | |
| Password and Confirm password | See the requirements below |
Password requirements
- 8 to 60 characters;
- at least one uppercase letter;
- at least one lowercase letter;
- at least one number;
- at least one special character.
The app shows the requirements on screen and ticks each one off as you type.
6.3 Activating the account
Once you have signed up, you receive a 6-digit activation PIN by e-mail. On the Activate account screen, type the code into the six boxes and tap Activate account.
6.4 First sign-in
On your first sign-in the app offers two optional features that are worth enabling:
| Feature | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Enable biometric lock | Requires your fingerprint or face to open the app. Recommended, since the app commands equipment on your aquarium |
| Enable push notifications | Alerts arrive straight on the phone, in addition to e-mail. It is the fastest way to learn about an off-target KH or an empty reservoir |
Once you have chosen, tap Start app.
Adding your Aquarino KH
The app has a wizard that handles the whole process: it talks to the equipment, hands over your Wi-Fi password and registers it in your account. Six steps, a few minutes.
7.1 Before you start
- The Aquarino KH should be assembled and plugged in (Chapters 4 and 5);
- Have your Wi-Fi network name and password at hand;
- Stay close to the equipment during the process;
- Confirm your network is 2.4 GHz — see section 7.4.
7.2 The wizard, step by step
1 · Device type
Choose Aquarino KH from the list of devices.
2 · Prepare your device
The app asks you to switch the equipment on and wait for two signals: first the startup beep, then confirmation that the green Wi-Fi LED is blinking. That blinking is what tells you the Aquarino KH is ready to be configured.
The screen itself shows the three LEDs for you to check — CPU, Disk and WiFi — and asks whether the green one is blinking. If it is, carry on; if not, unplug the equipment, plug it back in and wait again.
3 · Connect to Aquarino
The equipment creates a temporary Wi-Fi network called AquarinoKH, and the app lists it under *Available networks*. You need to connect your phone to it:
- Tap Open Wi-Fi Settings — the app takes you straight to your phone's settings.
- Select the AquarinoKH network.
- Return to the app and tap I am connected.
4 · Network
Back in the app, the Network screen asks you to pick the network the equipment will use day to day. Choose your Wi-Fi network from the dropdown, enter the password and tap Configure.
5 · Configuring
The app sends the settings and the equipment restarts to join your network. The screen shows a countdown of about five minutes — the time the Aquarino KH needs to reboot and connect.
6 · Done
The final screen confirms: _"Enjoy your new KH."_ Tap Done.
The Aquarino KH appears in your device list and starts reporting. From here on you can reach it from anywhere, without being on the same network.
7.3 If the connection is not confirmed
The wizard warns you when it cannot confirm that your phone is on the equipment's network. Work through this list:
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| The phone switched back to your home network on its own | Some phones change networks automatically when they detect the current one has "no internet". Turn that automatic switching off in Wi-Fi settings and connect again |
| The temporary network does not appear | Confirm the Wi-Fi LED is blinking. If the equipment has been configured before, unplug it, wait a few seconds and plug it back in |
| The network appears but will not connect | Move the phone closer to the equipment and try again |
| Setup finished, but the equipment is not in the list | The network password may have been mistyped, or the signal where the equipment sits is too weak. Repeat the process, checking the password |
7.4 Requirements for your Wi-Fi network
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz only | The Aquarino KH does not connect to 5 GHz networks. If your router is dual-band, use the 2.4 GHz band — on many models it is enough to create a separate network name for it |
| Signal above 50% | Networks with weak signal are not listed. Weak signal is the most common cause of dropouts after installation |
| Name without special characters | Avoid spaces and accents in the network name. Rename it if necessary |
Understanding signal strength
| Band | Percentage | dBm | Situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 80–100% | −30 to −50 | Ideal for connection |
| Good | 60–80% | −50 to −60 | Stable connection |
| Fair | 50–60% | −60 to −67 | Acceptable, may fluctuate |
| Poor | below 50% | below −67 | Connecting not recommended |
Getting around the app
With the equipment added, the app opens on your device list. Tap the Aquarino KH to go into it.
Navigation sits at the bottom when you are on a phone and at the top on larger screens. There are six areas:
| Area | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Home | The current state of the aquarium at a glance (Chapter 20) |
| Graphs | History, comparisons and export (Chapter 21) |
| Logs | A record of everything the equipment did (Chapter 22) |
| Custom. | Display preferences (Chapter 23) |
| Configuration | Calibration, target, doser, Co2 Port and integrations |
| System | Versions, network, maintenance and diagnostics (Chapter 24) |
Sharing access
A beautiful aquarium demands constant attention, and having to travel for a few days tends to cause worry. Through the app you can share access to your Aquarino KH with someone you trust, who can watch over it and act while you are away.
- In the device list, find the Aquarino KH you own.
- Open the sharing option for that equipment.
- Enter the person's e-mail and confirm.
Calibration
The step that determines the quality of every measurement that follows.
Full calibration
A full calibration empties every chamber of the Aquarino KH, draws a fresh sample and anchors the equipment to an alkalinity value that you measure with your chemical test.
Run a full calibration in these situations:
- at the first installation of the equipment;
- after cleaning the chambers internally;
- if the internal level has dropped because of repeated power cuts;
- if readings are inconsistent and you have already ruled out the causes in Chapter 13.
10.1 Before you start
10.2 Step by step
- In the app, open Configuration and tap Reservoirs.
- Tap Empty. Repeat until all internal reservoirs are completely empty and no more water comes out of the hose connected to your tank.
- Check visually that the compartments are empty before going on.
- Tap Fill. The equipment draws the water and calibrates the dosing pumps automatically. This takes about 10 minutes.
- Using your chemical test, measure the KH of the aquarium water. Follow the kit manufacturer's instructions to the letter.
- Go back to Configuration and open Reference Alkalinity.
- Enter the measured value and tap Apply. The Aquarino KH starts the calibration automatically.
Partial calibration
Partial calibration is the day-to-day adjustment: you measure KH with your chemical test and tell the equipment the value, without emptying anything. It takes less than a minute.
- Measure your aquarium's KH with a chemical test you trust.
- Open Configuration → Reference Alkalinity.
- Enter the measured value and tap Apply.
The pH probe: calibration and health
This screen brings together everything about the probe: the current reading, the health index, the installation date and two-point calibration. You reach it through Configuration → pH Probe.
12.1 Probe health
The health indicator is an index from 0 to 100% summarising probe quality from four factors: signal noise, slope, offset and probe age. It also appears on the home screen among the indicators.
| Range | Rating | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100% | Excellent | Reliable probe — no action needed |
| 75–89% | Good | Normal operation — just watch the trend |
| 55–74% | Fair | Recalibrate and plan probe replacement |
| below 55% | Poor | Replace the probe — unreliable readings |
12.2 Logging a probe replacement
The screen shows the installation date, how many days the probe has been in use and the recommended replacement date. When you change the probe, tap Log probe replacement to reset that count.
12.3 Two-point calibration
Probe calibration is what lets the equipment display the real pH of your aquarium. It is not required in order to measure KH — see section 2.4.
You will use the pH 7.00 and pH 10.00 solutions supplied with the product. For each point:
- Rinse the probe with distilled water.
- Immerse the probe in the buffer solution.
- Wait about 10 minutes for the reading to stabilise.
- Tap Calibrate pH 7.00 — or Calibrate pH 10.00 — to send the command.
What interferes with the measurement
If readings are fluctuating more than you expect, work through this chapter before recalibrating. The causes fall into two groups: mechanical, tied to the equipment and the sample, and chemical, tied to your aquarium water. In the vast majority of support cases the cause is in the first group.
13.1 Mechanical causes
| Cause | How to identify and resolve it |
|---|---|
| Unequal aeration between the chambers | The most frequent one. Check the side valves: both chambers need strong, equivalent airflow, with at least 5 mm of foam. If the air pump is weak, clean the air system or replace the pump. |
| Dirt and biofilm in the chambers | Empty, open the lid, clean, then refill and recalibrate. There is a video of the procedure at https://youtube.com/shorts/qm--dZ7LNUg |
| Worn pH probe | Check Probe Health (Chapter 12). Below 55%, or more than 12 months in use, replace it. |
| Stray voltage in the water | Current leaking from some electrical device in the aquarium interferes with the probe reading. Test by switching devices off one at a time. |
| Unrepresentative sample | Move the hose tip: away from detritus, from the skimmer and from the balling dosing point. |
| Sharp temperature swings | Move the equipment away from the chiller or any heat source. |
13.2 Your aquarium chemistry
This group of causes is less common, but it is usually the most confusing when it shows up — because the equipment is still working perfectly and yet disagrees with your chemical test. It is worth understanding why.
The table below gathers what affects the measurement, the normal range for a reef aquarium and the point beyond which it is worth investigating:
| Parameter | Normal range | Watch from | Why it weighs on the measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinity | 34 to 36 ppt (1.025–1.027) | outside 33–37 ppt | The most influential deviation of all. The entire chemistry of marine water depends on salinity — get it wrong and everything else shifts with it |
| Boron / borate | 4.0 to 5.0 mg/L | above 6 mg/L | The second largest buffer in marine water, behind carbonates. It is also the most likely interferent in practice, because many salts and additives add borate |
| Dissolved organic matter | clear water, active skimmer | yellowing water, skimmer stopped or undersized | Organic acids join the alkalinity sum — and also foul the chambers, adding a mechanical cause on top |
| Ammonia | not detectable | any detectable trace | Shows up in a cycling tank or after losing an animal. It joins the sum and signals that the system is not stable |
| Phosphate (PO4) | 0.03 to 0.10 ppm | above 1.0 ppm | The individual contribution is small; it only starts to weigh at levels far above normal reef values |
| Silicate (SiO2) | below 1 ppm | above 3 ppm | Same situation as phosphate. Relevant for anyone deliberately dosing silicate |
| Temperature | 24 to 27 °C, stable | swings above 2 °C during the cycle | Shifts the chemical equilibria of the sample while it is being analysed |
13.3 Real fluctuation or reading noise?
Putting it to work
Set the target, choose how it corrects, and let the equipment handle the rest.
Target alkalinity, frequency and alerts
This is the screen that governs almost everything: the value you consider ideal, how much variation you tolerate, how often to measure and how you want to be told. You reach it through Configuration → Target Alkalinity.
14.1 Target alkalinity
This is the KH you want to hold. For reef aquariums the usual range is 7 to 9 dKH.
14.2 Tolerance Margin
The margin sets the band around the target within which the equipment considers everything fine. It runs from 0.15 to 1.00 dKH.
14.3 Measurement frequency
The Measure every field sets the interval in hours, from 1 to 24. Since measuring consumes no reagent, there is no cost in measuring often.
| Interval | When it makes sense |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | Aquariums with a calcium reactor, unstable systems, or the first days of use |
| 2 to 4 hours | General use. Good resolution to follow the daily cycle without crowding the graph |
| 6 to 12 hours | Very stable systems, where you only want to watch the trend |
14.4 Time window
Start time and Stop time limit measurements to a period of the day. Leaving both at 00:00 means the equipment measures around the clock.
14.5 Notifications
The field When do you want to be notified sets when the equipment sends e-mail:
| Option | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Never | No measurement e-mails. You still see everything in the app |
| Off target | E-mail only when KH leaves the band set by target and margin |
| Always | E-mail on every completed measurement |
14.6 Sound Alert
Turns the audible warning on or off when KH is outside the band. The panel colour LED keeps working either way.
Monitoring mode
This is the simplest mode: the Aquarino KH measures and warns, but does not act. All correction stays in your hands.
You do not need to configure anything to use it — just leave the Buffer Doser on None and the Co2 Port on Disabled.
| If KH is | What the equipment does |
|---|---|
| Above the band | E-mail with the result, sound alert and red LED |
| Inside the band | E-mail with the result (if configured) and green LED |
| Below the band | E-mail with the result, sound alert and blue LED |
15.1 Who this mode is for
For anyone who already has a working replenishment system — balling with several pumps, or a well-tuned calcium reactor — and wants, above all, to see what is happening.
With the history at hand you can answer questions that used to be guesswork:
- Is my daily alkalinity consumption really what I think it is?
- Does the drop happen during the day or at night?
- Did that water change move KH? By how much?
- After I increased the dose, did the aquarium actually settle?
Correction through the buffer doser
In this mode an external dosing pump connected to the KH Buffer port raises alkalinity when it falls below the band. It is the mode for anyone using 3-in-1 balling, and a good safety net for anyone on a calcium reactor — if the CO2 runs out, the doser holds the fall.
16.1 Choosing the correction mode
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| None | No correction. The doser is never driven |
| Normal | Doses half of what is needed to reach the target, with a maximum of 0.35 dKH per dose |
| Fast | Doses the full difference to the target, within the mode's ceiling |
16.2 Calibrating the dosing pump
Calibrating the pump is what makes an order to "dose 25 mL" actually deliver 25 mL. Doser tubing loses flow with use, so it is worth repeating this from time to time.
Open Configuration → Buffer Doser → Calibration. Three steps:
Step 1 · Fill the tubing
Click Purge and let the pump run until the tubing is completely full of buffer, with no bubbles. Click Stop when done.
Step 2 · Measure what the pump delivers
- Put the end of the tubing into a graduated container — a cylinder, syringe or measuring cup.
- Click Start Calibration. The pump will run for 60 seconds.
- Measure the volume delivered and enter it in Measured volume, in millilitres.
Step 3 · Check
Adjust the Dosing rate and click Test. The equipment should deliver 5 mL of buffer.
| If it delivered | What to do |
|---|---|
| More than 5 mL | Lower the dosing rate and test again |
| Less than 5 mL | Raise the dosing rate and test again |
| 5 mL | Done. The pump is calibrated |
16.3 Telling it what your product yields
With the pump calibrated, the equipment still needs to know what your product yields. The Volume to raise 1.00 dKH field is what turns "dose 0.25 dKH" into millilitres: it wants the volume, in mL, that raises your whole system by 1 dKH.
To work it out you need two numbers — the product's yield and the real water volume of your system.
| Product | Yield (per 100 litres) |
|---|---|
| Barrak — ONE | 5 mL raise 1 dKH |
| Barrak — BUFFER | 5 mL raise 1 dKH |
| Fauna Marin — Reef2Reef | 17 mL raise 1 dKH |
| Tropic Marin — All for Reef | 17.85 mL raise 1 dKH |
| Triton — CO3 | 33 mL raise 1 dKH |
| Aquaforest — KH Buffer | 38 mL raise 1 dKH |
16.4 Maximum per day correction
This is the equipment's safety stop: the total it may raise alkalinity within a continuous 24-hour window. The default is 1.00 dKH per day.
16.5 The buffer reservoir
The screen shows the current content in mL and the percentage left. Set Capacity to your bottle's volume and tap Refill every time you top it up — that is how the equipment knows how much remains.
When the level crosses the percentage set in Custom. → Low KH Buffer %, the indicator turns red on the home screen and you get a warning.
Calcium reactor through the Co2 Port
For anyone running a calcium reactor, the Aquarino KH controls the Co2 Port — a power outlet that switches on and off according to what the aquarium needs. It is the equipment's most sophisticated feature and the one that most reduces your manual work.
17.1 The decision, in one sentence
At every measurement, the equipment decides how many minutes the CO2 port stays on until the next one.
| What happens | |
|---|---|
| 1 · Measures | The aquarium KH, every hour, 24 hours a day |
| 2 · Decides | Compares it with your target and with what happened over the last 24 hours |
| 3 · Drives | Switches the port on for the calculated time. It switches off by itself |
That is 24 decisions a day, 8,760 a year. There is no factory table and no programmed schedule: each unit builds its own model from what it measures in your aquarium. Two aquariums with the same target receive CO2 in different amounts and at different hours, because they consume differently.
17.2 How to connect — pick your scenario
| Your reactor | What to plug into the Co2 Port |
|---|---|
| Without a pH controller | Connect the CO2 solenoid directly to the Co2 Port. The equipment decides, every hour, how long to release CO2 into the reactor. |
| With a pH controller | Leave the solenoid with your pH controller and connect the peristaltic pump to the Co2 Port. The equipment then releases or cuts the reactor's water flow for the time needed. |
17.3 What it looks at to decide
Two things, and each answers a different question.
| What it looks at | The question it answers | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Where KH is now | Where are we? | A single reading, compared with the target. It is trustworthy right away, because the reading error is well below the margin — and it is what makes the equipment react quickly to a water change |
| Where it went over 24 h | Where are we heading? | The difference between KH now and KH 24 hours ago, discounting what the doser added. It is what stops the equipment chasing noise |
17.4 Why 24 hours, and not 1 hour
Two reasons, and both belong to the aquarium — not to the equipment.
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Noise | Over 1 hour, the natural variation of the reading is larger than the real consumption of that period: measuring the rate in that window would be reading noise dressed as information. Over 24 hours the signal is roughly 14× larger than the noise. |
| Photoperiod | Corals consume with the lights on and almost nothing in the dark. A 12-hour window overnight would give nearly zero; 12 hours of daylight would give double the average. Over 24 hours the whole day enters once and the effect cancels itself. |
17.5 It learns your aquarium's routine
Nobody programs a lighting schedule. The equipment discovers your aquarium's rhythm from how it responds — and the photoperiod curve appears on its own in the data.
Knowing which hours the aquarium consumes most, the equipment delivers more CO2 in exactly those hours:
17.6 The result: KH swings less
Same aquarium, same total CO2 for the day. Only the hours it is delivered change — and the difference shows in stability:
Less swing across the day means less stress for corals: KH spends more time near the target and less time at the extremes.
17.7 Three safety stops
None of them depends on you configuring anything.
| Stop | What it does |
|---|---|
| Daily limit | The equipment never tries to move KH by more than 1 dKH a day. More CO2 means more acid entering the aquarium — reactor effluent leaves at a pH near 6 — and abrupt alkalinity change stresses corals |
| Automatic cut | If KH climbs well above your target, the port is cut immediately and only returns once KH comes down. It does not wait for the next measurement |
| Distribution does not add up | The daily routine can reorganise the total, never increase it |
17.8 Ideal range and adjusting the bubble counter
Your job here is just one thing: set the reactor's bubble counter so the port works within the recommended range. Do that, and the equipment handles the rest.
| Period | Ideal range | Why |
|---|---|---|
| During the photoperiod | 75% – 90% | With the lights on consumption is higher — the port should run in the upper range |
| Outside the photoperiod | 15% – 30% | With the lights off consumption falls — the port should run in the lower range |
17.9 How to read the port percentage
Four readings cover almost everything you will see day to day:
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| It varies a lot across the day — 10% in the morning, 70% at night | Normal. That is your aquarium's routine, learned | Nothing |
| It sits at 0% for some hours, with KH above target | Normal. It is correcting downward, on purpose | Nothing |
| It climbs day after day and KH barely follows | The aquarium started consuming more, or the reactor is losing strength | Watch for 2 to 3 days |
| It sits at 100% for hours and KH does not rise | The reactor has reached its limit. Software cannot fix this | Check CO2, media and flow |
17.10 How to read the graph across days
The shape of the graph tells the story. Three shapes matter:
| Shape | What it is | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Wavy and steady | Rises and falls every day in the same pattern, with no long-term trend | This is the healthy state. The equipment found its point and is holding it |
| A step up, then settles | Climbs over a few days and then stabilises at a higher level | The aquarium started consuming more and the equipment followed. Expected after coral growth or a lighting change |
| Climbing without stopping, touching 100% | Grows day after day and starts hitting the ceiling often | The reactor is falling behind. Check CO2, media and flow before KH drops |
17.11 When the reactor cannot keep up
This is the case where the equipment needs you. It shows the symptom; the cause is physical.
What to check, in this order:
- CO2 cylinder empty or low on pressure;
- Calcium media exhausted;
- Effluent flow too low;
- Reactor undersized for the aquarium's volume.
17.12 What the equipment does not do
| Does not | Detail |
|---|---|
| Does not guess your lighting schedule | It learns the routine from the aquarium's response. If you change the photoperiod it takes a few days to relearn — and relearns on its own |
| Does not diagnose the reactor | It shows that the port is at maximum and KH is not rising. The conclusion about CO2, media or flow is yours |
| Does not replace your own reading | The equipment acts on what it measures. If the pH probe is poor, the measurement is poor — and so is the correction. Keep calibration current |
17.13 Correction mode and default status
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Correction mode | Enables or disables automatic control of the Co2 Port. It ships Disabled |
| Default status | Sets whether the port stays on or off when automatic control is disabled, or when the equipment has no basis to decide — during filling, emptying, or right after startup |
Integrating with other equipment
18.1 The KH-OUT port
The Aquarino KH has a side BNC port called KH-OUT. Through it the equipment emits a signal that mimics a pH probe — so your aquarium controller can read the KH value through the pH input it already has.
With that you can build rules in your controller, such as:
- cut the reactor's CO2 when KH is high;
- interrupt the balling cycle if alkalinity rises too far;
- trigger an extra dosing cycle when KH falls.
Calibrating the port
- Connect the BNC cable from the KH-OUT port to your controller's pH input.
- On the screen, select Simulate pH 7 and set the low calibration point on your controller.
- Select Simulate pH 10 and set the high point.
- Return to Current KH so the equipment resumes sending the real reading.
18.2 Integrating with the Aquarino Controller
If you have an Aquarino Controller, the integration is direct and needs no cable:
- Open your Aquarino Controller in the app.
- Go to the Controller's System screen and copy the UUID.
- Return to the Aquarino KH, under Configuration → Aquarino Controller Integration.
- Paste the value into the Controller UUID field and tap Apply.
The first seven days
This chapter is a route. If you have just installed the equipment, follow it and by the end of the first week you will have an Aquarino KH tuned to your aquarium — and, more importantly, the confidence of knowing why it is tuned that way.
Day 1 — install and calibrate
- Install the equipment, the hose and the probe (Chapters 4 and 5).
- Install the app, create your account and add the equipment (Chapters 6 and 7).
- Run a full calibration with a chemical test you trust (Chapter 10).
- Set target and margin (Chapter 14). Leave correction off for now.
- Set the interval to 1 hour and notification to Always.
Days 2 and 3 — observe
- Change nothing. Let the equipment measure.
- Once a day, open Graphs and look at the last 24 hours.
- Check the aeration in both chambers (Chapter 13) — it is the adjustment that most affects reading quality.
By the end of the third day you should be able to answer: what is my aquarium's daily KH swing, and does it follow the photoperiod?
Day 4 — check against the chemical test
- Run a chemical test at the same time of day and from the same collection point as the equipment.
- Compare it with the value measured at that hour.
- If the difference is smaller than your kit's margin of error (± 0.30 dKH), all is well — do not recalibrate.
- If it is larger, run a partial calibration (Chapter 11).
Days 5 and 6 — turn correction on
- If you use 3-in-1 balling or want the safety net: set the Buffer Doser to Normal and calibrate the pump (Chapter 16).
- If you use a calcium reactor: enable the Co2 Port and start watching the hourly percentages (Chapter 17).
- Follow the event log in Logs to see the decisions the equipment is making.
Day 7 — adjust and settle
- Calcium reactor: set the bubble counter so the port lands in the ideal ranges (75–90% during the photoperiod, 15–30% outside it).
- Doser: if you see daily-limit warnings, the problem is your main replenishment, not the Aquarino KH.
- Change notification from Always to Off target.
- If the system is steady, you can raise the measurement interval to 2–4 hours — unless you are using the Co2 Port, which requires the hourly cadence.
Getting to know the screens
Where each piece of information lives, and what it is telling you.
Home screen
The home screen exists to answer, in three seconds, the question you ask every morning: is my aquarium all right?
20.1 Status bar
Present on every screen, it shows four states of the equipment:
| Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Alert | Lit when KH is outside the band set by target and margin |
| Wi-Fi | The equipment is connected to your network |
| Internet | The equipment has internet access and can reach the Aquarino cloud |
| Update | A new version is available to install |
On the right there are also the screen lock button, which prevents accidental taps, and the red stop button, which immediately interrupts whatever is running.
20.2 Alkalinity
The main block shows the current KH in large type, in the unit you chose, with a word underneath giving the trend — _stable_, for example.
Beside it are the highest and lowest values of the period, which show your aquarium's swing at a glance. Two close numbers mean a stable system; two distant ones, a system that oscillates.
20.3 Measurement
While a cycle is running, this block shows the percentage complete, the current stage and the time remaining. Outside a cycle it shows the date and time of the last and next measurement, and the suggested date for the next calibration.
20.4 Indicators
Nine dials show the state of the parameters the equipment tracks:
| Indicator | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Probe Health | Quality index of the pH probe, 0 to 100% (Chapter 12) |
| CO2 Air | Ambient CO2 concentration, in ppm. Between 400 and 600 ppm is usual indoors |
| CO2 Water | CO2 concentration in the aquarium water, in ppm |
| KH Buffer | How much is left in the doser reservoir, as a percentage. Turns red below the configured limit |
| Co2 Port | Percentage the port is driven for in the current hour (Chapter 17) |
| Calcium, Magnesium, Nitrate, Phosphate | Parameters you enter manually, from your own tests. The Aquarino KH does not measure these — it stores and displays them so you have the whole picture on one screen |
20.5 Last measurements
The line graph shows recent alkalinity and pH readings side by side. It is where the daily swing shows most clearly — and where you notice a trend before it becomes a problem.
Graphs
If the home screen answers "is everything fine right now?", the graphs screen answers "what has been happening?". It is the equipment's most powerful tool for anyone who wants to understand their own aquarium.
21.1 Choosing what to see
At the top you set the period — the last 24 hours or a specific month — and select the series to display:
| Series | What it records |
|---|---|
| KH | The measured alkalinity |
| pH | The aquarium pH (requires the probe to be calibrated) |
| CO2 Air | Ambient CO2 |
| CO2 Water | CO2 dissolved in the water |
| Co2 Port | The port's drive percentage, hour by hour |
| Buffer (mL) | Volume delivered by the buffer pump |
| Buffer KH | How much alkalinity that dose represented |
21.2 Line or table
The toggle switches between the line graph, better for spotting trends and patterns, and table view, better for checking exact values hour by hour.
21.3 Automatic comparisons
Below the selectors, three cards answer the most common questions without you having to interpret the graph:
| Comparison | What it is for |
|---|---|
| vs. same time yesterday | Isolates the daily variation. If 3 pm today differs from 3 pm yesterday, something genuinely changed |
| vs. previous hour | Shows the recent movement — how fast KH is rising or falling |
| vs. day average | Places the current reading within its own day, separating the normal from the exceptional |
21.4 Exporting
The two icons beside the period selector export the history as a spreadsheet or as an image. The spreadsheet opens in Excel or Google Sheets and lets you build your own analyses, compare months and follow the system's long-term evolution.
Logs
The event log tells you, in order, everything the equipment did and why. It is the first screen to open when something did not go as expected.
Every record has a type — Info for normal operation, Warning for situations worth your attention — and an icon showing whether it has been synced to the cloud.
22.1 Messages you will come across
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
Measurement started | A cycle began |
Measurement finished: KH = 8.01 dKH | The cycle ended with that result |
Buffer dosed: 35.0 ml (KH +0.35) | The doser ran, with the volume and the expected effect |
Dose skipped: daily correction limit reached | The 24-hour quota is spent. If this appears often, your main replenishment is undersized (Chapter 16) |
Re-test | The measurement diverged sharply from the previous one and the equipment repeated it to confirm |
CO2 port 45% (27 min) | The Co2 Port plan for the coming hour (Chapter 17) |
Buffer empty | The doser reservoir has run out |
Custom. — preferences
This screen holds display preferences. Nothing here changes how the equipment works — only how it presents itself to you.
| Preference | Options |
|---|---|
| Language | Portuguese or English |
| LED | Turns the panel lights on or off. Useful if the equipment sits in a living space |
| Hour | 12- or 24-hour format |
| Alkalinity | Unit of measurement: dKH, ppm CaCO3 or mEq/L |
| Date | Date display format |
| Low KH Buffer % | The percentage at which the reservoir indicator starts warning: 5, 10 or 20% |
| Calibration Reminder | Reminder frequency: weekly, monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly |
System and Status
24.1 The System screen
It holds the equipment's identification, its network details and the maintenance actions.
| Information | What it is for |
|---|---|
| UUID | The equipment's unique identifier. It is what you give to support, and what you use for the Aquarino Controller integration |
| Firmware | Version of the equipment's internal system |
| Manager | Version of the interface |
| License | Licensing status. Equipment registered with your e-mail shows as Licensed — if it shows otherwise, check the User E-mail field (Chapter 6) |
| Uptime | How long the equipment has run without restarting |
| MAC address | Network identity. This is what you use to reserve its IP on your router |
| SSID / IP | The network it is connected to and the address to reach it |
Available actions
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| System Status | Opens the detailed diagnostics (section 24.2) |
| Date/Time | Sets the internal clock |
| Configuration | Shortcut to the configuration screen |
| Wifi Settings | Changes the Wi-Fi network |
| Restart | Restarts the equipment. No settings are lost |
| Shutdown | Ends operation safely before you unplug it |
| Factory Reset | Erases all settings and returns to the original state |
24.2 System Status
This is the diagnostics screen. You will probably never need it — but when you do, it is the one support will ask you to open.
| Block | What it reports |
|---|---|
| Alkalinity | Reference KH, tank KH, pH, fill and calibration dates |
| Analog pH | Health, noise, millivolts, whether it is calibrated, and probe slope |
| Device | Internal health: I2C, clock, memory card, filesystem, free memory and fragmentation |
| I/O | State of inputs and outputs, including the air pump and the Co2 Port |
| Network | DHCP, signal quality, error counters, last cloud sync and MQTT state |
| Levels | Level sensors for chambers A, B and C |
| Doser | State of each dosing pump |
| Automation | Process in progress, error, elapsed and remaining time, and percentage |
Maintenance and support
Routine care, fixes for the common problems, and how to reach us.
Maintenance routine
The Aquarino KH asks little, but it asks regularly. This routine keeps measurements trustworthy over the years.
| Frequency | What to do |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Look at the last 24 hours in the graph · check the aeration foam in both chambers · check the buffer reservoir level |
| Monthly | Run a chemical test and compare with the equipment · partial calibration if needed · inspect the chambers visually |
| Quarterly | Clean the chambers internally, then run a full calibration · check the doser tubing |
| Yearly | Replace the pH probe and log the replacement · replace the doser's internal tubing |
25.1 Cleaning the chambers
- Empty the reservoirs completely under Configuration → Reservoirs → Empty.
- Open the lid and clean the inside of the chambers.
- Close it, run Fill and perform a full calibration (Chapter 10).
There is a video of the procedure at https://youtube.com/shorts/qm--dZ7LNUg
25.2 Memory card
The card holds the history, the event log and the interface files. When it fails, the symptoms are characteristic: graphs stop appearing, updates do not complete, or System Status shows SD: Not Detected.
The fix is to format or replace the card. Talk to support first — in many cases we can identify the cause remotely.
25.3 pH probe
- Rinse only with distilled water; never wipe the bulb with cloth or paper.
- Never let the probe dry out — more than 30 minutes in the air can damage it permanently.
- Replace it every 12 months, or sooner if Probe Health falls below 55%.
- Always log the change under Configuration → pH Probe → Log probe replacement.
Troubleshooting
26.1 KH readings fluctuating
This is the most reported symptom, and it almost always has one of these causes. Work through them in order:
| # | Check | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aeration in both chambers | Set the side valves for strong, equivalent airflow, with at least 5 mm of foam. If the air pump is weak, clean the air system or replace the pump |
| 2 | Probe age and health | Over 12 months in use, or Health below 55%, replace the probe |
| 3 | Chamber cleanliness | Empty, open the lid, clean, refill and recalibrate |
| 4 | Aquarium chemistry | Borate, phosphate, silicate or organic matter above normal affect the measurement |
| 5 | Stray voltage in the water | Check for current leaking from aquarium equipment |
| 6 | Lanthanum in use | Suspend measurements during treatment and for 6 to 12 hours afterwards |
| 7 | Hose position | Move it away from detritus, the skimmer and the dosing point |
| 8 | Still fluctuating | Contact support: we can assess the reading circuit's statistics remotely |
26.2 Other symptoms
| Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|
| Software updates do not complete | Format or replace the memory card |
| Graphs do not appear | Format or replace the memory card |
| System Status shows SD: Not Detected | Format or replace the memory card |
| Noise during aeration | Check the air pump's mounting — use silicone glue or double-sided tape |
| Noise from the dosing pumps | Clean or replace the internal tubing |
| Traces of water in a dosing pump | Replace that pump's internal tubing immediately |
| Internal reservoir level low | Usually a consequence of power cuts during measurements. Empty completely, refill and recalibrate. If it persists, a level sensor may have a sealing fault — contact support |
| Equipment restarting on its own | Check the power supply and the memory card |
| Trouble reaching it through the cloud or app | Check Wi-Fi signal quality and internet access under System → System Status → Network |
| Daily correction limit warning, always | Not a fault. Your main replenishment is undersized — increase the balling dose or the reactor rate (Chapter 16) |
| Co2 Port always at 100% and KH falling | The reactor is not delivering: CO2 empty, media exhausted, valve blocked or too few bubbles (Chapter 17) |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to calibrate the pH probe for the equipment to measure KH?
No. KH measurement works with the probe uncalibrated. Calibration is what lets the equipment display your aquarium's real pH. What matters for confidence in the measurement is Probe Health (Chapter 12).
How often should I compare against a chemical test?
Weekly for the first month, monthly after that. Remember your kit has a margin of error of about ± 0.30 dKH — differences of that size do not justify recalibrating.
Does measuring 24 times a day cost anything?
There is no reagent consumption and no cost per measurement. The only effect is normal wear on moving parts, which the maintenance routine in Chapter 25 already covers.
Does the Aquarino KH replace my balling or calcium reactor?
No. It makes small corrections and holds stability within the limits you set. Replacing daily consumption remains your main system's job.
Can I use it on a freshwater aquarium?
The Aquarino KH is designed and calibrated for marine aquariums. Its measurement method starts from the properties of saltwater.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Nothing essential. The equipment keeps measuring, correcting and recording normally. While the internet is out you can still reach it at its IP address from any browser on your network (Chapter 8). When the connection returns, the history syncs.
And if the power fails?
It resumes on its own when power returns. If the cut caught a measurement halfway, that sample is discarded for safety. Frequent cuts lower the internal level over time — in that case, run a full calibration.
Can I have more than one Aquarino on the same account?
Yes. The app lists every piece of equipment you have access to, whether yours or shared with you.
Why does my KH vary through the day?
Because the aquarium's consumption varies: with the lights on, photosynthesis and calcification increase. A gentle daily variation is normal and healthy. What matters is the trend across several days — and that is exactly what the graph reveals.
I changed a setting. Do I need to restart?
No. Settings take effect at the next measurement. A restart is only needed after changing the Wi-Fi network.
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Application | Marine aquariums |
| Measured parameter | Alkalinity (KH) |
| Units | dKH, ppm CaCO3, mEq/L |
| Method | Patented, no reagents |
| Measurement frequency | 1 to 24 measurements per day |
| Cycle duration | Approximately 30 minutes |
| Upward correction | External dosing pump through the KH Buffer port |
| Downward correction | CO2 solenoid or peristaltic pump control through the Co2 Port |
| Correction limit | Configurable; 1.00 dKH per 24-hour period by default |
| Sensor | pH probe with BNC connector, 12-month nominal service life |
| Integration outputs | KH-OUT (BNC, emulates a pH interface) and Aquarino Controller integration |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz (802.11 b/g/n) |
| Access interfaces | Aquarino app (Android and iOS) and a local browser interface on your own network |
| Notifications | E-mail, sound alert and indicator LED |
| Data logging | History and events on a memory card, with spreadsheet export |
| Updates | Over the network, with a notice in the interface |
| Power | Universal-voltage 12 V / 5 A supply (included) |
| Enclosure | Acrylic case |
Support and warranty
29.1 How to reach us
Whenever you need guidance or assistance, talk to us. We are here to help.
| Channel | Address |
|---|---|
| aquarinocontroller@gmail.com | |
| WhatsApp — user group | https://chat.whatsapp.com/FzMLrfGnoCLFy1P7RaOOOB |
| Website | https://www.aquarino.com.br/ |
| YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/aquarino |
| https://www.facebook.com/AquarinoController |
29.2 Warranty
Aquarino warrants that the Aquarino KH has passed rigorous quality testing and carries a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase, covering manufacturing defects and technical problems that compromise its proper operation.
Conditions
- The warranty follows the product: if you sell it before the term ends, the new owner has the same rights.
- The product must be used according to this manual and for its intended purpose.
- The warranty does not cover damage from misuse, drops, accidents, improper installation, unauthorised modification, use of parts or accessories that are not recommended, or problems arising from inadequate power supply or voltage variation.
- To claim the warranty, present the purchase invoice and describe the problem found.
- Repair or replacement takes up to 30 days from delivery of the product to the authorised service centre.
- If the product is under warranty and cannot be repaired, Aquarino reserves the right to replace it with a new one.
How to claim
Get in touch through any of the channels above, with your invoice at hand and a description of the problem. Our team will guide you through the next steps.
Thank you for choosing the Aquarino KH. Enjoy the hobby!