Baking Soda to Raise Ph

[mudplayerx]

Is this method recommended? My alk and ph was a little low so I used some liquid alk buffer from Red Sea, but is it ok to use baking soda to raise ph? If so, how much should I use in a 55 gallon tank? How should it be introduced?
Was it a mistake using alk buffer? Do I even need to raise ph before dosing more kalkwasser?

 

[celacanthr]

well, the sodium may increase algae growth, since it is one of the 3 needed macronutrients, but I am not sure wether "bad" algae is able to process this, i think only macro's can, and vascular plants. Other than that I have NO idea

 

[reefnut]

Baking Soda is fine to use for raising alkalinity but I wouldn't recommend adding anything to raise PH. If you are dripping kalk to maintain the alk/ca and it's running low then you may need to increase the amount of kalk you're dripping or increase its potency if possible to keep up with the alkalinity/calcium demand.

 

[mudplayerx]

Thanks guys... there are times when I have too much classwork and work all at once and I slack on dosing the kalkwasser for a week or so. I'll have to do it religiously from now on. Have never had a problem with my tank and don't want to start now.

 

[reefnut]

In a situation like that... I like Kent Turbo Calcium and Kent Superbuffer myself but Baking Soda and a Calcium supplement to bump the alkalinity and calcium levels up will work just fine.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Is this method recommended?

I've used bags of the stuff. If you think about raising the alk on a 200,000g system.....well this is the only way to go.

Anything else would be crazy expensive.

 

[dogpoor]

According to The Marine Aquarium Handbook by Martin Moe the dosing is 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every 20 gallons of water. Dissolve the baking soda in a cup of your aquarium water and add very slowly to the tank or sump.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by dogpoor
According to The Marine Aquarium Handbook by Martin Moe the dosing is 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every 20 gallons of water. Dissolve the baking soda in a cup of your aquarium water and add very slowly to the tank or sump.
I disagree with Martin. In order to know the proper dosage you need to know the current ALK level and the consumption rate. Blindly dosing any trace element could result in an overdose. 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda will raise the alkalinity of 20 gallons by about 1.0 meq/L so if your ALK is only 0.5 Meq/L low then you'd only want to add 1/2 tsp.

 

[reefnut]

I'd disagree also for the same reasons... another point... NEVER mix the baking soda in a cup of aquarium water. Mix it in fresh (RO/DI, Distilled,etc) water and then add it slowly to the tank.

 

[thomas712]

Baking Soda
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require about 16 grams of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate; sodium hydrogen carbonate). Since a level teaspoon of baking soda weighs just under 6 grams, then 1 teaspoon will raise the alkalinity in that 50 gallons by ~0.4 meq/L (~1 dKH).
Washing Soda
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require 10 grams of washing soda (sodium carbonate). Since a level teaspoon of washing soda weighs just over 6 grams, then 1 teaspoon will raise the alkalinity in that 50 gallons by ~0.6 meq/L (~1.7 dKH).

 

[pfitz44]

Im going with the mods on this one....
Actually, when i was cleaning swimming pools, thats what we use to use to raise the alk of the pools, baking soda. So if you have a pool, dont go to the pool store and spend huge money on an alk booster, go to BJs or Costco and buy a huge thing of baking soda for $10. IF any one is interested in the amount needed on a pool, its 3 lbs to raise it 10 ppm (Avg for a 25,000 gal pool)
Now that i just typed that in.. has anyone thought of making a fishtank out of an inground pool??? :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by PFitz44
Im going with the mods on this one....
Actually, when i was cleaning swimming pools, thats what we use to use to raise the alk of the pools, baking soda. So if you have a pool, dont go to the pool store and spend huge money on an alk booster, go to BJs or Costco and buy a huge thing of baking soda for $10. IF any one is interested in the amount needed on a pool, its 3 lbs to raise it 10 ppm (Avg for a 25,000 gal pool)
Now that i just typed that in.. has anyone thought of making a fishtank out of an inground pool??? :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:
I have a 40' X 20' pool so of course I've thought about it. Mama won't let me

 

[weberian]

Originally Posted by ReefNut
NEVER mix the baking soda in a cup of aquarium water. Mix it in fresh (RO/DI, Distilled,etc) water and then add it slowly to the tank.
Why, what's the difference? Does it dissolve better?

 

[thomas712]

Adding it directly to tank water will cause immediate chemical reaction, too much too fast. Add it to RO water and you can control the reaction better. Add and lets some dissipate, add and let some dissipate.

 

[dburr]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Is this method recommended? My alk and ph was a little low so I used some liquid alk buffer from Red Sea, but is it ok to use baking soda to raise ph? If so, how much should I use in a 55 gallon tank? How should it be introduced?
Was it a mistake using alk buffer? Do I even need to raise ph before dosing more kalkwasser?

One more point to make, if you heat up the baking soda in the oven at 300 for an hour it drives off the water and carbon dioxide. It will boost your PH more. I mix up a whole gallon with RO/DI and use it that way. 297 grams of BS to 1 gallon water. (part 1 of b-ionic in other words)