Was told this at my LFS is this true?
- Thread starter wwfstyle
- Start date
mandarin w
Member
Baking soda will raise your alk. I use it all the time. BUT, BUT, this is very important. DON'T just get baking soda and dump some in your tank. You need to test your tank, and see where all your levels are. Then I go to a speacial web site. post my level there and it will tell me exactly how much to add. If you add to much, too quickly. And that is anything you would use not just baking soda. You could send your tank into a presipe, episode. It usally will clear in a day, but it is very hard on your corals.
fender
Active Member
Always mix and dissolve with fresh clean water before using....
Baking Soda is Sodium Bicarbonate.
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require about 16 grams of baking soda.
Adding a solution of dissolved Sodium Bicarbonate will have a slight pH DECREASE on immediate addition.
Adding ~0.5 meq/l of alkalinity will cause the pH to drop by about 0.04 pH units immediately upon addition. The pH may later rise if the aquarium is permitted to release excess CO2
Washing Soda (aka baked baking soda) is sodium carbonate. It can be made from Baking soda by heating in the over at 300 degrees for about an hour or so to drive off water and CO2.
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require 10 grams of washing soda.
Adding washing soda will have a pH elevating effect because the solution of disolved Sodium Carbonate has a high pH.
Adding ~0.5 meq/l of alkalinity using this solution will then have the pH rise about 0.15 to 0.35 pH units immediately upon addition.
You need twice as much baking soda as washing soda to get the same Alk increase. One level teaspoon = ~6 grams of either baking or washing soda.
Washing soda you buy in the store is not as pure as baking soda, so I suggest you make your own from baking soda.
When adding Alk make sure you know where your calcium is. They are like a seesaw, you have to keep them in balance....
Here is the chart that is in the FAQs...
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity_____Calcium
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)__(ppm Ca++)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
[hr]
360
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
[hr]
370
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
[hr]
380
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
[hr]
390
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
[hr]
400
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
[hr]
410
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
[hr]
420
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
[hr]
430
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
[hr]
440
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
[hr]
450
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
[hr]
460
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
[hr]
470
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
[hr]
480
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
[hr]
490
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
[hr]
500
NOTE: pH is a side effect not the goal... DON"T ADD BUFFER TO FIX pH PROBLEMS.
Baking Soda is Sodium Bicarbonate.
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require about 16 grams of baking soda.
Adding a solution of dissolved Sodium Bicarbonate will have a slight pH DECREASE on immediate addition.
Adding ~0.5 meq/l of alkalinity will cause the pH to drop by about 0.04 pH units immediately upon addition. The pH may later rise if the aquarium is permitted to release excess CO2
Washing Soda (aka baked baking soda) is sodium carbonate. It can be made from Baking soda by heating in the over at 300 degrees for about an hour or so to drive off water and CO2.
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require 10 grams of washing soda.
Adding washing soda will have a pH elevating effect because the solution of disolved Sodium Carbonate has a high pH.
Adding ~0.5 meq/l of alkalinity using this solution will then have the pH rise about 0.15 to 0.35 pH units immediately upon addition.
You need twice as much baking soda as washing soda to get the same Alk increase. One level teaspoon = ~6 grams of either baking or washing soda.
Washing soda you buy in the store is not as pure as baking soda, so I suggest you make your own from baking soda.
When adding Alk make sure you know where your calcium is. They are like a seesaw, you have to keep them in balance....
Here is the chart that is in the FAQs...
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity_____Calcium
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)__(ppm Ca++)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
[hr]
360
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
[hr]
370
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
[hr]
380
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
[hr]
390
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
[hr]
400
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
[hr]
410
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
[hr]
420
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
[hr]
430
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
[hr]
440
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
[hr]
450
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
[hr]
460
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
[hr]
470
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
[hr]
480
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
[hr]
490
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
[hr]
500
NOTE: pH is a side effect not the goal... DON"T ADD BUFFER TO FIX pH PROBLEMS.