View Full Version : Alka Seltzer PH fix?
kreblak
06-17-2003, 9:29 PM
While at my LFS tonight I overheard a customer ask an employee why her PH levels were dropping. During the conversation it was revealed that she had never once performed a water change. Obviously her PH levels were dropping because her saltwater had lost its buffering capacity. The employee instructed her to drop an Alka Seltzer tablet into the tank for a quick fix. He said that the sodium bicarbonate would help raise the PH.
Is there any truth to this? My chemistry knowledge isn't anywhere close to knowing whether or not sodium bicarbonate will raise the PH level of her seawater. Also, I do know that Alka Seltzer contains aspirin. Wouldn't that cause problems?
mogurnda
06-18-2003, 10:43 AM
Amazing what people can suggest. Lots of us use sodium bicarbonate in various forms to maintain alkalinity, but always in a controlled manner. Alka Seltzer has aspirin and godknowswhatelse.
I hope he also suggested a water change.
kreblak
06-18-2003, 11:42 AM
Oh, believe me, he suggested a water change all right... and a 29 gallon aquarium to mix up the new water, and a bucket of salt, and a powerhead for movement, and a heater! At that point I couldn't help but step in and suggest that the woman buy a bucket of Instant Ocean so she could get the free powerhead. I was then shushed and directed to the new Emperor Snapper that had come in. It had Ich. I need a new LFS...
mogurnda
06-18-2003, 12:08 PM
Well, everything except the tank sounds OK. I heat and circulate my water in a garbage pail before changes.
I need a new LFS indeed
kreblak
06-18-2003, 12:27 PM
I use old salt buckets for mixing. Does the trick nicely. I have also found that the heater needed is the bare minimum. I have a 50 watt heater that works just fine on the 5 to 10 glalons in the bucket at any given time.
On a side note, a neighbor's dog tried to drink out of my water bucket one hot day. I have never seen a dog actually make a *yuk* face, but this one did! For some reason I found that exceedingly funny. I think its because the dog loves to crap everywhere...
mogurnda
06-18-2003, 1:23 PM
lol. Which is unfortunate, because I am supposed to be working. My student must wonder how data can be so funny.