Is it safe to use Baking Soda to raise kH?

[BumBumBee]

I saw it mentioned in an other post?:confused:

[OrionGirl]

Baking soda can be used top adjust water parameters, but it should be done carefully, with much testing, until you hit on the right amount and stable levels. Why do you want to raise your KH?

[wetmanNY]

Yes it's safe, if you use it cautiously, a little at a time, and wait for the sodium bicarbonate to show its effect before you add more.

You're using bicarbonate of soda, not baking powder.

Because "bicarb" is soluble, it works swiftly and expends all its pH-raising power in one blast.

Along with it, you want another source of carbonates to steady the alkalinity and slowly raise the pH. That's why you also hear about "crushed coral" or aragonite, the same stuff that's used for "sand" in marine reef tanks. Just a little in the filter.

Sodium bicarbonate for the quick boost now. Aragonite for the long haul...

[BumBumBee]

I'm sort of confused. If I want kH to have stable PH, but it raises PH, can I not have stable LOW PH?

[Faramir]

You can, if you add CO2.

What sort of stable pH are you looking for?

[BumBumBee]

6.5-6.8 for discus. I want some plants as well. I have a 45 gallon tank. UGF with 2-Hagen 802 power heads. I'm also getting a large canister. 4-30W lights and a heater. It's been running empty for 2 weeks. I'm also getting large amounts of driftwood.

[RTR]

What is your tap water GH, KH, pH?

Are you doing any water modification from the tap to the tank now?

[Faramir]

This is where my chemistry gets a little shaky. If you add peat, which adds humic and tannic acids to the water, does this lower the pH purely by using up the buffer? In other words, would it mess up for example the KH/pH/CO2 table? If so, then peat filtration would allow you to lower the pH to your desired level without lowering the KH.

If this is the case, does it mean that using peat in a planted tank with CO2 injection would result in an over-estimate of the amount of CO2 that is present?

And should this matter be addressed in the newbie forum.

[BumBumBee]

My tap water has no kH apparently. The test change colors immediately. The PH is between 8 and 9 ( I know that broad but I don’t remember exactly) The gH is high, I don’t have a number. I have been mixing tap and purified water to change water with. What is the difference between “base” and “alkaline”?

[carpguy]

Your numbers don't make any sense. If you have no KH you shold see low PH numbers, not the very high ones you seem to remember having. You need to retest and may need some new kits (if the ones you have don't gibe with each other).

Is there anything in the tank that might be tampering with your chemistry (substrate, rocks, etc.)

What do you mean by "purified" water? RO, distilled, filtered, spring? These can have very different chemical characteristics…

I think the main difference between base and alkaline is that one is a noun and the other an adjective -- a base is alkaline. Not a chemist (disclaimer).

HTH

[wetmanNY]

You'll see a brief description of the softening metjhod your utility uses, which leaves you with a temporary high pH and low KH at www.skepticalaquarist.com in the Water folder.

[karfixer]

My tapwater has a Ph of 8.2 Gh of 12-13 Dh and a Kh of 4Dh. This is consistant with several test kits, I've got a high Ph freshwater kit to get more precise readings. If you aren't haveing any major Ph swings and the fish aren't showing signs of distress, it's probably best not to mess with the chemistry of your water too much- the law of unintended consequences ya know (this is closely related to Murphy's Law) My .02 worth, Steve.

[avoxo]

My water parameters out of the tap is, ph +8.8, gh 53.7 ppm, KH 0 ppm. After getting some great advice from Wetman, we found out that my water supply company adds quick lime to increase ph to keep the pipes from rusting.

Just my 2 cents.
Avoxo