# how to raise the ph in my tank



## trenttrent

just want t know some ways to raise the ph in my tank naturally without chemicals


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## kinesis

Check out the Rift Lake Buffer Recipe in the library and you can use crushed coral in the filter also.


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## BillD

What is the pH?


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## daninflorida

i know you said you want to raise the pH naturally and not with chemicals. I went through the same thing myself, however, after giving it a lot of thought, i decided to go the chemical route. I add baking soda to the water, which raises the pH and adds some hardness.

the reason for this decision was all about keeping the pH constant. At first this doesnt seem to go with changing the pH chemically, but here is my reasoning: My pH from the tap is around 7.3, and i wanted to keep my tank at 8.0. so say if your tank was at 8, from keeping some kind of substrate that buffers your water, and now you do a 30-40% water change. by adding all that water at a much lower pH, you are going to lower the pH in your tank. it will eventually creep up due to leaching of the substrate, that will take a few days. Then you have to do another water change another week later. that is a constant cycle of up and down pH changes, which i wanted to avoid.

so, i added a small amount of baking soda to the water to get it to 8.0. the pH stays constant and i never add anymore. when i do a water change, i add a little bit of soda to the new water in the bucket, make sure it is around 8 and pour it in.

the pH never changes in my tank, which was my goal, and i dont have to keep adding any chemicals between water changes. a win-win in my book


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## torin32

I buy cichlid buffer its easy and it works but baking soda workds too. Costs me 8 bucks or less and last me a long time easy mix guides aswell.


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## triscuit

I simply use baking soda (sodium carbonate) which is the simplest way to get to 8.2.

Crushed coral, limestone, aragonite- none of the solid substrates will actually help beyond a short term bump from dust. The rate of dissolution is very slow in neutral water. For CaCO3 to dissolve measurably, you'd have to add acidic water.


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## duke105077

i dont use chemicals at all. i have a 55 gal. mbuna tank and when i do water changes, i use a 5 gallon bucket and in it i put: 1 Tsp. epsom salt, 1 Tsp. coarse grain kosher salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda. the ph stays at a constant 8.2, the hardness and alkalinity are perfect as well.


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## ebjdftw

If you just use baking soda, what is the amount per gallon that you use?


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## DJRansome

Here is the article in the Library that gives you the starting amounts. Experiment with a measured amount of your tap water in a bucket (one gallon? five gallons?) and test the pH. When you get the pH you want, add the equivalent amount to your tank. Change pH very slowly since the fish are sensitive to it.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php


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## apex82

I used baking soda initially on the tank and then placed crushed coral in the filter. I only need to add more baking soda if I do greater than a 30% water change. When I do a 15% water change the crushed coral buffer keeps it at 7.8 so I dont have to add baking soda everytime I do a change.


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## 4GBL

What is the risk of using a chemical based product like "PH up"? I simply add a teaspoon and a half after each water change to my 55 gallon and I constently maintain a ph of 8.0.


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## DJRansome

Expense? It may have baking soda as the main ingredient.


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## mbargas

torin32 said:


> I buy cichlid buffer its easy and it works but baking soda workds too. Costs me 8 bucks or less and last me a long time easy mix guides aswell.


Interesting that the commercially available Cichlid Buffer doesn't list the ingredients. How do we know that it isn't just plain baking soda?


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## mbargas

duke105077 said:


> i dont use chemicals at all. i have a 55 gal. mbuna tank and when i do water changes, i use a 5 gallon bucket and in it i put: 1 Tsp. epsom salt, 1 Tsp. coarse grain kosher salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda. the ph stays at a constant 8.2, the hardness and alkalinity are perfect as well.


That seems to me like a lot of sodium. Consider for example that the sodium content of lake Malawi is only about 20 ppm.
You've got at least 10x the concentration of sodium.


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## DJRansome

I've seen some list ingredients, and sodium bicarb is right up there.


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## mbargas

mbargas said:


> duke105077 said:
> 
> 
> 
> i dont use chemicals at all. i have a 55 gal. mbuna tank and when i do water changes, i use a 5 gallon bucket and in it i put: 1 Tsp. epsom salt, 1 Tsp. coarse grain kosher salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda. the ph stays at a constant 8.2, the hardness and alkalinity are perfect as well.
> 
> 
> 
> That seems to me like a lot of sodium. Consider for example that the sodium content of lake Malawi is only about 20 ppm.
> You've got at least 10x the concentration of sodium.
Click to expand...

And one other point. The amount of magnesium seems much higher than necessary. I tsp epsom salt contains about 2.5 grams of magnesium or 2500 mg.
Put 2500 mg of magnesium in 20L (5 gal) and you get 125mg/L of magnesium. Thats much higher than the magnesium concentration in the lake which is only about 5-8 mg/L.

http://malawicichlids.com/mw01011.htm


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