# How to add baking soda



## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

I'm sure this is elementary to many of you so maybe you could direct me on how to do this. I have a 75 gallon, 55 gallon, 40 gallon breeder and 2-20 breeder tang tanks. After I determine the amount of baking soda to raise the kh (it's at 4 right now out of the tap) how do I add it to that many tanks? I use a python water changer to get water out of the tap. Am I going to have to measure the water I'm adding a five gallon bucket at a time? 
Right now I'm slowly adding water from the tap with the python and adding a concentrated solution of baking soda dripping from a bucket at the same time with Prime added to the tank of course.
How do all of you add your buffers?


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## The Cichlid Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

You can measure the height of your tank and divide this to figure out 25% or 50% or whatever corresponds to your water change. Divide the tank volume to figure out the gallonage. For example, if do a 50% water change on your 55 gallon, you're taking out/replacing 10 inches of water, or about 25 gallons. Basically, just know the percentage of your water change, and you can do simple math to figure out the gallonage.

I usually drain the tank to this mental mark, then refill with the Python. As this is happening, I add a full-tank dose of Prime and the appropriate amount of buffer, dissolved in a cup of tank water.

This may feel reckless, but if you have a good amount of flow, it's not dangerous at all to your fish.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

I have figured out how much water has been removed by the level in the tank and have marked it so I know exactly when I've removed, lets say, 10 or 15 gallons of water. The reason I'm asking is that the Comps seemed to be stressed at water change. I think I might be raising the kh to much or adding it to fast. I need to check my tanks after a week and see if the kh is changing in a weeks time.
The initial change I did very slowly because the kh out of the tap is 4 and now it's 16 with the buffer. Maybe it should be less drastic, a smaller increase like 8 or 10.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Altolamps are infamous for being sensitive to water changes, you have to match parameters closely. Luckily I don't have to add anything so my calvus are fine with huge water changes.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I dump the baking soda and "Safe" into a small jug and fire the stream of water from the python into the jug as I'm holding it over the tank. I change 100g of water in 120g tanks every week and have no problems at all. That is with Tropheus, I would not do such large water changes with Altos. At what point does your ph reach 8.2 when adding the baking soda? I can get my ph to 8.2 by getting my kh up to 12-13. Once you hit 8.2, stop adding baking soda. I had no problem doing it this way when I had Altos, I just took my time raising the k.h in the begining, and did 25% - 1/3rd water changes.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

I think I'm adding to much baking soda. The ph is at 8.2 but the kh is all the way up to 16 or 17 from a value of 4 out of the faucet. I'm going to experiment in a 5 gallon bucket this evening and see if I can get the kh to a more moderate number. Got some testing to do tonight.

I noticed that DJRansome. I have calvus in the same grow out tank and they act like they are not missing a beat with water changes, but the comps act stressed.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

Oh I just thought of one more question. When I'm proceeding with my 5 gal bucket test do I need to wait awhile after adding a dose of baking soda or can I stir and check the kh and ph right away?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I've always checked it right away. But you may want to wait 24 hours after getting the water out of the tap to begin. Some get pH fluctuations because of outgassing.

Like check your tap water immediately and after 24 hours to see if there is a difference.


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## Rare7 (Dec 31, 2014)

Question...why add baking soda? These guys will adapt to your tap water...the shifting oh these trace elements are what will cause stress for them more than its worth when trying to up their vaule.

I have the same KH value off my tap. These guys came from a place that the KH/GH were double since most these fish farms here are tapping into the underground water. They were double the KH/GH of mine and had no issues in adding them or them adapting. Just interested on your thought on this subject

This is whats out of my tap water
ph 7-8
KH 4 
GH 7


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree up to a point. If your pH is not even 7.0 and your KH is 4 and your test results fluctuate wildly then I would bump up a little.

My pH=7.8 and KH=7 so while not perfect...I don't add anything.


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

"This is whats out of my tap water
ph 7-8
KH 4 
GH 7"
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If your KH is only 4, your water has very little buffering capacity, i.e. resistance to to changes in PH. If you get dramatic swings in your PH as what you report seems to indicate ("7 to 8 PH") You have very little PH stability, and that's what can be very dangerous.

Adding baking soda will generally raise PH to most waters, but it's main purpose provides resistance to dramatic changes in PH, by increasing buffering capacity. If I had a PH of 7.8 and a KH of 14, and I added 25ml of hydrochloric acid to 100 gallons the PH may well remain at 7.8. But if I had a PH of 7.8 and only a KH of 4, and I added the same amount of acid, there would probably be a sudden and drastic drop in PH. Acids, such as phosphoric, nitric, carbonic, etc. are natural byproducts of respiration, metabolism, and decay, and form in the aquarium naturally.

I don't add anything as my natural PH is about 8.2 (after pressure and heat equalization/degassing) and my dKH is 14. My PH remains completely stable at 8.2 in the aquarium. But if I only had a dKH 4, I would most definitely raise it.


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## Rare7 (Dec 31, 2014)

Sorry about that should have read 7.8 to 8.0. No swings even with low buffering. PWC every week replenish all mineral that is needed. Even after 2.5 weeks it will still holding when I came back from vacation. How much does my holey rocks pla in that is unknown. When was the last time I checked any levels was well....long long ago.

The question I will like to know is what's the lowest tolerance level that African cichlids will be adapt without trying to buffer.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

I'm kinda of the mindset that I should bump the kh up a little bit since it's at 4. I think it won't take much baking soda to bump that up with a corresponding rise in ph. Both beneficial changes to their water with nothing more than a little baking soda. My ph is only 7.4 and it does drop a tad in the tank after about a week and since I'm breeding these fish I'd rather accomodate them with water to their liking.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

I've finished testing in a 5 gallon bucket.
1st I test the ph and kh straight out of the tap and the readings are as expected ph 7.4 and kh 4
I let the bucket set overnight and tested again and the readings are the same no change in ph.
I then added 1sp of baking soda and it raised the ph to 8.2 and the kh to 12 the gh is 13.
Is that to drastic of a change? Should a put in less baking soda and shoot for a more moderate increase?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes too drastic. You only want to change the tank pH 0.2 or less at a time. I've always done pH=0.2 per week until I ended up where I wanted to be.

I would not go all the way to 8.2 and 12 anyway. Just a nudge to get the end result KH=7 and hopefully pH will land around 7.8.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

ok thank you


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

So once I've got the amount of baking soda calculated and tested correctly it looks as if I could still fill the tank with the python while simultaniously adding the baking soda solution from a bucket. I've been just setting the bucket on top of the tank and letting the concentrated solution run into the tank through an airline hose while filling from the tap using the python.


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