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View Full Version : Baking soda for Kh, a few questions



joanr
12-29-2002, 10:13 PM
Hi everyone,

The tap water has been very soft lately, more so than usual. I barely get 1kh reading after aging and aeration for 24hrs. Ph is not holding anymore. Conductivity after 24 hrs is about 165 ms but with equilibrium added. Ph starts out at 7.5 within 36hrs it's down to 6.0 in the tanks. I'm thinking I must add some kh buffers to the storage water, but what is best? I used to use RO vital but it's much too expensive. The seachem equilibrium is not that expensive but doesn't seem to add anything to the kh, just increases gh. I'm more concerned with stabilizing the ph better. This past summer the water was great, but now it's real difficult.

What would be best to add in conjunction with the equilibrium? Alkaline buffer or just plan old baking soda? Also, would epsom salts and baking soda work just as well as the OTC products? Thanks.

Joan

12-30-2002, 01:28 AM
Add baking soda at 1/4 teaspoon per 10 gallons to raise your KH one degree. I'd get it up at least to 3 degrees. Fill a jar with tank water and put the necessary amount of baking soda in there and shake it up really really well. This prevents it from clouding up your aquarium.

Epsom Salt does not raise KH at all, it only raises GH. It is better to use than Equilibrium, solely because of how cheap it is. I then add something like Discus Essential to add those extra little minerals that RO strips out, but you may not need them.

Brad