# Messed Up Today Used Baking Powder



## kane

Hi all

Messed up today I used baking powder to raise my ph but relised after that baking powder does contain Sodium Bicarbonate however it also contains Acid Sodium Pyrophosphate, wheat flour, raising agent and Gluten!









I know I should have used crushed coral but the lfs was shut today so I thought I would cut a corner and use bicrab soda!

I realised I messed up when the water went murky and there was white bits every where! since putting the powder in I have done a 30% water change I did do a 20% change before I stuck the powder in, i have rinsed the internal filter sponges and am planning to rinse the external filter tomorrow and also doing another water change!

I have tested the water since putting the powder in, Ammonia zero, Nitrate zero and PH 6.4.

Reason I wanted to raise the ph was as due to my test kit showing 6.0 and it does say it may well be below that but as the kit does not read below 6.0 we cant be sure by how much, also white mark on My rhombs head and loss of pigmentation making a white patch on its lip.

I was going to get some Aquarium salt and crushed coral tomorrow when the shop opened!

The rhomb is swimming around ok at the moment all seems the same for know!

HAVE I GOT A LOT TO WORRY ABOUT? HAVE I CAUSED PROBLEMS TO THE BIOLOGICAL FILTRATION AND EVEN MORE SO TO THE HEALTH MY RHOMB?

PLEASE HELP









Cheers

kane


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## Ægir

Well because baking powder has acid salt and starch (and little baking soda) you are pretty much out of luck. You are prob going to have to disassemble and clean everything or do several HUGE water changes. Depending on the quantity you added you might see a cycle again.

Also, quit messing with your PH... as long as its stable, its better than one bouncing around.


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## memento

Not your lucky day mate









As Aegir said, clean up the mess as much as possible and then disassemble the filters to clean 'm...
And keep an eye on your parameters. Good luck !


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## kane

not looking promising then









thank you both for your replies









I have done at least 50% water change maybe a bit more cleaned the filters out, checked the parameters 3 times since putting the powder in ammonia and nitrites still zero, ph still 6.4, nitrates between 0 and 0.5 as you would expect with the large water change the big inspection will be in the morning, fish, water parameters! I will again do at least 30% water change tomorrow.

Getting some aquarium salt, good water buffer maybe some good cycle bacteria? and do i get crushed coral?

fish stil swimming around but has been rubbing time to time!

cheers again

kane


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## Ægir

Dont add anything you arent testing for is my rule... throwing quick fixes at things usually makes them worse. If you are frantically cleaning everything and changing stuff, it will just take longer to cycle and you might do more harm than the baking powder. Especially if you kill off all the media or replace it all at once.

Other than water conditioner to remove chlorine, I would just let it be and keep an eye on params. Continue with water changes if you see a spike in ammonia, cloudiness or some visual problem. If things stay in check, let it run

Whats your ph out of the tap?


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## memento

Don't add corals. Don't bother about changing the pH, piranhas do well in a very wide range.
The only important thing about pH, is keeping it stable.

Just keep an eye on your parameters and in a couple of days, check your biological filtration. It probably will get clogged with the soda, so a quick rinsing it off will help you get rid of most of the mess.
Don't wash it thoroughly though, just a quick rinsing to wash away the dirt.


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## kane

thanx again lads you both really have been most helpful









I checked the water parameter before i went work ammonia and nitrites still zero , ph still 6.4, did 10% water change. Just got home from work checked parameters ammonia and nitrites still zero , ph still 6.4 did 30% water change and added easy care to remove chlorine,

The water is cloudy, a different smell to the water from yesterday not as bad and the rhomb seems ok and not rubbing anymore, still active and swimming around.

Shall I leave the feeding until water is back to normal?

cheers

kane









Oh tap ph is between 7.0 and 7.2

cheers

kane


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## memento

Just go on feeding, shouldn't be a problem... in the wild, they're used to water that's not exactly pristine


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## kane

cheers again I will feed it tomorrow

just done another 15 to 20% water change thought the rhomb looked like it was struggling, the smell in the water was quite strong smells like a release of gas?? and not the human kind lol!! i have left one part of the top open and added venturi to the power head that is already breaking the surface as is the external filter spraybar and an air stone.

I did check the water parameters again before the water change all as above nothing changed there the water is still cloudy thought!

kane


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## memento

Try filtering over active carbon, and see if that helps.
It should bind all polar molecules from the water, including organic acids and phenols.


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## kane

Thanx memento I did buy some carbon on my way home from work but I didn't need it as the water had cleared up and the smell has gone, checked the parameters ammonia and nitrites were zero but Ph had gone to 6.6.

Looking promising I will keep you posted

Cheers

Kane


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## Ægir

Adding the venturi on the powerhead and leaving the lid open is helping to release CO2 which can lower your ph.

Maybe your lower PH is being caused by lack of gas exchange? Or a few points of it?


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## kane

Hi aegir only left the lid up for an hour 2 days ago never did that before and same with the venturi started using it 2 days ago used it for a whole day not using it now. Another thing learnt rls of co2 causes lower ph thank you

All seems well at the moment the water has cleared up no more bad smell, the parameters are ammonia and nitrites zero the ph had risen to 6.6 possibly down to the amount of water changes i have done? the tap water is between 7 and 7.2.

I will keep u posted on any changes, oh i am not going to use the carbon now unless i really need to?

Thanx again for all your advice

Kane


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## memento

I would still use the active carbon, for baking powder in water releases sodium ions. Not really harmful, but with ammonia this will react and become sodiumamide.
And that's a catalyst to the remaining sodium ions to react with water and become sodiumoxide, what can make your pH instable.


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## kane

Cheers memento carbon is in 1x100 gram bag in external and 1 in the internal juwel filter

Another thing lads and lasses the issue behind the ph was all down the white marks on the rhombs heads I can't work out if it's hith? I am concerned for it's health it seems fine and hasn't changed in anyway in it's character

Cheers

Kane


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## memento

Post a pic of these white spots if possible.


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## kane

not the best pics but here goes

cheers

kane


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## kane

water parameter ammonia and nitrites zero, ph now between 6.6 and 6.8.

Water is clear and there is no bad smells.

Carbon is being used.

cheers

kane


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## memento

Hard to say for sure from those pics, but if these are pits, it's HITH.
Get rid of the carbon, for it still is believed to be an accelerator of HITH...

What are you feeding your piranhas ?
It is thought to be caused by a poor diet (a nutritional deficiency of one or more of: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus) or lack of variety or a lack of partial water changes.


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## kane

Cheers memento

Water changes were 30% once a week when I first got him parameters were always Ammonia and nitrites zero, nitrates max 10, Ph 6 well the kit wouldn't go below 6.

Food prawns, Sea bass sometimes eats mussles never eat the squid chicken once tried it on lambs heart no go loves the sea bass more then the prawns, what else can I try to get the required vitamins?

It's hard to tell but they do not look like pits or holes!

just removed the carbon, carbon has been in there 2 days do I keep it or throw it away? I do have more for future needs just in case!

Cheers again

Kane


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## kane

Hi all

just to give an update tank is running perfect did not have to crash the system and start again did water changes daily sometimes twice it did the trick as well as using the carbon initially then removing after 2 days my ammonia and nitrites never got effected at all by the baking soda. Rhombs are tough fish and it seems like the whole episode was no stress on it at all the stress was all on me lol!!

well thanx again for all your support and advice oh regards the white marks on the head i used aquarium slat not to much of it though i used it to support the Protozin and along with frequent water changes all seems well.

Diet is mainly sea bass and salmon does not seem to like things like white bait, heart or prawns.

cheers

kane


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## scent troll

glad that things are a-okay. keep it up. lesson learned i suppose huh lol

update if anything changes in the tank, otherwise good to hear


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