# How much baking soda



## munky2000r (Sep 15, 2003)

i have a 20 gal tank w/ the water PH droppin to 6.3, i've been reading that alkaline nature of baking soda will make the ph rise... is there a formula to using it

i've been doing the weekly water change and my tap water has a ph of around 7.3, so i dunno why its been dropping... have live plants in the tank and my spilo is acting normal so maybe its not a problem?

just need some input, thnx


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

i say let it be then
if your spilo is ok then its ok


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## munky2000r (Sep 15, 2003)

alright cool


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## Ugenstugen (Jan 6, 2004)

Do you have any wood in your tank? I had a few pieces of driftwood and it brought my ph down significantly.


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## munky2000r (Sep 15, 2003)

na just gravel, 3 big rocks which are aquarium safe, live plants


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

as far as baking soda goes, add 1 table spoon per 5-10g, but just keep monitoring, add your initial dosage and give it 30mins to an hour before you test and add accordingly once you get an idea of the amount ph rose after first dosage. this is what i done any way, but in my opinion your ph is a little low but bareable


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2004)

Actually, one tablespoon per 10 gallons is alot. It's been a long time since I used sodium bicarbonate so I forget the specifics, but I think one tablespoon brought a 29 gallon of mine from pH 6.0 to pH 7+ overnight.

I would start at about an eighth of a tablespoon and wait overnight to see what changed.

Either way, baking soda is a very temporary solution to pH control. It needs to be replaced with every water change and it eventually diffuses out of the tank as carbon dioxide.


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

your probably right, my ph was around 4-5 so it was extra low, one thing i did notice it didnt have a long term effect.


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## Jeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

maybe i am wrong but my lfs guy told me that baking soda brings your ph up to 8.3 depending on the amount added. So you should be very careful not tooo add to much because the fluxuating ph can be more stressful.


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## munky2000r (Sep 15, 2003)

i put in 1/8 in and seems to have done the trick, no problems w/ my spilo also


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