I can't raise my alkalinity or pH!!!

[Dr Joe]

Baking soda raises ph also.

baking soda or r/o right or maybe even cichlid salt

Sodium Bicarbonate will raise it slowly without much pH change.

Have you double checked your test kit? take samples to two different lfs's for testing maybe.

tb,


I have never tasted dry water before. What are you basing your information on? It sounds pretty ludacris if you ask me.

Some well and city waters have less minerals, causing a dry taste like distilled water.

Organic compounds cause the smell in water.

Inorganic compounds cause the taste in water.

Or he's talking about the stuff the astronauts use .

Dr Joe

.

 

[RadleyMiller]

I know stuff dissolved in water makes the water taste or smell bad. It is just that what Redtail_Watcher said made no sense at all. This water tastes dry. This water is wet. He sounds like Napolean Dynamite. "This milk tastes like a cow got into an onion patch"

 

[tb_077]

tb,

do you want to raise the pH or raise the alkalinity?

I think your best bet would be to raise alkalinity so that water changes do not affect pH and neither does normal tank stuff.

My main concern is raising the alkalinity to a reasonable level and making my pH more stable. I have no problem with my pH being at 6.0, but a safe amount of alkalinity and a pH under 7.0 is tough to achieve.

Baking soda raises ph also.

I've thought about trying that method, but how much should I be adding?? Also, should I just dissolve the baking soda in a cup and pour into the tank??

Try perfect pH 6.5 it buffers pH to 6.5

I've been trying a product, stated in first post, that supposed to stabalize my pH at 7.0, but it hasn't changed anything, which I believe is because I have absolutely no alkalinity.

 

[tb_077]

Also forgot to add....


My pH, alkalinity, etc... all test perfect straight from the tap. Ph out of the tap is between 6.8 and 7.2.

 

[tb_077]

comment????

 

[Dr Joe]

Four teaspoon (about 24 grams) of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) per
gallon of water will increase KH by 4 degrees and will not increase
general hardness. Eight teaspoons (about 16 grams) of calcium carbonate
(CaCO3) per gallon of water will increase both KH and GH by 4
degrees. Different proportions of each can be used to get the correct
KH/GH balance needed by the inhabitants of your tank.

Please read post #18

And a warning http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49300

This is not for everyone

Hope this helps..

I know stuff dissolved in water makes the water taste or smell bad. It is just that what Redtail_Watcher said made no sense at all. This water tastes dry. This water is wet. He sounds like Napolean Dynamite. "This milk tastes like a cow got into an onion patch"

RM, Remember our discussion on experience... This is one I was talking about. I understood his statement perfectly. Tho I detested ND and want those 2hrs of my life back the analogy is correct. Listen and learn, ask questions but reserve comment of things you don't understand yet.

Dr Joe

.

 

[tb_077]

Four teaspoon (about 24 grams) of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) per
gallon of water will increase KH by 4 degrees and will not increase
general hardness. Eight teaspoons (about 16 grams) of calcium carbonate
(CaCO3) per gallon of water will increase both KH and GH by 4
degrees. Different proportions of each can be used to get the correct
KH/GH balance needed by the inhabitants of your tank.

Hope this helps..






RM, Remember our discussion on experience... This is one I was talking about. I understood his statement perfectly. Tho I detested ND and want those 2hrs of my life back the analogy is correct. Listen and learn, ask questions but reserve comment of things you don't understand yet.

Dr Joe

.

So for a 95gal tank, I'd be adding a ton of baking soda??? One concern I've had since the beginning is raising either level too quickly and stressing my rays. In your opinion, whats a safe amount of baking soda to start with???

 

[Dr Joe]

That's the formula, varies slightly between tanks and inhabitants,

I would do a 1/8 dosage and verify a change in the direction you want within three days of dosage.

Mix in a 5g bucket with water from the tank, and slowly add it to the tank, trying to keep any shock to a minimum (I'm usually over-cautious).

After an hour, test.

Dr Joe

.

 

[RadleyMiller]

That's the formula, varies slightly between tanks and inhabitants,

I would do a 1/4 dosage and verify a change in the direction you want within three days of dosage.

Mix in a 5g bucket with water from the tank, and slowly add it to the tank, trying to keep any shock to a minimum (I'm usually over-cautious).

After an hour, test.

Dr Joe

.

Right on DrJoe!

The reason why I was pointing out Redtail_Watcher's post is becuase I know that he types stuff that usualyl doesn't make sense or isn't practical or shouldn't be done at all. Nothing against you, because I have a lot of respect for you. I just know Redtail_Watcher isn't the best at spelling because he refered to a Death Curl as a Deaf Curl in multiple posts and said it after he was corrected. He has also talked a lot about stuff that he has killed and the pond in his room that is parents destroyed. Taste and test might be the same to him. Sorry if I had any confusion.

tb I hope everything works out for you

 

[tb_077]

Thanks for all the help guys.



I actuallytried a new method last night. I poured a cup of purified drinking water into a cup and mixed the dosage that way, as opposed to a cup of tank water.

This morning I tested and there was minimal alkalinity, but alkalinity none the less!!!