Raising KH

[reefer74]

Well I know that I should know this, but I have honestly forgot. I would like to raise my kh levels in my tank. I am currently at 8, and would like to get it over 10. I currently don't have any buffer, so I wonder by what other means I may go about doing this.



Johnny G.

[matt]

You can just use baking soda; that's basically what buffer is. (It's actually got more stuff in it, but it's not that important) It will work fine. Mix a teaspoon or so in a glass of R.O. water, then pour it in your tank.

Baking soda and pickling lime; one trip to HEB, spending about $2.50, and you can save a $20 trip to the lfs for buffer and kalkwasser mix.

[Goofball310]

I agree with what Matt had to say about BS, but disagree about pouring it in. If the tank is current empty without any livestock then pour away, but if you do have some livestock. Pouring the BS mixture in quickly will cause your livestock to go into shock.

A trick that I found to work really well is the water drippers that they use for reptiles. They come in a large variety of different sizes, and is easy to adjust the drip rate.

[matt]

Goofball; (what a great username!)
You're right, i shouldn't have put it that way. But, for a decent size tank, like 40 gallons or more, I really don't think a teaspoon of baking soda will have any ill effect if added at once. That's how most commercial buffer directions go, anyway, and I've done it on many occasions. Now, the thing with washing soda, is that it WILL raise ph pretty quickly, but baking soda tends to raise ph more slowly. Basically, baking soda is sodium bi-carbonate, and washing soda is sodium carbonate. Most bi-carbonate ions dissolve to become cabonate ions in saltwater, but I guess there's something in that reaction that inhibits sudden ph shifts. I'm not really sure, but I bet Randy Holmes-Farley would know!

Ideally, though, your idea of a drip-feed is the best way to add it to your system.