Low KH

[Ping]

Should I add baking soda?

Parameters using Tetra test kit.

KH = 4

PH = 8

CA = 540, high I know - using Oceanic. Stopped Kalk dripping the other day. would like to start again to lower percieved, un-tested high Phosphates.

NACL = 1.025 / 34 PPT

NH = 0

NO2 < .3

Added Phos-Zorb 2 days ago to help fight Cyno.

Am I correct in needing to use baking soda to increase the Alkalinity? I can mathmatically work out the required amount from "Advance Aquarist Online Magazine", if I am correct

Thanks Peter K.

[GaryP]

Try using a 6:1 mixture of baking soda: washing soda. Diltute it in your make up water and allow it to drip or slowly flow in with some air line tubing.

Remember that you don't want to raise your KH rapidly. It can have a bad effect on some critters, especially shrimp & crabs. That's why I suggest dripping in. Raise your KH over a period of a couple days.

[Ping]

Thank you.

[Tim Marvin]

I concur with GaryP. It will also bring down the calcium a bit when it balances out. I typically do it this way when I start up new tanks, crank up the calcium and then drop it back into specs with buffer. Aaron at Aquatek was telling me a while back he does this from time to time as well. It seems to work better than slowly adding back and forth trying to get both levels up slowly....

[GaryP]

I've been there trying to balance calcium and buffer. Its a pain having it bounce back and forth. I'm sure my corals and other critters don't care for it very much either. I think you also get an initial spike in calcium from the dissolution of sand my bacteria colonizing the sand bed. Unfortunately, the buffer gets used up by the acids produced by the bacteria as well. That's what causes the imbalance. Don't ask me to prove it, its just a pet theory.