How many teaspoons of baking soda etc to add to my 75 gallon fish tank to raise the ph? is @ 6.0...does it wrk

Answer 1

1. Get a pH and kH test kit (the liquid kind, not the test strips).

2a. If there are NO fish or plants in the tank: add 5 tablespoons of baking soda to the tank. Check the ph and kh 24 hours later. Repeat daily until the desired ph and kh level is attained.

2b. If there ARE fish or plants in the tank: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a cup of tank water and add it to the tank. Check the ph and kh 24 hours later. Repeat until the desired ph and kh level is attained.

3. Keep track of how much baking soda you added to achieve the level you want. Then replace a percentage of that amount identical to the percentage of water changed out everytime you do a water change (for example if it takes a total of 8 tablespoons, add 2 tablespoons of baking soda everytime you do a 25% water change).

4. Do not drastically increase pH or kh; you'll kill your fish. Baking soda can increase pH to about 8.2 or 8.4.

Answer 2

Yes, but I'm not sure of the sanity of adding enough of it to make a difference. The real question is why is the tank water a pH of 6. I've never seen tap water that bad. Also if your tank gradually became acidic due to fish waste raising the pH could be lethal. As your ammonia levels might be a bit high. (As pH goes up the amount ammonia need to kill a fish goes down.)

I'd advise a more gradual approach. If your tap water is less acidic than your tank. Do a series of 10-20% 4-7 per week water changes. This will lower your ammonia and nitrate levels in addition to raising your pH. Once you get your tank water to that of the tap, or the ideal pH for your fish. Then consider adjusting your pH. Just remember fish can take extremes of pH much better than extreme changes in pH.

Answer 3

First of all, why do you want to raise the pH? Second, how long has it been since you have done regular (weekly) partial (25-30%) water changes to keep your toxins low (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites)? Check your water out of the tap. It should be very close to 7.0 if not a little more alkaline. Here in Cleveland it is 7.4 from the faucet. That is perfect for the cichlids that I keep. I do nothing but water changes each week to keep the water quality where it should be.

The pH will drop as the water loses its' buffering capacity from not having partial changes done. Plants will also lower the pH over time if you do not do water changes. Never do 100% changes!!! Keep in mind, that your fish have become used to the low pH over a period of time and a rapid change is not good!!

A rapid change will send your fish into pH shock and kill them (not immediately, but in a few days). This is why a lot of pet store fish die soon after being put into existing tanks. A brand new tank is another question.

Feel free to email me with more questions.

Answer 4

dissolve soda in water, add some of the mix, wait about one hour and test pH again...add more until you reach correct pH. Do NOT raise pH too quickly, you will kill your fish. The acids you are dealing with are very weak...it will not take much baking soda to do the trick, so start out slow and test, test, test. Good luck

Answer 5

I put the entire box in my fish tank and the fish started swimming sideways. I guess that was not a good idea.