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I seem to have a lot of soda ash laying around, but am not sure if it is safe to put in my cichlid tank. Does anybody know the answer to that? IF SO, how high will the ph raise? I want it around 8.2, and I don't know if soda ash will do that or not.

2007-05-13 19:37:36 · 5 answers · asked by eriknjensen 1 in Pets Fish

I have had a few batches of fry in my 2 years of doing this, My Tanganyikan ph was around 8.4 and I also had rift substrate in it. The reason why I asked is because I had to make a sudden move, to a new job, either i started tomorrow or i lost the job, so i had to move my fish without very little recycled water, I was in an unfamiliar city and didn't have enough ph up. I own a pool company, so I have soda ash laying around all over the place. do you think my Tanganyikans can make it if i slowly drop the ph. what about the water temp. I am keeping it around 78-80 degrees fahrenheit. The water evaporates so quickly it makes it difficult to maintain. what do you think is a good temp for the cichlids. The more i read people's first hand experience, the more i think all of the books I have read were wrong.

2007-05-13 22:54:39 · update #1

5 answers

Soda ash will raise the pH in aquarium water just as it does for a pool, but be extremely careful as it can spike the pH very quickly and far too high for the fish to live, depending on the concentration of sodium in your soda ash and which hydrates form when combined with water. This varies depending on source and processing methods soI would suggest desolving a few tablespoons in a gallon of water and using that solution to adjust the pH in your water before adding the water to your tank. Also be sure to dechlorinate your water before using Soda ash as chlorine impacts it's effects.

For the long term, I wouldn't use soda ash in the tank. Better would be to include crushed coral as a substrate and if your current tap water pH is very low, also in the filter. This will eventually stabilize the pH in the range you desire. This is in my opinion the best route for you to take long term as adjusting the pH chemically is a royal pain in the long run.

For your last questions, yes the fish will survive and do just fine at a lower pH range if you drop it fairly slowly. 10-15% weekly water changes with the new water will accomplish this within a few weeks at a rate slow enough not to stress your fish, then the coral can buffer the water to a more acceptable range slowly.

MM

2007-05-14 03:02:04 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 1 1

I would not suggest using soda ash or anything else to add to the tank to raise the ph. This is a daily chore to test and correct the ph. A stable PH is better than one that will flux. Placing seashells or a bag of seashells in your filter will help to keep the ph higher and safe without fluxing for your fish.

I am glad someone was paying attention when I mentioned this! It really is the best way to go for your tank. Also, using the crushed coral or crushed shell bottm will work. If you do not like the look of the crushed coral, you can always cover over a thin layer on the bottom of your tank with colored gravel.

Good luck

2007-05-18 02:17:08 · answer #2 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 0 0

if you want a higher ph your best bet is to buy ph up from a pet store . Its not safe to ad the soda ash. and dont mess with the ph if you dont have a test kit for it. I dont think theres a reason to change the ph for your fish unless you have very low ph.
If you take care of your water you can breed cichlids with treated tap water . Ive never messed with ph in 25 years of keeping fish and have never had an issue

2007-05-14 05:39:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I don't think its a good idea.

2007-05-14 02:50:54 · answer #4 · answered by Lara 2 · 1 0

no

2007-05-14 02:45:16 · answer #5 · answered by abhinav 1 · 0 0

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