Ammonia high

[millenium]

Originally Posted by LauLanChu

Yes, it will but the effect is slower. Imagine in layman term coral chip is a solid source and takes time to 'dissolve' to have it impact. On the other hand baking soda is more of like a 'liquid' form as easily dissolve to push your pH up. In emergency situation like a pH crash acidic medium, using baking soda can readily up the pH faster. Also note the coral chip has to be placed correctly, e.g. in filter compartment, that water flow through, to have its optimum pH stabilization effect. Putting it in a dead spot, e.g. tank corner, you may still get a low pH and wonder why. Baking soda dissolve readily and will be easily circulate, just that it got to be replenish regularly.

The ph must not rise too fast? Up 0.5 every 15 mins OK?

[DragonFireSG]

Originally Posted by millenium

The ph must not rise too fast? Up 0.5 every 15 mins OK?

Wayyyy too fast. 0.2 a day.

PH is a log scale, not linear. Difference of 1 implies a 10x change.

[DragonFireSG]

Originally Posted by Oneiromancer

I now use the kind from Phoon Huat (5kg?bag) because of my large tank size. Also it's cheaper in bulk and I figure it won't really go bad. I used to use the small orange box but it got quite expensive.

The Arm and Hammer bulk bag is back in stock at warehouse club also. 6kg for about $15 in a resealable bag. Baking soda does not go bad. Not for aquaculture use anyway.

[DragonFireSG]

To add on coral chips and oyster shells;

These sources of carbonate are relatively insoluble because they are calcium bound. They will only release carbonate slowly when PH is acidic, and never when PH is alkaline.

These slow reacting sources don't generally react fast enough to low KH conditions that can cause wild PH swings. They are good however for buffering GH whilst maintaining a baseline level of carbonates to keep your biofilter well fed - BB need carbonates to survive. Especially those living in bead and moving bed filters.

Baking soda dissolves instantly and provides instant carbonates no matter the PH. With all the mad heavy rain recently, I pour a large cup into my 20T pond every other day.

[shermie]

Yea for high bioload tanks cc/os do not buffer the ph fast enough. Sodium bicarb is way better for raising ph as n when u want. Plus it doesn't waste space in your sump or filter. Only sideback is have to be meticulous in monitoring. Recently I was too busy n neglected to monitor for 2 days, ph crashed from 7 to 6.2