Alkalinity Problem.

will have a look for arm and hammer, but can't say i have ever seen it as yet, thank you.

But does anybody know if bicarbonate of soda is the same as baking soda? it is said that its widely used and named as various other titles, bicarboonate of soda being one of them...

 

Baking soda is pure bicarbonate of soda. Baking power has starch in it usually and baking soda.
I don't know about the powder... I would stick with baking soda to be safe.

 

DO NOT USE BAKING POWDER!

Baking Soda is bicarb and is the correct thing to use.
If your pH is high then this is the one to use.
If it's a little low, then bake the baking soda for at least one hour at 300F, cool, and use that instead.
Baking soda tends to lower the pH somewhat, whereas the baked baking soda tends to increase slightly.

 

Bicarbonate of soda IS baking soda, or maybe it's the other way around. But in any case, use the bicarbonate of soda and that will give you what you need.

 

Ok, so far i got, bicarbonate of soda as the only ingredient bicarbonate of soda, so this is what u call baking soda, so how much should i now mix i,m mixing some to my top off water tonight, do i have to wait for it to totally dissolve?

It is in powder form.

 

Use about 2 teaspoons since you have a 55G tank. Stir it in with your top-off water and make sure it's dissolved nicely before you put it into your tank or sump. I would let it sit for at least a couple hours before putting it in your system. And yes, "bicarbonate of soda" = "baking soda" and most of the high priced buffers on the market are no more than simple bicarbonate of soda.

 

thank you.

 

Hi, don't remember where I got the recipe but it is 1 teaspoon per 20 gal. and like Mike said mix with 2-3 cups of pure water.