Trying to raise Ph with baking soda?

is it true you can raise Ph with baking soda? is this safe? Ive been trying to raise my ph for a while know with a Kent Pro Buffer dKH and my Ph always reads 7.8?

 

No... baking soda(sodium bicarbonate) lowers PH. However "baked" baking soda(sodium carbonate) will raise PH.
I think the Kent Marine super buffer contains both so they may not raise PH much.
Are you using a PH probe or the test cards? A table spoon of pure sodium carbonate raises my PH about .15-.2 in my 210 gallon system.
My goal mainly is to keep my dkH inline the PH will fall in line naturally.
I like the Soda ash from bulkreefsupply .com which is sodium carbonate.

 

BTW baking soda can be used to raise alkalinity.. It's not a preferred method but it is reef safe stuff.

 

I use it all the time and it works greattttttt!!!

 

liquid test kit from API is what i use. my alk is 143.2 and Ph is 7.8.

 

Ok.. I was just wandering I have those too.. I also have a PH probe with my controller and when I add sodium carbonate I can see the PH rise within a couple minutes. It's nearly impossible to tell on the cards if it actually changed. I've never added baking soda so I thought it would be interesting to see if it goes down. Maybe I'll pick up some baking soda just to try it.
Here's a handy calculator for adjusting alk:
Reef Chemistry Calculator
If plug in the numbers for alk you'll see in the notes how each affect PH.

 

Chasing low PH can cause problems with alkalinity, be careful with what you're doing, often trying to "fix" PH problems causes more problems than it solves. If your chemistry is good and your room is ventilated well enough (excess CO2 in the air is a very common problem causing low PH) then your PH should be fine, even if it's a little low.

Here's more info if you like.
Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

baking soda AKA--sodium bicarbonate (WILL) lower your ph. soda ash (washing powder,baked baking soda,sodium carbonate) will raise your ph. BOTH.... will raise alk......

mag values are very important with stability.....keep mag,cal and alk at the right values and your ph will be right....
if you need to dose alk and the ph is already at 8.3....dose with baking soda
if you need to dose alk and the ph is a little low like 8.1....dose with soda ash

 

I agree. I rarely test my pH nowadays and focus on my main 3 (alk, Ca, Mg). The pH will fall in line.

I do test periodically the pH but there's enough variance in the day that I'm happy with a biggish range.

When it does get a bit low, like Screwtape hinted at, I just open a window.

I used to use this. You really sure about the reading from that card? I couldn't ever tell for sure... it was always like "it's either this or that"...

I got a pH pen probe off eBay for $25 or so with shipping. It's exact and easy.