# Sodium bicarbonate?



## Sam1989 (8 Apr 2020)

Need to raise the ph in my malawi tank and have read that baking soda will work . Does anyone have any experience in using this and how effective it is and also how safe it is , I dnt want to harm my fish to save a few quid . 
Thanks


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## dw1305 (8 Apr 2020)

Hi all, 





Sam1989 said:


> Need to raise the ph in my malawi tank and have read that baking soda will work


Yes it works OK. People don't normally use it for planted tanks because of the sodium content. Potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) or potassium carbonate (K2CO3) <"are the more usual ones">.

Because you live in Colchester can't you just use your tap-water to add some hardness? Lake Malawi isn't like Lake Tanganyika (where the water is <"very strange and mineral rich">).

cheers Darrel


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## Sam1989 (8 Apr 2020)

I wouldnt be planning to put it in my planted tank just my Malawi tank . My tap water comes out at 6.5 which is good for plants if I'm correct ? I dnt have plants in my Malawi tank just need to raise the ph. This is just a planted tank forum I've just realised


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## Sam1989 (8 Apr 2020)

Thinking on that though according to tests my ph is around 6.5 but the gh and kh is high. that dosnt seem right to me


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## jaypeecee (8 Apr 2020)

Sam1989 said:


> ...but the gh and kh is high.



Hi @Sam1989

Do you have any figures you could let us have?

JPC


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## Aqua sobriquet (8 Apr 2020)

6.5 straight out of the tap sounds quite low for the UK?


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## Sam1989 (8 Apr 2020)

This is according to a test strip though so probly not very accurate . Il dip some tap water and post a picture of the strip


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## Sam1989 (8 Apr 2020)

Dnt have any srips left . Damn


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## dw1305 (8 Apr 2020)

Hi all, 





Sam1989 said:


> My tap water comes out at 6.5 which is good for plants if I'm correct ?


I agree with the others I'd be absolutely amazed if that was the pH after the water had sat for a while. You should be able to get hardness values for your tap water from your water company. 

The problem is that pH is only a really useful measurement when you have some measure of the water's carbonate hardness. I'd really like to know the water parameters of my tanks, but it is a <"lot more problematic"> that most forums and websites would suggest.

cheers Darrel


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## Aqua sobriquet (8 Apr 2020)

Looks like it’s about 7.2 in your general area?

http://waterquality.anglianwater.com/mergedreport.aspx


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