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#1
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Help answer this for me?
Hi, Another questions for the pro's, I read that backing soda can change the
high nitrite level to a good level. Is this true? If so how does this effect fish and plants? How will it effect a bio filter? Has any one ever really done this? The article I read can't remember where now said you use 1 cup per 1000 gallon's. I won't try this without some good advise. Thanks in advance! Kc |
#2
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Help answer this for me?
Hi there ...I'm far from being a pro but I believe it must have
been my post you were reading about Baking Soda. 1 cup of Baking Soda per 1,000 gallons of water is the dose for bringing the KH up to at least 100. The BS also tops the pH out at 8.4... I said nothing about the nitrite level mainly because I don't know anything about it. Baking Soda has no ill effect on the bio-filter, nor on the plants and fish. I add it regularly as I have somewhat acid rain and it does rain alot here. Also I have a 3,000 gallon pond... that means I dose the pond 3 days in a row .... just 1 cup per 1,000 gallons of water. Any other questions... just ask - I'll try to answer. Nedra in Missouri eocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836 http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "DonKcR" wrote in message newsJbUa.11479$ff.9123@fed1read01... Hi, Another questions for the pro's, I read that backing soda can change the high nitrite level to a good level. Is this true? If so how does this effect fish and plants? How will it effect a bio filter? Has any one ever really done this? The article I read can't remember where now said you use 1 cup per 1000 gallon's. I won't try this without some good advise. Thanks in advance! Kc |
#3
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Help answer this for me?
Baking soda does a lot of good things, but reducing nitrIte is not one of
them. In fact, if you have nitrItes, it may be counterproductive. If your pH is currently in the 7's or so, baking soda will raise the pH to 8.2-8.4. The higher the pH, the more easily ammonia will cause damage to the fish's gills. The "cycle" goes ammonia-nitrItes-nitrAtes. The first two are bad; the last reading is an indication that your filter is converting the ammonia and nitrItes. So . . . If you have ammonia, bind it with AmQuel, Prime, ChlorAm-X, etc. Use a 2-part ammonia test kit thereafter, or one of the Ammonia Alert cards made by SeaChem (*great* little product!) The ammonia is still available to the filter, but will not hurt the fish. If you have nitrItes, you have to try to reduce them, or render them harmless. You should add salt to get a reading of .15%, which will protect the fish from brown blood disease. If you have Koi Clay, you should add a cup or so to your pond; it will also help reduce nitrItes, but will add the micro-nutrients you need to help kick-start a filter. Do water changes (with appropriate dechlor products for your water source) if the nitrItes are above 2 ppm. *Don't* backflush your filter, or you will wash out all the new little bacteria that are trying to establish themselves! If you have a reading on nitrAtes, it means that your filter is "trying" and has commenced working; it just needs to mature and catch up. Now, regarding the baking soda addition: If you do the above, you can add the BS. Filters need the carbonate that BS supplies to feed and grow. BS, along with Koi Clay, are the two best additives you can add to a new pond situation to help jump-start the filter, providing both the food source and the micro-nutrients a baby filter needs to grow G. If you have a bead filter, baking soda is imperative (IMHO): a bead filter will NOT work to optimum unless the KH exceeds 200ppm. Unless you have exceptional water, the only way you can achieve that is with BS. I hope this helps. Lee "DonKcR" wrote in message newsJbUa.11479$ff.9123@fed1read01... Hi, Another questions for the pro's, I read that backing soda can change the high nitrite level to a good level. Is this true? If so how does this effect fish and plants? How will it effect a bio filter? Has any one ever really done this? The article I read can't remember where now said you use 1 cup per 1000 gallon's. I won't try this without some good advise. Thanks in advance! Kc |
#4
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Help answer this for me?
Nedra, Thanks for such a quick reply. Well in Arizona I don't have to worry
about alot of rain at all. I'm going to have to futher my studies about what all the test are for and the best equipment to use for testing. I want to keep a healthy pond for my Koi. Right now all I test for is ammonia and nitrite. I would love more suggections on the equipment electronic or liquid testers needed for proper maintence of the pond and the aprox. cost. Thanks again, Kc "Nedra" wrote in message arthlink.net... Hi there ...I'm far from being a pro but I believe it must have been my post you were reading about Baking Soda. 1 cup of Baking Soda per 1,000 gallons of water is the dose for bringing the KH up to at least 100. The BS also tops the pH out at 8.4... I said nothing about the nitrite level mainly because I don't know anything about it. Baking Soda has no ill effect on the bio-filter, nor on the plants and fish. I add it regularly as I have somewhat acid rain and it does rain alot here. Also I have a 3,000 gallon pond... that means I dose the pond 3 days in a row .... just 1 cup per 1,000 gallons of water. Any other questions... just ask - I'll try to answer. Nedra in Missouri eocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836 http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "DonKcR" wrote in message newsJbUa.11479$ff.9123@fed1read01... Hi, Another questions for the pro's, I read that backing soda can change the high nitrite level to a good level. Is this true? If so how does this effect fish and plants? How will it effect a bio filter? Has any one ever really done this? The article I read can't remember where now said you use 1 cup per 1000 gallon's. I won't try this without some good advise. Thanks in advance! Kc |
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