Removing Bubbles - excess Baking Soda

[bgalvin]

I have a small pond (little over 1,000 gallons). We get lots of rain which causes the PH to get pretty acidic. I added a very small amount of baking soda to the pond a couple weeks ago. The PH was brought to the satisfactory level but now I have all these white bubbles on the surface.

Any suggestions for getting rid of them?

Thanks,
Bruce

 

[koiguy1969]

its probably not excess baking soda... bs will take your ph up or down to a 8.4 reading with enough added,no higher no lower, so if you were at 6.5 you couldnt add enough bs to go over 8.4, just as if you were at 9.5 you couldnt make it go under 8.4.. . if your not at 8.4 its not the soda.

 

[koiguy1969]

my above post is assuming that the baking soda is fresh.... might i add that crushed oyster shells are a great natural ph buffer, get it where you want it, and add a old nylon stocking full of the shells and it will lock your ph where you want it!!!

 

[bgalvin]

Thanks for the information. I have three follow-up questions;
1. What quantity of oyster shelld to use? From your email link I see it is sold in 1.5lb tub.
2. I took the PH (I have a meter) this evening and it is about 9. How do I lower it? The fish seem pretty sluggish.
3. I now have green algae growing around the perimeter of the pond. We are finally getting some sunshine here in Seattle. I have a UV filter but it does not seem to be working right. It was not that long ago that I replaced the bulb. Could this be causing the white bubbles?

Bruce

 

[koiguy1969]

... now you cant over due the oyster shells the more you use the more its able to buffer... do a 25% water change, do another everyday till your at the ph you want you dont want to swing ph to quickly if you already have fish. if you dont, do a 50 or 60% change once you get it where you want it put the oyster shells in a spot where there is alot of water flow( i put mine in my filter) put them in an old nylon stocking or something that will allow the water to flow thru. . any aquarium or pond store will carry the crushed oyster shells i bought a $4.00 bag last year and am still using it. but i will buy more this year.

 

[DoDad]

I do believe that your bubbles is due to DOC's, dissolved organic compounds.
There are several ways to get rid of it more filtration, water changes diy foam fractionators and chemicals.
I live in the Pacific NW and have very, very soft water. That's GH and KH.
I tried oyster shells and I had no luck with them due to my weekly water changes. They just didn't dissolve fast enough. If you do use oyter shells use crushed shells used for chicken grit it has a lot more surface area per volume than whole shells.

 

[koiguy1969]

as i said, CRUSHED OYSTER SHELLS , a protein skimmer or fractionator would probably be unneccessary . what are you running as filtration?

 

[DoDad]

I have 2 bottom drains,1 savio skimmer, 1 savio living waterfall filter, 1 nexus 300 w/410 Answer and a Aquabead 2.50.

 

[DoDad]

CRUSHED OYSTER SHELLS will do nothing for docs.

 

[koiguy1969]

true.. but the water changes will, i was asking bglavin what he was using for filtration not you. i know youve got it under control. i was merely trying to see if maybe he needs more filtration. eveything i said was geared for bglavin, hes asking the questions.

 

[c2c7390]

how much baking soda do you add per gallon

 

[DoDad]

It depends on your kh reading and your gallons.