# Baking powder? baking soda?



## kenshinH (Jun 1, 2013)

Hi everyone! just to double check before i dump some in my aquarium. (for KH)
Both contain potassium bicaronate, just wanna make sure which one is safe to use for aquariums


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## Beefy (Mar 6, 2015)

Some of this is region-specific. But baking soda is usually pure sodium bicarbonate, whereas baking powder is a mix of sodium bicarbonate and sodium phosphate (also sometimes tartaric acid, also sometimes calcium phosphate, also sometimes aluminium sulfate).

Baking soda is what you want. Don't use the clabber girl.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Baking powder is what you add to make cakes so it'll rise. Water releases acid & baking soda causing the fizz reaction.


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## Okedokey (Sep 2, 2014)

Either will work to increase the kH. One has sodium ions the other potassium. Useful decision if you want either to be supplemented.


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## Beefy (Mar 6, 2015)

Okedokey said:


> Either will work to increase the kH. One has sodium ions the other potassium. Useful decision if you want either to be supplemented.


No, that is not correct. Baking soda is straight sodium bicarbonate, and baking powder contains bicarbonate plus an acid generating chemical mix. It might just be a dihydrogen phosphate or pyrophosphate which are relatively benign in the context of a planted tank. But many baking powders contain ingredients you do NOT want in a planted tank.

Check the Wikipedia entry for baking power, or the ingredients list for Clabber Girl. Starch, sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminium sulfate and calcium phosphate. In addition to KH increase, your GH goes up, ionic aluminium is highly undesirable in aquatic environments, and starch can act as food for undesirable microbes like fungus.

You should never use baking powder.


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## ngrubich (Nov 29, 2011)

When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately thought of that scene from Scary Movie...

Another vote for the baking soda.


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## Okedokey (Sep 2, 2014)

Beefy said:


> No, that is not correct. Baking soda is straight sodium bicarbonate, and baking powder contains bicarbonate plus an acid generating chemical mix. It might just be a dihydrogen phosphate or pyrophosphate which are relatively benign in the context of a planted tank. But many baking powders contain ingredients you do NOT want in a planted tank.
> 
> Check the Wikipedia entry for baking power, or the ingredients list for Clabber Girl. Starch, sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminium sulfate and calcium phosphate. In addition to KH increase, your GH goes up, ionic aluminium is highly undesirable in aquatic environments, and starch can act as food for undesirable microbes like fungus.
> 
> You should never use baking powder.


The Clabber Girl stuff is simply Cornstarch, Bicarbonate of Soda, Sodium Aluminum Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate.

All are fine unless your pH is below 5 or above 8. Sodium Bicarbonate is better, but Baking Powder is fine.


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## Beefy (Mar 6, 2015)

Okedokey said:


> All are fine unless your pH is below 5 or above 8. Sodium Bicarbonate is better, but Baking Powder is fine.


If you are happy with 'fine' then go for it. I would much rather recommend doing it correctly.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Baking powder can be several mixtures. In Australia it may not be the same as in the US. Baking soda is always just sodium bicarbonate, as far as I know. Heat makes sodium bicarbonate release CO2, which fluffs up some baked goods. Baking powder releases CO2 from being wet, I think.


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## kenshinH (Jun 1, 2013)

Thanks guys! baking soda it is...


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Okedokey said:


> The Clabber Girl stuff is simply Cornstarch, Bicarbonate of Soda, Sodium Aluminum Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate.
> 
> All are fine unless your pH is below 5 or above 8. Sodium Bicarbonate is better, but Baking Powder is fine.


Sodium bicarbonate and bicarbonate of soda are two terms for the same thing.

The Sodium Aluminum Sulfate is one of the acids that will cause the reaction to produce the CO2 for baking. 
So is the Monocalcium Phosphate. One reacts when wet the other will work when heated yielding a double acting baking powder. 
Neither of which we really want in a fish tank BTW.

Baking soda is, well, basically, sodium Bicarbonate. NaHCO3


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