Adding soda ash vs bicarbonate

[Terry Mattson]

I have a red sea 350. Total volume is 91 gallions. I have mostly lps, mushrooms and zoas. I dose kalkwisser. About 360 ml per day devided by 24 equal doses. Calcium is 420 to 450. Alk is 7.8 to 8.5. I test weekly. Magnesium is 1350. SG 1.026. Each week I had been dosing manually Soduum Bicarbonate based on brs calculater to move 7.8 dkh to 8.5 dkh. Been doing this for many months. Calcium supplements of calcium cloride is less periodic. Sometimes 3 weeks. Recently I started dosing soda ash once a week instead of bicarbonate to help ph. My ph runs from 8.04 to 8.15. My question is: when I add soda ash, it hits the water and it turns milky white with some texture then appears to dissolve. Is this normal? Bicarbonate does not do this. What is happening?

 

[hafer12]

I have a red sea 350. Total volume is 91 gallions. I have mostly lps, mushrooms and zoas. I dose kalkwisser. About 360 ml per day devided by 24 equal doses. Calcium is 420 to 450. Alk is 7.8 to 8.5. I test weekly. Magnesium is 1350. SG 1.026. Each week I had been dosing manually Soduum Bicarbonate based on brs calculater to move 7.8 dkh to 8.5 dkh. Been doing this for many months. Calcium supplements of calcium cloride is less periodic. Sometimes 3 weeks. Recently I started dosing soda ash once a week instead of bicarbonate to help ph. My ph runs from 8.04 to 8.15. My question is: when I add soda ash, it hits the water and it turns milky white with some texture then appears to dissolve. Is this normal? Bicarbonate does not do this. What is happening?

Add your soda ash mix slowly to a high flow area to keep it from precipitating out of solution

 

[Terry Mattson]

Add your soda ash mix slowly to a high flow area to keep it from precipitating out of solution

Ok.

 

[JimWelsh]

What is happening?

The localized higher pH created by the sodium carbonate solution is causing magnesium hydroxide precipitation, which then very quickly goes back into solution as it mixes with the normal pH tank water. And, yes, this is normal.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I have a red sea 350. Total volume is 91 gallions. I have mostly lps, mushrooms and zoas. I dose kalkwisser. About 360 ml per day devided by 24 equal doses. Calcium is 420 to 450. Alk is 7.8 to 8.5. I test weekly. Magnesium is 1350. SG 1.026. Each week I had been dosing manually Soduum Bicarbonate based on brs calculater to move 7.8 dkh to 8.5 dkh. Been doing this for many months. Calcium supplements of calcium cloride is less periodic. Sometimes 3 weeks. Recently I started dosing soda ash once a week instead of bicarbonate to help ph. My ph runs from 8.04 to 8.15. My question is: when I add soda ash, it hits the water and it turns milky white with some texture then appears to dissolve. Is this normal? Bicarbonate does not do this. What is happening?

Bicarbonate raise ph temporarily, I buy soda ask by 5 gallon bucks, alot cheaper, and used when needed

 

[Terry Mattson]

The localized higher pH created by the sodium carbonate solution is causing magnesium hydroxide precipitation, which then very quickly goes back into solution as it mixes with the normal pH tank water. And, yes, this is normal.

Thalk you for the details. This reduces concern. It does dissipate. I will add in a high flow area.