Baking soda?

[bigkai]

Is any one useing baking soda for alk I ran out of brightwells about 2 week ago and desided to try baking soda. It seems to be working ok. Any one else useing it?

 

[cdness]

I use soda ash which is baked baking soda...

 

[Singlefin]

I think the difference is soda ash doesn't raise pH like baking soda does. Or vice versa.

 

[KSzegi]

I use soda ash which is baked baking soda...

Use this too .... buy the baking soda in large bags at Sam's Club.

 

[mike007]

I have been experimenting with soda ash myself.

 

[Kgedelian]

yes - soda ash raise pH and alk --baking soda just alk

 

[beaslbob]

I use the diy two part which is a stickie here.

Baking soda is fine.

As is calcium chloride for calcium and magnesium chloride and epsom salts for magnesium.

The only real difference is the price. Calcium chloride is ~$10 for a 25 pound bag or ~25 for a 50 pound bag. with magnesium chloride being a little more expensive at about $30 or so for a 50 pound bag.


my .02

 

[bigkai]

I'm glad to see that others are useing baking soda to iv been have trouble keeping my alk above 7. cal stays around 420. mag at 1300 and ph all ways at 8.4

 

[beaslbob]

I'm glad to see that others are useing baking soda to iv been have trouble keeping my alk above 7. cal stays around 420. mag at 1300 and ph all ways at 8.4

Sound like if you use baking soda to raise alk the calcium will drop down.

As you already know the first part of the diy two part is to do a one time dosing to get things in line. After that you dose eaual amounts of the calcium and alk solutions when alk drops down. then after using a galoon of the solutions you does magnesium according to the size of the tank.

my .02

 

[redfishbluefish]

........After that you dose eaual amounts of the calcium and alk solutions when alk drops down. then after using a galoon of the solutions you does magnesium according to the size of the tank.

my .02

This isn't necessarily true. In an ideal situation you dose equal amounts. However the salt you use is contributing to the alk and or calc situation in your tank. That is why it is imperative that you test your tank frequently for alk, calc and mag....i test about once a week....and adjust your dosing volumes accordingly.


I also remember seeing that crazy statement about waiting until you use a gallon of each alk and calc before you dose mag. Well that is just nonsense. It takes me about 2 1/2 to 3 months to go through a gallon of alk or calc. If I waited for this long a period, my mag would be in the basement. I dose about 40 mls per week of mag and adjust accordingly to my weekly testing.

JMTC!

 

[Surfside74]

I use baking soda all the time. I will be switching though to soda ash to help raise my ph some

 

[mike007]

So far after using baked baking soda my alk.and ph level have not come up that much. My ca. and mag. level is right on. I have also tried buffers in the past but i cannot seem to get alk. above 7 and ph at 8. But i am not too concerned everything is doing great.

 

[beaslbob]

So far after using baked baking soda my alk.and ph level have not come up that much. My ca. and mag. level is right on. I have also tried buffers in the past but i cannot seem to get alk. above 7 and ph at 8. But i am not too concerned everything is doing great.

If you have more active macro algae the pH will come up.

try the diy two part. It does work.

my .02

 

[beaslbob]

This isn't necessarily true. In an ideal situation you dose equal amounts. However the salt you use is contributing to the alk and or calc situation in your tank. That is why it is imperative that you test your tank frequently for alk, calc and mag....i test about once a week....and adjust your dosing volumes accordingly.

The diy two part specifically states to resist the temptation to constantly tinker with the dosing. Sure you need occasional adjustments but once you get that initial adjustment in line, you just wait for alk to drop down and then add equal amounts of calcium and alk liguids. In that way you are adding equal amounts according to what your tank demands.

I also remember seeing that crazy statement about waiting until you use a gallon of each alk and calc before you dose mag. Well that is just nonsense. It takes me about 2 1/2 to 3 months to go through a gallon of alk or calc. If I waited for this long a period, my mag would be in the basement. I dose about 40 mls per week of mag and adjust accordingly to my weekly testing.

JMTC!

With my old 55g the recommendation as 300ml of mag. And just like clockwork, the mag had dropped just enough to require 300ml dosing. This kept mag at 1350 or so. With the tank originally starting at 700ml and requiring pounds of epsom salts to get up to 1300, I was amazed at how effective the diy was.

Still just my .02

 

[Budman's Corals]

Ive finally got mine up to 8.5 using baking soda,I did cook it for a hour before mixing..I was doing about a hour a day 75ml when i was around 7 now its perfect and doising 30ml and just ordered a dosing pump since BRS has them for 49 bucks..

 

[osras1]

Ive used baking soda but you have to cook it at 300 for a hour

 

[redfishbluefish]

Ive finally got mine up to 8.5 using baking soda,I did cook it for a hour before mixing..I was doing about a hour a day 75ml when i was around 7 now its perfect and doising 30ml and just ordered a dosing pump since BRS has them for 49 bucks..

Those BRS 1.1 dosing pumps are a deal and a half. And to think I paid $79 a piece. Once you start using these you’ll wonder how you dosed without them. I run mine through a ReefKeeper, dosing three times a day. I test about once a week and typically add or subtract a minute off each pump, if needed.


I highly recommend these pumps if you’re a two-part user…..it makes life easy!


And just to clarify....for those that are saying they use baking soda that they have "cooked," you're now actually using soda ash. Once you "cook" baking soda, you have converted it from baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to soda ash (sodium carbonate). Just wanted to throw some chemistry at you! Happy dosing folks.

 

[trido]

Ive used baking soda but you have to cook it at 300 for a hour

Actually, as its been stated above. You dont have to cook the baking soda and turn it into soda ash before using it. You can use it straight out of the box or bag if you choose.
Using soda ash in a two part can "significantly raise Ph" if your adding a lot at once while dosing. Using uncooked soda will "somewhat lower Ph" .

Like beaslbob stated above, Magnesium chloride is recommended for dosing Mg. Or a combination of Mg Cl and Mg sulfate (Epsom salt). I have been using straight epsom salt to dose my tank for years.

 

[Budman's Corals]

Those BRS 1.1 dosing pumps are a deal and a half. And to think I paid $79 a piece. Once you start using these you’ll wonder how you dosed without them. I run mine through a ReefKeeper, dosing three times a day. I test about once a week and typically add or subtract a minute off each pump, if needed.


I highly recommend these pumps if you’re a two-part user…..it makes life easy!


And just to clarify....for those that are saying they use baking soda that they have "cooked," you're now actually using soda ash. Once you "cook" baking soda, you have converted it from baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to soda ash (sodium carbonate). Just wanted to throw some chemistry at you! Happy dosing folks.

Ive got one pump for calcium but now that my SPS are growing out i think there using more alk and gotta start that.

Let me ask, Do i need to continue with the kalk stirrer thru the ATO while doing the 2 part dosing?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Budman, I’m a little confused…..and believe me, that’s easy to do.


You stated above that you’re now dosing “cooked” baking soda to raise your alk….and got it up to 8.5 dKH….that’s a good thing.


But in the immediate above post you state that you dose kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) through your top-off….and here’s the confusing part……also doseing calcium (calcium chloride), with a dosing pump????


Now I’m not a kalkwasser person, but typically these folks “top-off” using kalkwasser and balance alkalinity by dosing sodium carbonate (or sodium bicarbonate). I don’t know why you would be using kalkwasser and also dosing calcium chloride??? Was this a typo or am I reading this wrong?


Anyway, to your specific question….dosing two part with kalkwasser….there are those that balance this out with dosing and klakwasser. But for a DIY two part doser, cost wise, you can’t beat two part dosing.