Cloudy alk solution, why?

[Acro maniac]

Just as the title says what causes the alk solution to get cloudy/milky after sitting?
I have been using soda ash for a couple years as part of my 2 part. Every once in a while the mix will end up having a cloud settled in the bottom of the container. This cloud is not there at the time of mixing I always mix until it is crystal clear. I have had it happen randomly in small dosing containers but this time it happened in a gallon container used for dosing. Also what i found intresting is the storage container that the solution was mixed in was still clear.
Some help understand this would be helpful. I would also like to know if the milky solution is a higher concentration, because i have had a recent issues with stabalizing alk. I am wondering if this could be the smoking gun?? Here is a pictue of the gallon container after trying to remix the solution.

Here is a picture of the same solution in a different container used on a different system.

It theres anything i forgot to add that would help assess id be glad to add.

 

[jwshiver]

Mine does the same thing. I have often wondered why. Every 6 to 8 months I have to clean out my dosing reservoir because the accumulation on the bottom gets dirty looking. It doesn't seem to be affecting my dkh readings. I'm sure @Randy can answer this questions.

 

[Mrx7899]

Same here sometimes it will have a brown tint to it. I just clean it out and refill it doesn't seem to effect the solution

 

[Acro maniac]

I have not had it effect dosing in the past. But this time i havent been able to stabalize and i cant figure out why. I have been dosing this tank for well over 7, 8 years and cant get it right im just hoping this is the reason and curious why it happens also.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Assuming you mixed it correctly (correct ratio, good fresh water source, etc.), I doubt there is any concern from some cloudiness, or any significant change in potency.

It is likely just the precipitation of a small amount of some carbonate or oxide material (calcium carbonate, etc.). Where exactly the calcium or other ion of concern comes from I can't say, but it might wouldn't take much and might be an impurity in the water, the sodium carbonate, or something left in the container.

 

[Acro maniac]

Assuming you mixed it correctly (correct ratio, good fresh water source, etc.), I doubt there is any concern from some cloudiness, or any significant change in potency.

It is likely just the precipitation of a small amount of some carbonate or oxide material (calcium carbonate, etc.). Where exactly the calcium or other ion of concern comes from I can't say, but it might wouldn't take much and might be an impurity in the water, the sodium carbonate, or something left in the container.

Thanks for the response.
All water is 0 tds 0 chlorine those are the only 2 tests i do on fresh water.
Container was the same container thr soda ash came in, rinsed and dryed prior to adding the solution to the container.
So now that its a solid (the precipitated carbonate) it can not be broke down again to a liquid? Or influence the levels in either direction?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the response.
All water is 0 tds 0 chlorine those are the only 2 tests i do on fresh water.
Container was the same container thr soda ash came in, rinsed and dryed prior to adding the solution to the container.
So now that its a solid (the precipitated carbonate) it can not be broke down again to a liquid? Or influence the levels in either direction?

It won't cause any apparent issue. It is very small relative to the dissolved material.