Which one should I use to raise my alk?!?

[Zack]

I am currently using bulk reef supply two part dosing system. The kit uses soda ash(sodium carbonate) to raise alkalinity. I work for a pool company and can obtain these from work much cheaper. For swimming pools I don't use soda ash to raise alkalinity, I use sodium bicarbonate(baking soda) and I use soda ash(sodium carbonate) to raise ph.
So my question is can I use either one to raise my alkalinity? In my line of work- sodium bicarbonate raises alkalinity and ph a little bit, and when I want to only raise.ph in a pool I use sodium carbonate. How come sodium carbonate is used to raise alk instead of the sodium bicarb? Does anyone use baking soda to raise their alk, or are most using soda ash to get the job done?
Thanks for any and all advice/comments, etc....

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[Fieroguy19]

You can use either one for raising Alk. Most people use soda ash due to the added benefit of helping pH stay higher since alot of people have trouble keeping their pH up. You should google "randy's two part recipe" and there will be an article from advanced aquarist on how to use soda ash or baking soda.

 

[Paul C.]

Straight baking soda will lower ur PH some, but it will come back. If u bake the baking soda it will raise the ph.

 

[Downbeach]

Either will work. It's the CO₂ in baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) that causes the pH to be slightly reduced. Baking the baking soda will drive off the CO₂(making it sodium carbonate), causing the pH to slightly rise.

 

[Zack]

I didn't think bicarbonate would lower ph... I use it in pools to raise alkalinity and it also raises ph a little. But were talking reefs not swimming pools so maybe it reacts differently

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[ritter6788]

I used to use soda ash but got tired of baking it. I use regular baking soda now and I can't tell any difference. I use a cheap brand from a grocery supply company and a whole case is like $13. I don't use near that much in year.

 

[Zack]

You can buy soda ash too. I have 50 lb bags of it at my work. I just wonder if that stuff is pure as bulk reefs stuff

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[Rob.D]

I use baked baking soda in accordance with Randy's two part recipe.

 

[Zack]

Why do you bake baking soda instead of just buying soda ash?

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[Rob.D]

Why do you bake baking soda instead of just buying soda ash?

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Because I asked you to get me some over 5 months ago and I'm still waiting!

 

[Zack]

Ha! I can get you some this weekend if you want it. I got a 50 lb bag in my work van right now

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[Downbeach]

I didn't think bicarbonate would lower ph...

It's temporary, since the CO₂ will reach equilibrium through gas exchange, and mitigate the effect.

 

[Zack]

It's temporary, since the CO₂ will reach equilibrium through gas exchange, and mitigate the effect.

Thanks for confusing me even more! Ha! Do you dose, if so, do you use baking soda or soda ash?

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[fragmatic]

I use Reef Fusion part 2 for KH.

))))))========> But I dose both 1 & 2. My KH and Ca are always right on. I have a 90 with a sump, a refugium, and a 20 gal frag tank, and I dose 4 ml of 1 & 2 to different parts of the system on odd calendar days.

I skim, and run a bio pellet reactor, and most of the time now my GFO and carbon reactors are off.


Actually, all my test are consistently on.

 

[Zack]

Does the bottle say whether its sodium bicarb or sodium carbonate?

 

[Downbeach]

Thanks for confusing me even more! Ha! Do you dose, if so, do you use baking soda or soda ash?

I am dosing, and I use Baking Soda, since it's so cheap and a good source of Alk. But, another reason is because I also use saturated Kalk in my top off every day, which by itself will raise the pH. I use BRS calcium chloride for my Ca. The commercial two part solutions will work, but are much too expensive, considering you can get some of what you need at your local grocery store, i.e. baking soda. It's even cheaper if you use Randy's recipe, but I just can't get my head wrapped around the fact the something that is used to melt snow on the sidewalk is going to be pure enough to use in my tank.:nono:

 

[Zack]

Yea the brs two part im using is just sodium carbonate and calcium chloride, i was thinking of using the stuff i can get from work which is 50 lb bulk bags of both. I am hesitant for the same reason, i just dont know if its the same quality and purity. Probably is though... thanks for the input downbeach

 

[Downbeach]

Yea the brs two part im using is just sodium carbonate and calcium chloride, i was thinking of using the stuff i can get from work which is 50 lb bulk bags of both. I am hesitant for the same reason, i just dont know if its the same quality and purity. Probably is though... thanks for the input downbeach

If it's a lab grade its probably as good as what you'll get from BRS.

 

[fragmatic]

Does the bottle say whether its sodium bicarb or sodium carbonate?

It just says carbonates and bicarbonates.

 

[Ron Reefman]

The commercial two part solutions will work, but are much too expensive, considering you can get some of what you need at your local grocery store, i.e. baking soda. It's even cheaper if you use Randy's recipe, but I just can't get my head wrapped around the fact the something that is used to melt snow on the sidewalk is going to be pure enough to use in my tank.:nono:

I use dowflake (snow melt) for calcium chloride, pool supply soda ash for alkalinity, epsom salt for magnesium sulfate and mag flake (snow melt) for magnesium chloride. They all work just fine. I have a 180g DT of sps & lps and a 70g anemone tank. They have been using these chemicals for over a year now and evrything just keeps growing. I dose 400ml per day which works out to 72 pounds of dowflake/yr. That's 2 of the BRS 5g buckets (35lbs) at $77ea, or $154/yr. Dowflake is $20 for a 50lb bag, or $30/year. So I save $125/year on calcium chloride alone! You should really consider dowflake and mag flake as alternatives. If you can find them locally they cost 25% of what BRS chemicals cost and there is no shipping. Believe it or not, I even found it local in SW Florida, and you know how much snow we get! We don't even call it winter, it's just the 'dry season'. We were buying a bag and splitting it up before my requirements when up with the new tank and accelerated coral and coraline algae growth. I still buy 'spare' bags and refill other club member's old BRS 1 gallon bottles. Heck, now I even use Bayer Advanced Home Pest & Germ Killer as my coral dip.