Borax 20 mule team and baking soda

[wareagle35031]

O.K. on another reef forum someone mentioned a 4:1 baking soda to borax 20 mule team laundry booster as a DIY homemade buffering agent. Does anyone here use/know someone who uses this long term with or without any adverse effects?

 

[SouthernR]

never heard of the borax but plain baking soda after being baked at 350 for 30 mins yes

 

[wareagle35031]

since it is just sodium bicarbonate, I could see how that would work, but Borax??

 

[SouthernR]

I have to question the borax myself.

 

[ficklefins]

Fewer mules but is this similar to what you are looking for:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

[wareagle35031]

so it depends on the amount of boron in your salt mixes?

 

[ficklefins]

Interesting topic here is a link I'm reading through right now:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/water-chemistry/why-i-ve-used-borax-before-49604.html

 

[wareagle35031]

right, but they do not say if the boron can build in the tank and cause problems, like being toxic like stated here http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2003/chem.htm

 

[Aloha Corals]

i guess i'm old...

 

[wareagle35031]

i guess i'm old...

?? what you mean you are old?

 

[Aloha Corals]

?? what you mean you are old?

I thought this thread was about the old commercial and movies of the twenty mule team. You know 18 mules and two horses? "soap" operahs... ever wonder how they got that name? Borax commercials. lol

Then i realized after your post it wasn't.

Anyway, look at your pH and Alkalinty buffers (if you use them), they all have boric acid in them. I'll see if i can get picture of the one i used to use. (I'm at work now)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax - a good info page

 

[reef-nut]

Why would you even take a chance on any of these home brews, when there is commercial products for most any problem out there?

 

[wareagle35031]

Why would you even take a chance on any of these home brews, when there is commercial products for most any problem out there?

Oh I wouldnt dream of it, no way, crazy talk to me, but he is preaching this to new people in the hobby, and I just dont think it is a good ideal!!

 

[reef-nut]

Oh I wouldnt dream of it, no way, crazy talk to me, but he is preaching this to new people in the hobby, and I just dont think it is a good ideal!!

Keep that thought. I got way to much money and time in my tank to take any kind of a chance. I still can not believe people are putting vodka in there tank.

 

[robharold]

Why would you even take a chance on any of these home brews, when there is commercial products for most any problem out there?

One reason to use a home brew is that the commercial products often times ARE exactly the same thing only now that it is "reef" this or that they double or triple the price.

I use any means I can to save money in this hobby. That way I can afford more CORALS!!!!!

 

[blue acro]

O.K. on another reef forum someone mentioned a 4:1 baking soda to borax 20 mule team laundry booster as a DIY homemade buffering agent. Does anyone here use/know someone who uses this long term with or without any adverse effects?

It’s a totally natural element and its found in all NSW and it’s as needed as any other element for proper coral proper metabolism normal growth All commercial prepared buffering agents contain it in in just the same amount to try and maintain a 3.00 ppm of borate as the make up of total alkalinity its found in NSW of contractions of 2.8 to 4.01 around the worlds oceans Relatively little information is available about the quantity and form of boron in the atmosphere. Boron has been detected in measurable quantities in evaporation from seawater, rain, snow, and hot springs, and industrial airborne dust. In rain and snow, boron has been reported in concentrations ranging between 0.002 and 0.1 milligrams boron per liter. The major source of boron in the atmosphere appears to be evaporation from seawater. Industrial processes contribute much less. On a global basis, boron moves through the atmosphere at a rate of five to seven million tons per year.
As a side not it’s in about every food we as humans eat and all the waters we drink

 

[revhtree]

Welcome to R2R blueacro! Stick around!!

 

[blue acro]

Thanks for the welcome and I sure will nice site enjoying looking around some good nice infomation to be had here .