Randy's 2-Part Question

[specialk]

So I have a whole bunch of Seachem Calcium Reef Advantage that I have had for awhile and am going to begin dosing with that as that will take care of my Calcium and Mag. I will eventually switch over to the complete 2 part DIY calcium mix based on Randys direction. BUT can I dose for ALK with the baking soda recipe and use the seachem calcium product? Will those 2 work together ok or is that 2-part recipe supposed to be used ONLY with one another? I am about to bake some of that baking soda based on the instructions but I want t make sure it is ok to do so?

 

[mcarroll]

They'll work fine together, just test and use the Reef Chemistry Calculator to determine correct dosages.

And skip the baking step and just use baking soda plain. Unless you have pH problems (quite rare, always fixable) baking is a waste of time and energy.

-Matt

 

[specialk]

They'll work fine together, just test and use the Reef Chemistry Calculator to determine correct dosages.

And skip the baking step and just use baking soda plain. Unless you have pH problems (quite rare, always fixable) baking is a waste of time and energy.

-Matt

Sweeet! Thanks bro! Much appreciated!

 

[redfishbluefish]

I actually prefer using cooked baking soda (sodium carbonate) over just using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). The reason is the solubility of baking soda isn't that great. You have to use half the amount of baking soda because it won't all go into solution. If you cook it first, you can now make a "stronger" solution of the ALK part. If you are using dosing pumps, your pumps would have to run twice as long with just baking soda solution.

 

[specialk]

I actually prefer using cooked baking soda (sodium carbonate) over just using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). The reason is the solubility of baking soda isn't that great. You have to use half the amount of baking soda because it won't all go into solution. If you cook it first, you can now make a "stronger" solution of the ALK part. If you are using dosing pumps, your pumps would have to run twice as long with just baking soda solution.

hmmm good to know. For now I am just going to be dosing by hand ... It is on my list of things to do in terms of getting a dosing pump an getting that all set up

 

[bct15]

I though baking soda can crash your ph and that is why you used soda ash (bake baking soda) because it will maintain a stable ph or slightly raise it.

 

[specialk]

I am running about 8.2-8.3 ph so I am interested in what would be the best way

 

[backpack]

Depends on tank size in my eyes. How big is your tank? Do you have a large demand for calcium and alk?

 

[specialk]

Depends on tank size in my eyes. How big is your tank? Do you have a large demand for calcium and alk?

I have about 145 gallons of water with a medium rock load. About 15 SPS frags as well as some softies

 

[mcarroll]

I though baking soda can crash your ph and that is why you used soda ash (bake baking soda) because it will maintain a stable ph or slightly raise it.

When mixed correctly (Recipe #2 uses baking soda) I have never run into solubility issues with baking soda in almost 5 years of use. If you have solubility issues, you have to be doing it wrong.

Similar for the pH issue. Baking soda will release a little CO2 into the water which can temporarily have a lowering effect on pH IN THEORY. In fact, the change is infinitesimally small...especially if you are dripping your two-part as you should be and if you have decent tank aeration. It may even be undetectable. There is certainly no effect on corals or other fauna in the tank.

What people don't consider is that washing soda (baked baking soda) will jack up your pH temporarily, which is more dangerous due to precipitation tendencies that lowering pH. I've actually had this happen at higher dosing volumes. I really don't understand why this is the default suggestion vs baking soda.

Now that I say that, I'm actually not aware of any detrimental effect - even in theory - to temporarily (seconds to minutes) lowered pH. The CO2 is good to be aware of, but miniscule and very temporary. Dosed properly (dripped, as everything shoul be), baking soda is definitely the way to go.

FWIW.

-Matt

 

[trido]

I though baking soda can crash your ph and that is why you used soda ash (bake baking soda) because it will maintain a stable ph or slightly raise it.

That is incorrect. Soda ash, can drastically raise Ph if too much is dosed at once. Uncooked may slightly lower Ph.

Also I'm along the lines of mcarroll. If memory serves me correct. You use 1 1/4 cups of soda ash for one gallon of mix in recipe one. You use 1 1/2 cups of uncooked soda for recipe 2. I quit using recipe one seven years ago and didn't have to start dosing double. I don't have problems with it dissolving either

 

[specialk]

I decided to go with the plain baking soda mixed right into a gallon jug of RO water. My ph is on the higher side of things and based on that article as well it sounded like if I went with Recipe 1 my ph would indeed raise. So I played it safe and am dosing using recipe 2. This was a great learning deal, that's for sure. Thanks for all the input.. immensely appreciated

 

[redfishbluefish]

That is incorrect. Soda ash, can drastically raise Ph if too much is dosed at once. Uncooked may slightly lower Ph.

Also I'm along the lines of mcarroll. If memory serves me correct. You use 1 1/4 cups of soda ash for one gallon of mix in recipe one. You use 1 1/2 cups of uncooked soda for recipe 2. I quit using recipe one seven years ago and didn't have to start dosing double. I don't have problems with it dissolving either

The actual recipes are:

Recipe 1 (Sodium Carbonate) 2 1/4 cups of baking soda, cooked for an hour at 300F results in approximately 2 cups of sodium carbonate (soda ash); made up to one gallon RO/DI.

Recipe 2 (Sodium Bicarbonate) 1 1/8 cups of baking soda to one gallon of RO/DI.

You should note that recipe 1 is twice the equivalence of recipe 2. If you did not start using twice the volume of recipe 2 when you switched from recipe 1, you weren't making them correctly. It simply is twice as "concentrated."

Note that you can NOT disolve the amount of baking soda in recipe 1 (uncooked) in a gallon of water. That quanity of baking soda (2 1/4 cups) is beyond the solubility of same. However, by cooking it (now sodium carbonate), it easily goes into solution. That is the reason Randy had to make recipe 2 "weaker."