2 Part Alkalinity not mixing slurry on bottom of 1 Gallon.

[Jimmyneptune]

I have a problem with my alkalinity 2 part not mixing in 1 gallon jug. I mixed 2 part using Randy’s recipe # 1 weight out the baking soda 594 grams, 2 ¼ cups, and heat at 300 for an hour. I usually overheat. I usually will mix several batched at a time in 1 gallon jug, thanks BRS, and leave sit until needed. I had to swap out my two part and found the bottle to have white dissolution, slurry, on the bottom. The baking soda will not fully mix. I would shake it vigorously for a minute and let sit 5 min, I soaked the bottle in hot water and then shake the bottle to only have the same dissolution on the bottom. I tried mixing like this for over an hour. I have used 2 part like this for years and this is the first time this occurred. Things that may or may not have occurred, the bottle probably has been sitting 6-8 months: I may have over measured, if so, do I just poor off the solution into a new bottle leave the slurry behind? I have another jug with the lid on and pretreated dry soda ash with no water. Will storing like this cause the soda ash to act like recipe #2; if so, do I have an extra cup of soda ash in my dry mix? I have also started using Tropic Marine trace elements once water is in the jug and may or may not have added to the jug with the issue. Any ideas what happened?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have also started using Tropic Marine trace elements once water is in the jug and may or may not have added to the jug with the issue. Any ideas what happened?

You added something to the alk part? What TM additive exactly?

have you done that before without a precipitate?

 

[homer1475]

I've been using randy's recipe for about 10 years now, have never not had it mix thoroughly. Could be the addition of trace, but I have no idea.

Soda ash usually mixes much faster then sodium bicarb(just the unbaked baking soda). Not sure on the storing, but unless it's air/moisture proof, it;s probably gaining water as it sits.

I'm sure @Randy Holmes-Farley will chime in

 

[Jimmyneptune]

You added something to the alk part? What TM additive exactly?

have you done that before without a precipitate?

I use Tropic Marin Pro Coral Trace A- for the alkalinity. I have added it before and it works great stable strong growth to my corals. I tend to run high nitrate and phosphate and would have seasonal growth and die off of montipora and slow growth of other corals. With the Tropic Marin Pro Coral Trace A-, and k for the calcium, I have great growth for all my corals except some when they get shaded out by growth from higher corals in the tank.

I did not notice precipitate previously. I usually would mix until all the precipitate was gone then add the trace elements.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybe it just did not get baked enough for some reason. If that's it, adding more water (and dosing more) will solve it.

Maybe you swapped the alk and calcium jugs accidentally?

 

[Jimmyneptune]

Maybe it just did not get baked enough for some reason. If that's it, adding more water (and dosing more) will solve it.

Maybe you swapped the alk and calcium jugs accidentally?

I hope not!

 

[Jimmyneptune]

Maybe it just did not get baked enough for some reason. If that's it, adding more water (and dosing more) will solve it.

Maybe you swapped the alk and calcium jugs accidentally?

so If I pour off some of the fluid from the jug and add new RO/DI should do the trick?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

so If I pour off some of the fluid from the jug and add new RO/DI should do the trick?

Yes. A 50% dilution (1:1 with new RO/DI) should dissolve it all even if unbaked.