BRS Soda Ash Settling in Dosing Reservoir

[Wen]

I use BRS Soda Ash to control alkalinity.

I mix up a gallon for reserves and keep it in the BRS plastic Mr.Chili jug with no settling.

I use this premixed jug to refill a glass bottle reservoir that my DOS is fed from. The soda ash mixture in the glass bottle will settle.

It’s rather bothersome because when the glass bottle is full, alkalinity remains at the target number. When the bottle is 1/4 full my alk rises....and will continue to rise.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Why does soda ash solution not settle in the mixing jug , but settles in the DOS bottle? (Maybe because of air seal?).

How do I keep the soda ash from settling in DOS glass bottle?

thank you.

 

[Billldg]

That's odd because I also use BRS Soda Ash and a BRS 1 gal container. I mix it, let it sit for a day, and then pour it in my 2500 ml containers and never had an issue. I only have to clean out my Soda Ash container, roughly , every year. Are you using the 1 gal mixture bags, or are you mixing from the bigger bag?

 

[Saltyreef]

How often do you refill the glass bottle? Is it open to the air?

 

[tautog83]

Mine settles in my dosing container as well ,I try and mix it when I see it

 

[Wen]

That's odd because I also use BRS Soda Ash and a BRS 1 gal container. I mix it, let it sit for a day, and then pour it in my 2500 ml containers and never had an issue. I only have to clean out my Soda Ash container, roughly , every year. Are you using the 1 gal mixture bags, or are you mixing from the bigger bag?

I make the BRS one gal jug about every 2.5-3 wks. Never cleaned the 1 gal plastic jug, it’s always clear.

I fill the glass bottle about every 10 days. It’s always “dusty looking”, only clear when freshly refilled. I clean it or start with new glass bottle, same.

i use the 5 gal soda ash bucket.

 

[Billldg]

I make the BRS one gal jug about every 2.5-3 wks. Never cleaned the 1 gal plastic jug, it’s always clear.

I fill the glass bottle about every 10 days. It’s always “dusty looking”, only clear when freshly refilled. I clean it or start with new glass bottle, same.

i use the 5 gal soda ash bucket.

I use the 1 Gal mix bags when I mix the 1 gal containers.

 

[Wen]

Old BRS jug, but no settling on bottom. Solution can sit 2 wks no debris.

within a few days it settles...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Alk supplements are solubility limited, and are often close to the limit. That includes my DIY Recipes, which BRS uses.

Especially if it gets cold, they will often precipitate.

Warm it or add more water, if you need to (and account for that in dosing if you need to), but small amounts of precipitate are not generally any concern. It may also just be some insoluble material such as calcium carbonate. The amounts shown directly above are unimportant, IMO.

 

[Wen]

Alk supplements are solubility limited, and are often close to the limit. That includes my DIY Recipes, which BRS uses.

Especially if it gets cold, they will often precipitate.

Warm it or add more water, if you need to (and account for that in dosing if you need to), but small amounts of precipitate are not generally any concern. It may also just be some insoluble material such as calcium carbonate. The amounts shown directly above are unimportant, IMO.

Hey Randy, thanks for chiming in.

The Alk solutions (both plastic mixing/extra reserves jug and glass dosing bottle) are kept in the fish closet where the temp is 80 degrees tops and 78 bottom. They never are cold.

The plastic mixing jug solution is always clear...no matter how long it sits.
The glass dosing bottle solution will always precipitate...within 3-4ish days.

The alkalinity level in my aquarium will rise as the alk solution becomes more concentrated.
I am trying to not have the dosing bottle precipitate and thus raise tank alk as the bottle gets lower...if this makes sense.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The alkalinity level in my aquarium will rise as the alk solution becomes more concentrated.
I am trying to not have the dosing bottle precipitate and thus raise tank alk as the bottle gets lower...if this makes sense.

Why is the alk solution getting more concentrated? Precipitation will lower the potency. Is it evaporating?

 

[Wen]

Why is the alk solution getting more concentrated? Precipitation will lower the potency. Is it evaporating?

As the DOS removes solution from dosing glass bottle the quantity of liquid lessens but powder on bottom increases.

This is when I consistently notice alkalinity levels in display rising.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As the DOS removes solution from dosing glass bottle the quantity of liquid lessens but powder on bottom increases.

This is when I consistently notice alkalinity levels in display rising.

I see no reason to think the potency increases as the water level declines. The precipitate isn't likely continuing to dissolve very much, and even if it did, the amount of solid in the pictures above is very small, so even if it all dissolved suddenly, its not much of a boost.

In any case, if it concerns you, heat the water to dissolve any that is dissolvable. Then some may precipitate when it cools back to room temp, but there will definitely be no ongoing dissolution at room temp.