My pH change results after switching from soda ash to Sodium Hydroxide

[Nerdist Aquarist]

Over the last few months, I've been hearing much more conversations about boosting pH on various YouTube videos. I wasn't happy with my pH levels, so I decided to jump on the train myself. Because all windows are closed due to outside heat in south Florida, CO2 level in my home typically range from 800-1200 ppm. One average so far, I seem to have elevated my pH by an average of 0.23. Just sharing my results if anyone is considering.

I normally dose BRS Calcium Chloride and Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash), I decided to swap out the soda ash and use Sodium Hydroxide in accordance to Randy's recipe (282 grams + 1 gallon water).

pH using Soda Ash

pH dosing Sodium Hydroxide

This is the brand I selected, which claims to the 99% pure.

While I was at it, I sent in a sample for Triton ICP analysis of just the sodium hydroxide in RODI water. All 6 stages of my RODI filter were brand new to make sure I had the most pure RODI water used. I must admit, I have more questions after looking at the ICP results. Pay no attention to the absolute values as I made an solution of an arbitrary concentration. What really confuses me is the presence of various other metals being present. I'm not sure if these are from the impurities, a faulty ICP analysis or if the 99% purity is an incorrect claim?

One thing I can say is that sometimes we take precautionary steps for granted, you absolutely have to be super careful working with this solution!
While mixing the crystals with water, I caught a whiff of the vapors and I immediately started coughing. This stuff will irritate your nostrils and lungs! Not to mention this stuff is used to dissolve flesh from bones!

Another thing to note is it must be dripped in a very HIGH FLOW area. I had it dripping in my return section of my sump, and was wondering why my pH and alkalinity was still going down. I checked a few hours later and saw it was just collecting in the bottom corner of the chamber, almost like jelly. Once I added a small pump in the chamber everything got mixing and my pH and alkalinity spiked up.

Overall, I'm pleased with the results. I've seen a 30%-40% increase in Calcium solution uptake. I'm sure if I were to open up my windows I would probably reach a pH of 8.4. Whether there's a longer term problem caused by impurities remains to be seen, but so far I don't see any ill effects in any corals or fish. I'll give it a few months before sending in another ICP test.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for the update!

 

[BiggestE222]

The results are good. Guess I am weary of sodium hydroxide. I wil stick with dosing kalk equal to my evaporation and 2 daisy chained CO2 scrubbers. Keeps PH between 8.2-8.4

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The results are good. Guess I am weary of sodium hydroxide. I wil stick with dosing kalk equal to my evaporation and 2 daisy chained CO2 scrubbers. Keeps PH between 8.2-8.4

What made you weary of it?

The results should be identical to using kalkwasser, but you are not limited by solubility.

 

[BadSquishy]

This makes perfect sense to raise the pH, but have you stopped using the soda ash entirely? How are you providing carbonate ions?

 

[BiggestE222]

What made you weary of it?

The results should be identical to using kalkwasser, but you are not limited by solubility.

So using same as calcium hydroxide but a higher saturation point?

 

[BiggestE222]

Also would uou then need to add something like all for reef to provide calcium and carbonate?

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

This makes perfect sense to raise the pH, but have you stopped using the soda ash entirely? How are you providing carbonate ions?

I'm no longer dosing soda ash. The carbonate ions form when the hydroxide breaks down and recombines CO2 from the water.

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

Also would uou then need to add something like all for reef to provide calcium and carbonate?

I'm still dosing BRS calcium chloride for the calcium component. The sodium hydroxide is for the Alkalinity component. It's still considered 2 part dosing.

 

[BadSquishy]

I'm no longer dosing soda ash. The carbonate ions form when the hydroxide breaks down and recombines CO2 from the water.

oh yea, that's right...
NaOH + CO2 --> NaHCO3
Makes sense! It's also why NaOH solutions don't store well long-term...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This makes perfect sense to raise the pH, but have you stopped using the soda ash entirely? How are you providing carbonate ions?

They come from CO2 from the air. There is never any lack of carbonate/bicarbonate.

OH- + CO2 --> HCO3-

If the pH is not too high, there is plenty of CO2 for this conversion.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So using same as calcium hydroxide but a higher saturation point?

Yes.

It's best used to make a two part system.

Here's a recipe:

Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

In a previous thread, I posted a true two part DIY recipe: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-diy-two-part-recipes-with-higher-ph-boost.344500/ But some folks may want to just swap the new ingredient into my 2/3 part recipe (as used by BRS, for example). Here's the original recipe link...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[venugopalreddyg]

Over the last few months, I've been hearing much more conversations about boosting pH on various YouTube videos. I wasn't happy with my pH levels, so I decided to jump on the train myself. Because all windows are closed due to outside heat in south Florida, CO2 level in my home typically range from 800-1200 ppm. One average so far, I seem to have elevated my pH by an average of 0.23. Just sharing my results if anyone is considering.

I normally dose BRS Calcium Chloride and Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash), I decided to swap out the soda ash and use Sodium Hydroxide in accordance to Randy's recipe (282 grams + 1 gallon water).

pH using Soda Ash

pH dosing Sodium Hydroxide

This is the brand I selected, which claims to the 99% pure.

While I was at it, I sent in a sample for Triton ICP analysis of just the sodium hydroxide in RODI water. All 6 stages of my RODI filter were brand new to make sure I had the most pure RODI water used. I must admit, I have more questions after looking at the ICP results. Pay no attention to the absolute values as I made an solution of an arbitrary concentration. What really confuses me is the presence of various other metals being present. I'm not sure if these are from the impurities, a faulty ICP analysis or if the 99% purity is an incorrect claim?

One thing I can say is that sometimes we take precautionary steps for granted, you absolutely have to be super careful working with this solution!
While mixing the crystals with water, I caught a whiff of the vapors and I immediately started coughing. This stuff will irritate your nostrils and lungs! Not to mention this stuff is used to dissolve flesh from bones!

Another thing to note is it must be dripped in a very HIGH FLOW area. I had it dripping in my return section of my sump, and was wondering why my pH and alkalinity was still going down. I checked a few hours later and saw it was just collecting in the bottom corner of the chamber, almost like jelly. Once I added a small pump in the chamber everything got mixing and my pH and alkalinity spiked up.

Overall, I'm pleased with the results. I've seen a 30%-40% increase in Calcium solution uptake. I'm sure if I were to open up my windows I would probably reach a pH of 8.4. Whether there's a longer term problem caused by impurities remains to be seen, but so far I don't see any ill effects in any corals or fish. I'll give it a few months before sending in another ICP test.

Thanks for the information.. Can i use my Neptune DOS to dose sodium Hydroxide...? I am not sure if the silicon tubing can withstand the potency of the NaOH solution... What are my dosing pump options if i want to dose Na OH.?

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

I'm not sure of the long term durability but I've been dosing it over 8 months now on my DOS. I haven't seen any issues. I initially started with normal concentration (282 grams per 1 gallon water), for the last 3 months I've mixed it at 3x that concentration.

 

[ncjeepguy75]

Over the last few months, I've been hearing much more conversations about boosting pH on various YouTube videos. I wasn't happy with my pH levels, so I decided to jump on the train myself. Because all windows are closed due to outside heat in south Florida, CO2 level in my home typically range from 800-1200 ppm. One average so far, I seem to have elevated my pH by an average of 0.23. Just sharing my results if anyone is considering.

I normally dose BRS Calcium Chloride and Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash), I decided to swap out the soda ash and use Sodium Hydroxide in accordance to Randy's recipe (282 grams + 1 gallon water).

pH using Soda Ash

pH dosing Sodium Hydroxide

This is the brand I selected, which claims to the 99% pure.

While I was at it, I sent in a sample for Triton ICP analysis of just the sodium hydroxide in RODI water. All 6 stages of my RODI filter were brand new to make sure I had the most pure RODI water used. I must admit, I have more questions after looking at the ICP results. Pay no attention to the absolute values as I made an solution of an arbitrary concentration. What really confuses me is the presence of various other metals being present. I'm not sure if these are from the impurities, a faulty ICP analysis or if the 99% purity is an incorrect claim?

One thing I can say is that sometimes we take precautionary steps for granted, you absolutely have to be super careful working with this solution!
While mixing the crystals with water, I caught a whiff of the vapors and I immediately started coughing. This stuff will irritate your nostrils and lungs! Not to mention this stuff is used to dissolve flesh from bones!

Another thing to note is it must be dripped in a very HIGH FLOW area. I had it dripping in my return section of my sump, and was wondering why my pH and alkalinity was still going down. I checked a few hours later and saw it was just collecting in the bottom corner of the chamber, almost like jelly. Once I added a small pump in the chamber everything got mixing and my pH and alkalinity spiked up.

Overall, I'm pleased with the results. I've seen a 30%-40% increase in Calcium solution uptake. I'm sure if I were to open up my windows I would probably reach a pH of 8.4. Whether there's a longer term problem caused by impurities remains to be seen, but so far I don't see any ill effects in any corals or fish. I'll give it a few months before sending in another ICP test.

I have noticed a difference in my pH over the last few months of dosing NaOH...I still cannot get the boost up to 8.1 without alkalinity going through the roof but that is ok for now...pH maintaining at 7.8-7.9 and alkalinity constant at 9.75-10...

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

I have noticed a difference in my pH over the last few months of dosing NaOH...I still cannot get the boost up to 8.1 without alkalinity going through the roof but that is ok for now...pH maintaining at 7.8-7.9 and alkalinity constant at 9.75-10...

I noticed something interesting yesterday, my pH usually peaks around 8.32 but for some reason had a noticeable boost to 8.4 without any additional Alk dosing. It happens pellet food ran out in my auto feeder, so no food was added for a day or two. Water clarity was visibly clearer too. I'm thinking over feeding has small part in suppressing pH because of extra ammonia. I'll be slightly reducing my feeding to see what happens. My feeder drops food 5 times/day, cutting it to 4.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I noticed something interesting yesterday, my pH usually peaks around 8.32 but for some reason had a noticeable boost to 8.4 without any additional Alk dosing. It happens pellet food ran out in my auto feeder, so no food was added for a day or two. Water clarity was visibly clearer too. I'm thinking over feeding has small part in suppressing pH because of extra ammonia. I'll be slightly reducing my feeding to see what happens. My feeder drops food 5 times/day, cutting it to 4.

If there's a food effect, it is more likely (IMO) metabolism of all the organic carbon to CO2 than the small amount of ammonia not converted into nitrate.

 

[venugopalreddyg]

I'm not sure of the long term durability but I've been dosing it over 8 months now on my DOS. I haven't seen any issues. I initially started with normal concentration (282 grams per 1 gallon water), for the last 3 months I've mixed it at 3x that concentration.

This helps.. Thanks and this helps me relax as I was not sure what happens..

 

[14 foot reef]

Switching from soda ash to Sodium Hydroxide today for PH boost, using the DOS from Apex. Do I dose the exact same ml per day to start off or should I work up to the same dose? @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Switching from soda ash to Sodium Hydroxide today for PH boost, using the DOS from Apex. Do I dose the exact same ml per day to start off or should I work up to the same dose? @Randy Holmes-Farley

If you are using one of my DIY recipes for the hydroxide and were using one of my DIY recipes for the soda ash part (as BRS sells), then the volume dosed starts the same and may need to be tweaked if the demand for alk rises due to the higher pH.