Question about using Baking Soda to raise Alk

[efishnsea]

Hey Everyone

Is it okay to use Baking Soda to raise and maintain Alk in a reef tank????

I'm waiting on my two part shipment and need a quick fix till my product arrives.....

210g sps and softie tank
ph 8.2
alk 8.0dkh
Ca 480
mg 1300

Thanks
efishnsea

 

[J. Montgomery]

Yes, baking soda is the main ingredient in the alkalinity part of two part solution. A common homemade version consists of 2 1/4 cup of baked baking soda dissolved in one gallon of RO/DI water.

 

[revhtree]

Yes I used it all the time in my 125g. I never baked it though I know you can.

 

[efishnsea]

Yes, baking soda is the main ingredient in the alkalinity part of two part solution. A common homemade version consists of 2 1/4 cup of baked baking soda dissolved in one gallon of RO/DI water.

Can I just mix like a tablespoon or two in a cup of tank water and add it directly back in????

Thanks

 

[efishnsea]

Yes I used it all the time in my 125g. I never baked it though I know you can.

Cool wow.... I know I'm not getting any trace elements any other issues involved with using it????? Man thats cheap stuff

Thanks

 

[twon8]

the whole "trace elements" line is bull imo. i never add anything but kalk, baking soda, ca and mag and food.

 

[J. Montgomery]

If you're using something like Arm & Hammer baking soda sold in the grocery store, then you don't need to worry about any additives since it's food grade qualilty.

Yeah, you could add the baking soda in the method you described. Check out the Reef Chemistry calculator to figure out how much you should add:
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

 

[J. Montgomery]

the whole "trace elements" line

I think he was referring to possible impurities in the baking soda.

 

[efishnsea]

the whole "trace elements" line is bull imo. i never add anything but kalk, baking soda, ca and mag and food.

Uhhh, man I have been spending alot of $$$$ on alk plus additives, thats good to know. More money for corals , great.....


thanks

 

[efishnsea]

I think he was referring to possible impurities in the baking soda.

Nope, just the trace elements that are in the alk additive. Baking soda it is
Thanks

 

[J. Montgomery]

I use the following:

Calcium: Prestone Driveway Heat
Alkalinity: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
Magnesium: MAGflake & Epsom Salt
Kalk: Mrs. Wage's Pickling Lime

Salt: Instant Ocean

 

[efishnsea]

I use the following:

Calcium: Prestone Driveway Heat
Alkalinity: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
Magnesium: MAGflake & Epsom Salt
Kalk: Mrs. Wage's Pickling Lime

Salt: Instant Ocean

What OMG are you serious???? Prestone Driveway Heat, MAGflake and Mrs Wages Pickling lime????????

 

[twon8]

that is exactly what i have used, though now i use the twopartsolutions anhydrous ca. works great.

 

[efishnsea]

that is exactly what i have used, though now i use the twopartsolutions anhydrous ca. works great.

What is Prestone Driveway Heat?????

 

[twon8]

calcium chloride used to melt snow as it's a salt.

 

[efishnsea]

calcium chloride used to melt snow as it's a salt.

So I assuming it would raise salinity levels, is there a thread or a link as to how much to use or some more info on DYI 2 part solutions????

Thanks

 

[surfn]

here is the article on DIY 2-part. this is mainly for dosing purposes using a peristalic pump for both solutions. (this is what i currently do)
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

your tank is rather large, so i would first recomend putting kalk into a large container of fresh top off water, and then using a dosing pump to maintain the water in the tank. this should also keep your alk up.

if you want to raise your calcium, alkalinity, or magnesium, just use this simple calculator.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

it has most of the commercial available additives in the drop down menus, so it will tell you exactly how much to add to the tank.

IMO, its best to add a teaspoon of stuff per gallon of top off water to dissolve it first, then dump it into the sump.

 

[efishnsea]

here is the article on DIY 2-part. this is mainly for dosing purposes using a peristalic pump for both solutions. (this is what i currently do)
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

your tank is rather large, so i would first recomend putting kalk into a large container of fresh top off water, and then using a dosing pump to maintain the water in the tank. this should also keep your alk up.

if you want to raise your calcium, alkalinity, or magnesium, just use this simple calculator.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

it has most of the commercial available additives in the drop down menus, so it will tell you exactly how much to add to the tank.

IMO, its best to add a teaspoon of stuff per gallon of top off water to dissolve it first, then dump it into the sump.

Thanks sooooo much!!!!!
efishnsea

 

[J. Montgomery]

It's the magic of Randy's Two Part Dosing system, tons of chemical additives for minimal costs!

 

[efishnsea]

It's the magic of Randy's Two Part Dosing system, tons of chemical additives for minimal costs!

I noticed that the recipe is 3 years old, I'll give it a try. I'm sure if it didn't work someone would have brought it up by now.

Thanks again

efishnsea