Soda Ash vs Sodium Bicarbonate?

[DraggingTail]

Who uses which and why?

 

[LA Reef Addict]

Using BRS sodium bicarbonate this week to raise my alk from 6 dkh to 8.5

 

[DraggingTail]

Using BRS sodium bicarbonate this week to raise my alk from 6 dkh to 8.5

Any preference as to why you use Sodium bicarbonate over soda ash?

 

[DraggingTail]

Basically, I know what they do. I currently use Sodium Bicarbonate and starting to use more. Up to 70ml per day.

Was is the benefits of switching other than it takes less soda ash?

 

[lpsouth1978]

I use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) because it has less of an effect on pH AND because it is cheap and easy. I bought an 11 pound bag on amazon for like $15, It should last a very long time!

 

[Jase4224]

I use Sodium Bicarbonate. It has little effect on PH, dissolves easily, it’s cheap and only small amounts are required.

 

[LA Reef Addict]

Yup what they said

 

[DraggingTail]

I use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) because it has less of an effect on pH AND because it is cheap and easy. I bought an 11 pound bag on amazon for like $15, It should last a very long time!

Where does your PH run? Mine runs 8.2 so I am hesitant to switch to Soda Ash even though I would like to have 8.4

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Where does your PH run? Mine runs 8.2 so I am hesitant to switch to Soda Ash even though I would like to have 8.4

If you are dosing through the day, it won't likely rise above pH 8.4 if it peaks at pH 8.2 now. Most people are disappointed that the rise isn't bigger.

 

[DraggingTail]

I use Sodium Bicarbonate. It has little effect on PH, dissolves easily, it’s cheap and only small amounts are required.

What do you mean by small amounts? I go thru a gallan

If you are dosing through the day, it won't rise above pH 8.4 if it peaks at pH 8.2 now.

And if I use the gallon soda ash mix then I should use 1/2 as much as I currently use of sodium bicarb, right?

And if I switch, should I stop ALL automatic dosing in order to get a baseline or will soda ash not affect Ca and Mg?

 

[lpsouth1978]

Where does your PH run? Mine runs 8.2 so I am hesitant to switch to Soda Ash even though I would like to have 8.4

I have no idea! I don't even test pH. I make sure my Alk, Ca, and Mg are on point and let the pH be whatever it is. I'm not going to chase it anyway. I also do regular maintenance, clean skimmer cup and change filter socks at least twice a week, and do 25-40% water change every other week. I have a doser hooked up keeping my Alk and Ca stable and that is it.

 

[Miller535]

I use soda ash because I want the little bump ups of ph from dosing it. Also soda ash last longer then bicarbonate as you don't dose as much for the same dkh amount

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What do you mean by small amounts? I go thru a gallan

And if I use the gallon soda ash mix then I should use 1/2 as much as I currently use of sodium bicarb, right?

And if I switch, should I stop ALL automatic dosing in order to get a baseline or will soda ash not affect Ca and Mg?

Yes.

The switch should not impact calcium and magnesium.

 

[DraggingTail]

Yes.

The switch should not impact calcium and magnesium.

Thank you sir.

 

[DraggingTail]

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) gets converted to sodium carbonate, you seem to have that backward. Your oven should be plenty hot enough, but it probably needs more time. However, this is much easier to do in a simple microwave. 5 to 10 minutes should be enough for 100g. Just microwave it until that 100g becomes 63.1g as calculated by OldLabRat and that's it. Alternatively, you could buy washing soda (sodium carbonate) sold by arm & hammer if you are in the US.

?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Who uses which and why?

Beside water changes, and running sulfur denitrator, my PH and alkalinity low, PH 7.7, alk.6.5. Already finished auto WC system, using bake baking soda, to increase both. PH&ALK

Tank from Lam Nguyen, Exclusive Corals

 

[redfishbluefish]

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) does get converted to Soda Ash (sodium carbonate) by heating....preferably in an oven. What occurs is the heat drives off a carbon dioxide converting the bicarb. to the carb. In baking applications, it acts like a "chemical" yeast, producing little bubbles in the cake/bread/whatever you're baking.

Anyway, if you take 2 1/4 cups of baking soda and spread out on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for an hour, you'll end up with approximately 2 cups of soda ash.

Mix this with a gallon of RO/DI, and you have an alk solution to use on your tank.


One more comment about using baking soda or soda ash solutions to dose....you can use either, and it doesn't matter (other than a temporary oh so slight pH shift). The difference is that baking soda has pour solubility and you'll only get about half of what you can get into solution versus soda ash. So if you make up a solution of soda ash, it's more potent and therefore require less than baking soda.

 

[Jase4224]

What do you mean by small amounts? I go thru a gallan

And if I use the gallon soda ash mix then I should use 1/2 as much as I currently use of sodium bicarb, right?

And if I switch, should I stop ALL automatic dosing in order to get a baseline or will soda ash not affect Ca and Mg?

My 170gal uses 4 teaspoons to raise alk by 1 dkh so not much. I mix this into less than 1L of water and add to a dripper in my sump so it’s added slowly.

 

[Jase4224]

Beside water changes, and running sulfur denitrator, my PH and alkalinity low, PH 7.7, alk.6.5. Already finished auto WC system, using bake baking soda, to increase both. PH&ALK

Tank from Lam Nguyen, Exclusive Corals

My alk lowers due to my sulphur reactor, but since I moved the outlet to about an inch above my filter socks so that it goes into a high flow then through my Caulerpa fuge then skimmer now my PH is back up to 8.2

My PH was at <8 before I did this but unsure as to why. Now I add bicarb to stabilise alk.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I'm pretty sure this will answer your question.