Sodium hydroxide + ESV Calcium

crabgrass · Oct 2, 2024

I am guessing this is a bad idea, but will ask it to be sure.

I am considering moving to Sodium Hydroxide for a PH boost. I still have a couple of containers of ESV B-Ionic (Alk and Calc) laying around.

1. I am 99% sure mixing Sodium Hydroxide and ESV Part 1 (Alk) is a bad idea. Right? Or could you get away with a very dilluted version of this
2. Could I use Sodium Hydroxide + ESV Part 2 (Calcium), in tandem

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 2, 2024

You can mix carbonate and hydroxide, but may need to add more water too, since the sodium from the hydroxide will reduce the solubility of the carbonate. Not a lot more, but a little more may be needed.

Yes, you can use ESV b-ionic calcium part as the calcium part of a diy two part, but you cannot make it perfectly ion balanced even if you use Balling Part C since there are some extra ions in that calcium part.

DanyL · Oct 2, 2024

You can do both.

Both however, like Randy already mentioned - won’t be ion balanced, and at that point I would simply make my own 2/3 part solutions, and if your uptake is high enough I would also go beyond the concentrations ESV make.