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I also called and asked my LFS and they said to keep using the BRS cause the PH would increase and seeing that I don't have a PH testing kit, it would be better to use the soda ash for the time being.
I went on to the @Bulk Reef Supply site and the calculator said to use 71.4 ml. I know that is the amount to bring it up from 5dKH to 9dKH and I wouldn't want to do that in one dose on a 25gallon tank. so in a series of 5 days of dosing I would have to be dosing 14.5 ml per day and that would "theoretically" be increasing the dKH by 1.25 dKH per day.
to me that still sounds like its way too much too fast and I would still have to be worrying about the PH increasing and not having a tester right now. I think my math is on the right track with it, but I also suck at math.
Dosing soda ash (baked baking soda - sodium carbonate) I would definitely be testing for PH increases.
Dosing baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) no worries about PH increase.