Switching From Sodium Bicarbonate to Soda Ash for Alk.

[DWill]

I’m switching from using Sodium Bicarbonate to using Soda Ash for Alk.
My average pH has dropped to 8.0 mostly because the windows are closed most of the day now.

I’m dosing sodium Bicarb @ 16 ml/day over 24 doses. I will of course calculate the correct total dose for the Soda Ash. I’m dosing Calcium Chloride on the hour and Bicarb on the half hour currently.

I’ve never used Soda Ash.

My question(s) is how much is soda ash, on average going to affect my pH. Is there some per ml ball park to use to determine the pH effect of Soda Ash or something.

Given Soda Ash affects pH and Bicarb doesn’t; should I change my dosing routine to dose it a night and thus reduce the night time drop. My assumption is by dosing it on the same 24 hour schedule (using the proper dose of course) the swing between night and day won’t be much. It isn’t now with Bicarb.

Thanks for your help.

 

[vetteguy53081]

A ph of 8 is very acceptable as the safe range is 8.0 - 8.3
Please dont make the mistake of chasing numbers- a term used to try to correct values to achieve perfect readings which in turn can lead to other values(parameters) suffering in the process adversely affecting or killing various coral

 

[elysics]

Be aware that you need a different weight of powder between the two to get the same alkalinity effect.

I wouldn't expect wonders regarding ph, it's not hydroxide.

Also, if you only want to dose during the night, measure your alk hourly for a day once you do to make sure it doesn't drop to much. If you burn through a few dKH per day it might get kinda low before the next dose at night. That wouldn't be good. I'd keep the 24h regime.

 

[crustytheclown]

I'm actually doing the exact thing but in reverse. I was dosing soda ash and now I am dosing sodium bicarbonate. Do you need to adjust the dose amounts after switching to keep the reef at the same DKH?

 

[billyocean]

I had to dose a lot more bicarbonate than soda ash to keep up with alk. I cant remember exacts but it was at least 50% more.

 

[crustytheclown]

I had to dose a lot more bicarbonate than soda ash to keep up with alk. I cant remember exacts but it was at least 50% more.

Wow! That's insanity. I had no idea

 

[Miami Reef]

Wow! That's insanity. I had no idea

Following Randy’s recipe for sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda ash). The soda ash recipe has double the alk potency than the baking soda recipe.

If you are switching to sodium bicarbonate, double the amount you currently dose of soda ash.

 

[billyocean]

I was thinking it was about twice as much but said 50 to be safe bc it was a while ago

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Wow! That's insanity. I had no idea

Not insanity, chemistry. lol

The sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) recipes (both mine and others) are always more dilute than sodium carbonate (washing soda/soda ash) recipes simply because sodium bicarbonate is much less soluble and thus cannot be made as concentrated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My question(s) is how much is soda ash, on average going to affect my pH. Is there some per ml ball park to use to determine the pH effect of Soda Ash or something.

It's is extremely unlikely that the soda ash recipe will push pH too high while maintaining alkalinity in an appropriate range, so take whatever pH boost you get and don't worry further.