Yup, thank you!
Alk drop after water change
- Thread starter svreef
- Start date
Yup, thank you!
Coral reefer
Past President
I buy soda ash in a 5 gal bucket.
I use Triton so mostly it is balanced. I do find I need to add more alkalinity sometimes, I think because the Reef Crystals I use is stupidly unbalanced with high Mg and high Ca (and the high Alk doesn’t last nearly as long as the other 2- unbalanced).
I used to use regular Arm & Hammer baking soda for Alkalinity supplement, but I recently had an ICP test with mildly high selenium out of nowhere after I was using the A&H pretty aggressively to correct an imbalance, with no other clear explanation. I tried to figure out if that was a known issue or not, even contacted the company about trace analysis, etc. After spinning my wheels and getting nowhere, I decided to just use an alkalinity supplement made for reef aquaria. I’m using Seachem Reef Carbonate because I specifically wanted an unbalanced source of carbonate, which is handy to have as needed. If you want 2-part, B-Ionic is the easiest and has minor/trace elements that the bulk reagents don’t.
Also since you said “baking soda ash” just keep in mind that soda ash and baking soda are 2 different but similar things. Both raise alk, but have different effects on pH and different potentcy per weight.
I like BRS for their older videos, but their stocking is unreliable and shipping speed is below par. Amazon, saltwateraquarium.com, marine depot, etc- you have lots of options.
I used to use regular Arm & Hammer baking soda for Alkalinity supplement, but I recently had an ICP test with mildly high selenium out of nowhere after I was using the A&H pretty aggressively to correct an imbalance, with no other clear explanation. I tried to figure out if that was a known issue or not, even contacted the company about trace analysis, etc. After spinning my wheels and getting nowhere, I decided to just use an alkalinity supplement made for reef aquaria. I’m using Seachem Reef Carbonate because I specifically wanted an unbalanced source of carbonate, which is handy to have as needed. If you want 2-part, B-Ionic is the easiest and has minor/trace elements that the bulk reagents don’t.
Also since you said “baking soda ash” just keep in mind that soda ash and baking soda are 2 different but similar things. Both raise alk, but have different effects on pH and different potentcy per weight.
I like BRS for their older videos, but their stocking is unreliable and shipping speed is below par. Amazon, saltwateraquarium.com, marine depot, etc- you have lots of options.
I do the old school method of buying the 13.5 pound bag of arm and hammer baking soda from costco, and then baking it to make ash.
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ofzakaria
Guest
Which is higher than regular sea water.
As I said, wh
I use B-ionic. Available at most LFS. Well balanced 2 parts.
Wlachnit
Past President
Me too....I'm old school as well.
NanoCrazed
Supporting Member
For what it's worth, I used to make soda ash but since my pH has been fairly stable above 8, i just dose straight baking soda nightly.
Soda ash will raise pH, so if you don't need to do so, straight baking soda is all ypu need.
Soda ash will raise pH, so if you don't need to do so, straight baking soda is all ypu need.
NanoCrazed
Supporting Member
Just to make it clear as mud, baking soda CAN raise your pH but you will need a lot more of it to make a significant swing. But, it can help buffer for stability
Soda ash raises PH. Baking soda should leave it the same or lower.
@NanoCrazed are you dosing powder? or baking soda dissolved in water (randys recipe #2)
@NanoCrazed are you dosing powder? or baking soda dissolved in water (randys recipe #2)
NanoCrazed
Supporting Member
I throw a tablespoon straight powder into the overflow as i head off to bed..
I throw a tablespoon straight powder into the overflow as i head off to bed..
That’s a very tempting approach and a refreshing take from the number chasing and dosing gear.
How did you arrive at that measurement and frequency?
NanoCrazed
Supporting Member
Mostly laziness...
i ran of soda ash and my alk was running wonky so being too hot of a day to run my oven i toss in baking soda. And decided to measure to watch the system and realize things looked acceptable.I started experimenting with how much baking soda would keep my system where i wanted it, but decided rather than shoot for a constant, i would aim for a range within a 24 hour period...which to me is how i imagine the ocean to truly be with movement of water.
Once i put in the trident, it helped confirmed my haphazard, lazy ways may not be so far fetched.
Admittedly, this method breaks down when I go on vacation or travel for work (which i wont have to worry about for awhile). So i might get a DOS just for times i travel or if i get even lazier. I like not having to bake soda ash or mixing solution.
For Ca+, I throw a few cubes of SeaLabs no 28 and call it done. Lmao
What my system looks like. Ignore the wild swing in pH. Knocked my prob out of place.
Not for everyone but works for me...
NanoCrazed
Supporting Member
I was doing it before the trident. But now with the Trident, it just gives me more confidence
Coral reefer
Past President
I was under the impression that ph and alk stayed very stable in the ocean?
NanoCrazed
Supporting Member
Was my understanding that there is daily fluctuations at least on pH and O2 in the ocean when I read some research papers. pH is like somewhere 8.5 +/- 0.5 or so... i would assume this then also affects alk...