Soda Ash - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

[JVU]

I used to use A&H Baking Soda to supplement my alk (not even the main source) as needed. I stopped using it because I got some weird increased trace elements/contaminants I couldn’t explain in another way on ICP testing. I spent some effort trying to figure out if it could be from the Baking Soda, including calling them. I never could get any convincing answers so I stopped using it and starting using a reefing grade supplement instead.

 

[NanoCrazed]

I used to use A&H Baking Soda to supplement my alk (not even the main source) as needed. I stopped using it because I got some weird increased trace elements/contaminants I couldn’t explain in another way on ICP testing. I spent some effort trying to figure out if it could be from the Baking Soda, including calling them. I never could get any convincing answers so I stopped using it and starting using a reefing grade supplement instead.

what were you seeing increases in?

 

[NanoCrazed]

This whole thread has gotten me thinking in terms of what other options there might be for reef additives in a pinch. And one non-obvious but shout be obvious option would be lye water that most Asian stores carry that is used for making ramen. Being that we're in the Bay Area should be an easy to access thing. .

And for @sfsuphysics -- it's food grade... but that doesn't mean much probably depending on country of manufacturing origin..ahem. cough. cough.

Lye water is typically 70 - 80% soda ash, and 20 - 30% potassium carbonate. Something I might want to experiment with as part of alk dosing solution. just need to work out the math on the balance of mix to achieve the desired levels.

 

[JVU]

what were you seeing increases in?

Selenium shot up to 5.8 ug/l, and was the main trace element I was concerned with. Just a correlation without good enough data to really say anything concrete, but was enough to get me to want to stop using a reagent with unknown possible contaminants and no QC data. I’m well aware that we don’t know if those levels are dangerous or not, and I can’t prove that it was the baking soda, something else, or maybe a spurious result. I don’t care enough to do the thorough investigation and testing since there are easy and cheap alternatives made for reefkeeping.

 

[NanoCrazed]

Selenium shot up to 5.8 ug/l, and was the main trace element I was concerned with. Just a correlation without good enough data to really say anything concrete, but was enough to get me to want to stop using a reagent with unknown possible contaminants and no QC data. I’m well aware that we don’t know if those levels are dangerous or not, and I can’t prove that it was the baking soda, something else, or maybe a spurious result. I don’t care enough to do the thorough investigation and testing since there are easy and cheap alternatives made for reefkeeping.

Was just looking it up and found a thread on RC suggesting that selenium spikes might be coming from frozen food...in case you're feeding that and see similar spikes down the road.

 

[sfsuphysics]

And for @sfsuphysics -- it's food grade... but that doesn't mean much probably depending on country of manufacturing origin..ahem. cough. cough.

Is it food grade? Not sure how washing soda would be food grade but ok

That said, supposed to be getting an ICP test kit Monday, will get a baseline for my system before I make any big changes to dosing. Although I really do want to change because I'm not particularly happy with my Avast Kalk stirrer right now.

 

[NanoCrazed]

Is it food grade? Not sure how washing soda would be food grade but ok

That said, supposed to be getting an ICP test kit Monday, will get a baseline for my system before I make any big changes to dosing. Although I really do want to change because I'm not particularly happy with my Avast Kalk stirrer right now.

No. The lye water is. It's the secret sauce that gives the springiness to ramen noodles.