Soda ash
- Thread starter cilyjr
- Start date
frank180reef
Well-Known Member
Not that I know, I use solely baking soda,
Ash may be baked
Ash may be baked
frank180reef
Well-Known Member
Nothing is less than arm and hammer
phg1960
Well-Known Member
That's what I've been using for years. Useful tip: line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for an hour or so at 350. Remove from oven and let cool. you can lift the whole batch off the sheet by folding the parchment paper. Makes it much easier to handle and pour into your container.
Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
In the FYI category, whether you add sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or sodium carbonate (washing soda I think it's called) the end effect on your tank is the same. The only difference is that baking soda's effect on pH (for it to rise) will be slower as the excess CO2 in the baking soda is driven off in your system (exchange with atmospheric CO2 levels).
phg1960
Well-Known Member
Yes. Randy Holmes suggests using 2.5 cups of baking soda to 1 gallon of R/O water for a saturated solution. The solution can be stored for months if left capped.
As Greg mentioned you can use either baking soda as is or bake it out to make soda ash. The difference is only how it affects you pH. baking will have little effect on pH whereas soda ash will increase pH.
The pH of my system ran in the 8.0 - 8.1 range before I started using soda ash. It now runs about 0.15 higher.
As Greg mentioned you can use either baking soda as is or bake it out to make soda ash. The difference is only how it affects you pH. baking will have little effect on pH whereas soda ash will increase pH.
The pH of my system ran in the 8.0 - 8.1 range before I started using soda ash. It now runs about 0.15 higher.
For the Randy 2 part recipe No.1 (using baked method), recommends 2 1/4 or 594 grams per gallon. 2 1/2 cups may dissolve, but it does NOT match the recipe for part 1. I can only assume you are aware, but figured I would mention it in case someone copies this method. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/#5
Since I started dosing and the pump is in mls, I switch my measurements entirely to metric. Grams seems easier to measure on a scale than filling cups. I guess I should plug this little bad boy too! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004164SRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 oz's are for liquor, and even then it is a double.
Since I started dosing and the pump is in mls, I switch my measurements entirely to metric. Grams seems easier to measure on a scale than filling cups. I guess I should plug this little bad boy too! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004164SRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 oz's are for liquor, and even then it is a double.
Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
>As Greg mentioned you can use either baking soda as is or bake it out to make soda ash. The difference is only how it affects you pH.<
Please note...what I said was how it affects your pH in the short run. Once your tank comes back into equilibrium with the level of CO2 in the atmospheric air then the pH will be the same regardless of which one you added (again provided you are added the same amount on a molar basis). If you add baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) the tank will slowly blow off the extra CO2, if you add washing soda/soda ash (sodium carbonate) the tank will be taking CO2 IN from the air.
Please note...what I said was how it affects your pH in the short run. Once your tank comes back into equilibrium with the level of CO2 in the atmospheric air then the pH will be the same regardless of which one you added (again provided you are added the same amount on a molar basis). If you add baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) the tank will slowly blow off the extra CO2, if you add washing soda/soda ash (sodium carbonate) the tank will be taking CO2 IN from the air.
