Soda ash precipitation

[grassi]

I was baking the baking soda before. I was trying the BRS soda ash that I recently ordered and I noticed precipitation as soon as it touch the water.

I followed the mixing instructions and the solution is crystal clear before to be added to saltwater.

Ph is at 8.2, alk 2.5 meq/l and calcium at 520 right now.

Is the precipitation and clogging normal with BRS soda ash?

Thanks

[lewisriverfisherman]

I was baking the baking soda before. I was trying the BRS soda ash that I recently ordered and I noticed precipitation as soon as it touch the water.

I followed the mixing instructions and the solution is crystal clear before to be added to saltwater.

Ph is at 8.2, alk 2.5 meq/l and calcium at 520 right now.

Is the precipitation and clogging normal with BRS soda ash?

Thanks

 

alex yes it is normal. this will raise your PH as well. if you dont want to raise your PH use the sodium bicarbonate and it stays clear when you dose it.

[grassi]

I'm fine with raising ph. It should be only temporary, so I can dose at night.

I wasn't having this problem before, probably is the raised Mg that helps the precipitation.

I will drip in the sump, so maybe the pump will help breaking it down a little.

Thanks

[ReeFit]

Yes that's why I put it in my filter sock.

[grassi]

Yes that's why I put it in my filter sock.

 

you drip it there?

[ReeFit]

you drip it there?

 

No I dose nightly

[ReeFit]

I also pad my top off water

[NoobtoSalt]

I went ahead and got soda ash as well so I guess it will all just be trial and error.

[grassi]

Soda ash is good. We usually have low ph. Mine is always in the low range, between 7.9 and 8.3.

Robert you just pour your solution all at once in the filter sock?

[ReeFit]

Soda ash is good. We usually have low ph. Mine is always in the low range, between 7.9 and 8.3.

Robert you just pour your solution all at once in the filter sock?

 

yep, i shake up the bottle then measure out 3 oz and pour it in the sock. it maintains my dkh at about 8 and my ph hovers around 8.2-8.4. this is on a very heavily stocked sps fragtank of 140 gallons total. if i miss a day my dkh will drop almost 1 point per day.

[grassi]

yep' date=' i shake up the bottle then measure out 3 oz and pour it in the sock. it maintains my dkh at about 8 and my ph hovers around 8.2-8.4. this is on a very heavily stocked sps fragtank of 140 gallons total. if i miss a day my dkh will drop almost 1 point per day.[/quote']

 

Somebody needs an automatic dosing pump...

[ReeFit]

Somebody needs an automatic dosing pump...

 

lol i have one. i also have 2 calc. reactors and a kalk reactor. i'm waiting until i have the house remodeled before i put those things into place. the current location just isn't setup right to allow for those things to be installed.

[dsoz]

When I add sodium carbonate (soda ash) I usually add the amount to about a gallon of RODI water before adding. Then there is no precipitation. The precipitation can actually LOWER your calcium levels. This is also how I top off my tank because I don't have an ATO.

 

I also add the calcium chloride to a gallon of water before adding it too, but it usually does not precipitate when added straight to the tank.

 

dsoz

[ReeFit]

When I add sodium carbonate (soda ash) I usually add the amount to about a gallon of RODI water before adding. Then there is no precipitation. The precipitation can actually LOWER your calcium levels. This is also how I top off my tank because I don't have an ATO.

 

I also add the calcium chloride to a gallon of water before adding it too, but it usually does not precipitate when added straight to the tank.

 

dsoz

 

That is true, I have far less precipitation if any by adding to rodi water when I was tipping off manually. It was usually in about 2gallons. And just to clarify this is the brs solution that is already mixed with 1 gallon of water being added to an additional amount of water to help prevent the precipitation.