USCG CWO Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Making up some new DIY 2 part calcium and alk, and this is the first time I have actually baked the baking soda for the ALK part. I used the called for 1 1/8 cup since I have a higher PH. After baking the baking soda, I added it to a gallon of just made RO/DI water. Now the water was a little on the cold side and the soda was a little on the warm side, but I ended up with about a 1/4 cup of solid water rocks in the bottom of the jug. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I never bother baking the sodium bicarbonate, but try shaking water a few minutes and see it it dissolves. It may need to set overnight, then try shaking it again. I use gallon milk jugs for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Hey John, yeah I shook the heck out of it, but the "rocks" where literally rock hard. You know how you add salt to ice and it gets really hard, it was like that. There will be no disolving these unless I add heat I would imagine. Just wondering what I did wrong so I don't do it again. I baked the soda this time because I have been fighting low ALK since I got the tank setup, and it was suggested I needed to bake it to increase potency. Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Baking the soda will liberate CO2, turning it into soda ash. Baking the soda will help if you have low pH, but won't make any difference to alk levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Well (censored)!!! (brick) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Let it sit overnight. Then see how it is. If needed, take the rocks out and smash them with a hammer then put them back in. dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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