2 Part Alk ??'s

[Shnabbles]

Im using recipe 1

Is the alk mix supposed to completely disolve? I made 5 gallons worth yesturday took like 11.25 cups of the Baking Soda and the water is VERY milky... iv been running a power head in it over night and it is still very milky.

 

[Billybeau1]

If you are using recipe #1 you are suppose to bake it first. In recipe 2 where you dont bake it, you only use half as much.

 

[Shnabbles]

I thought i had read somewhere you didnt HAVE to bake it... do you think baking it is the reason it wont fully disolve?

 

[Billybeau1]

You don't have to bake it. But if you don't you only use 1 1/8 cups per gallon.

 

[Shnabbles]

crap i just wasted 6 cups of baking soda lol

so i can use recipe 1 for calcium.. and reciepe 2 for Alk?

 

[Billybeau1]

Just dump half of it out and replace 2 1/2 gallon with ro/di. Then you'll be good.

 

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10177193#post10177193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shnabbles
so i can use recipe 1 for calcium.. and reciepe 2 for Alk?

That I'm not sure about. Bertoni or jd would know the answer to that. One of them will be along in awhile.

 

[Shnabbles]

Billybeau1 you are very wise

Ill have to make sure there is no build up at the bottom and i will definently just do that..... wait can i pour half into a empty bucket seal it and use that when this bucket is empty? or will it not hold in storage?

 

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10177233#post10177233 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shnabbles
wait can i pour half into a empty bucket seal it and use that when this bucket is empty? or will it not hold in storage?

I don't see why not.

 

[Shnabbles]

But if i poored out half and replaced it with just RODI that would be like using recipe 2? So i guess i should wait for one of those guys above before i do anything.

 

[Billybeau1]

How does your pH normally run ?

 

[Shnabbles]

8.2 though yesturday it was 8.1... but i happend to look in my alk bucket and there was like a 1/2 inch of solid crap at the bottom of the bucket.. .which is why i need to mix more now.. cause it might not of been mixed correctly the first time..... i dont use kalkwasser

 

[Billybeau1]

Thats because baking the baking soda makes it more soluble.

After re-reading Randy's recipe article it seems that you can not mix recipes 1 and 2 because then it would not be balanced.

Recipe 2 uses half the amount of calcium.

So I guess at this point you have two choices.

Either dump and start over (if you have already mixed the calcium portion), or cut both recipes in half and use it up until you make your next batch. Randy states that it stores very well.

I would do the latter since your pH is pretty good.

Just remember, if you cut the alk recipe in half you'll have to cut the calcium in half.

That junk in the bottom will dissolve if you take half out and replace with fresh water.

If you do cut the alk in half, give it a good stir before you split it in half. That way you'll get about the same baking soda in each half.

 

[Shnabbles]

I did just make a whole 5 gallon bucket of calcium using recipe 1...
Im thinking of just scrapping the alk mix and baking it this time around... its much easier to get backing soda then it is the calcium hydroxide crap lol... i think i need to stick with recipe one since my ph is only 8.2

 

[Billybeau1]

Thats purely your decision although I might add that Natural Sea Water is 8.2 and a fine place to be.

Good luck.

 

[Shnabbles]

which recipe do you use and what is your ph

 

[Billybeau1]

Well, my situation is a little different. I have a fish only tank so I have no need for either of the recipes. I drip limewater and it keeps my pH at 8.2 which is where I like it. I then occasionally add calcium and alkalinity when they get out of whack. I use baking soda and Reef Complete. I also raise my Magnesium occasionally with Kent Tech-M.

I run my tank at 1.023

Calcium 400, Alk 13 dkh and Mag around 1300.

Works for me.

 

[bertoni]

Well, you could mix recipe 1 and recipe 2, but you'd need to dose twice as much of the recipe 1 solution as the recipe 2, which is probably not worthwhile.