bakeing soda? topoff or make up water?

[doody]

My alk is low and I was gonna use bakeing soda to bring it up. I'm at 70ppm and believe I need 125ppm. Do I add the bakeing soda to the top off water or the make up water for my water change? I dont have a sump.

 

[bertoni]

You need to dissolve it in fresh water. Topoff is fine.

 

[doody]

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You can also just add it all at once after dissolving it in a sufficient amount of fresh water. It need not be added slowly, and I would not mix it into water change water.

 

[doody]

Well I disolved it in ro/di water in a small container. Then added it to my top off water. My top off unit is a 3g container with a powerhead and float switch. The calculator on Randy's forum said that I needed to add 1.5 tablespoons. Does this seem right to you? Its a 29g. How often will I need to add this to my top off? Or is it on a test by test basis. Why not mix it in water change make up water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Trial and error (dose and test) is the best way to know how much to add and how often, but the calculator is good for determining particular dosages to correct low levels.

 

[doody]

Once its ballanced should I start to use pickling lime in my top off to keep things good?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That is a fine plan, as long as the top off is added slowly enough.

This article has more info:


What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm