Baking soda & Washing soda ? Brad?
- Thread starter Doug
- Start date
Wow, somebody really dredged deep for this old thread.
Bomber, I neglected to mention this way back when but its even EASIER than baking the stuff. All you need to do is mix the baking soda in (Tap or DI) water in a glass and let it sit for a couple of hours. The pH will rise all by itself. If you're impatient, just nuke it in the micro-wave for 30-40 seconds. I continue to be amazed at how many people still buy the "prepared buffer formulations".
Mutagen
Bomber, I neglected to mention this way back when but its even EASIER than baking the stuff. All you need to do is mix the baking soda in (Tap or DI) water in a glass and let it sit for a couple of hours. The pH will rise all by itself. If you're impatient, just nuke it in the micro-wave for 30-40 seconds. I continue to be amazed at how many people still buy the "prepared buffer formulations".
Mutagen
JEMichael IV
New member
Hey Mutagen do you think you can give me any suggestions on how long I should wait till I buffer the tank again? Are there any limitations besides watching the ph, alk and cal levels?
Hi JEMicheal,
I'm not entirely sure I understand the reason for your question. Adding buffer is generally an ongoing job and one should consider buffer and alkalinity synonymous. Add at a rate that it is depleted as measured by your alkalinity test kit. But you already knew that, so maybe you are thinking of something else?
Mutagen
I'm not entirely sure I understand the reason for your question. Adding buffer is generally an ongoing job and one should consider buffer and alkalinity synonymous. Add at a rate that it is depleted as measured by your alkalinity test kit. But you already knew that, so maybe you are thinking of something else?
Mutagen
JEMichael IV
New member
Hi Mutagen, what I ment was I just doesed my tank and tested it a few hours later and it did increase. I didnt know if I could buffer it again then or if I should wait 24 hours till the next buffer. For example BIONIC states to buffer every 24 hours. That is what I ment. 
This is an excellent thread. An excellent thread that makes me feel like a complete moron. I'm terrible with chemistry, I don't understand this stuff as well as I should, but here's the deal: I have low pH and I would really like to fix it!
So here are the stupid idiot questions. Please, no open mocking. Mocking via PM is allowed provided I am not included in the discussion.
OK, so my first question has to do this homebrew pH buffer. If it's this easy, then I am never buying it again. I really love supporting SeaChem, but not if I don't have to. I have a few questions specifically related to that.
(1.) Washing soda. Nope, can't get it here. Tried 3 hardware stores and 4 grocery stores. Every customer service person I recruited for assistance... and my WIFE... looked at me like I was from another planet. So, I'm now thinking about another source for sodium bicarbonate. Someone mentioned earlier that pool and spa chemicals were sodium carbonate, and they sure were correct. 97% sodium carbonate and 3% of who knows what. Has anyone else used pool and spa chemicals in their VERY EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT OF A REEF TANK before? The thought kinda freaks me out, as illustrated by my obnoxious use of all caps.
(2.) If sodium carbonate raises pH, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) lowers pH, why are we using both? or when we say “buffer†pH, are we not really talking about “raising†it? The pH of my water is notoriously low. I don’t know why. With my hot tub, I ALWAYS have to add sodium carbonate when I add new water. With my fish tanks, my other parameters are practically perfect, but the pH is low. I am always around 7.9 to 8.1 and I want to get it up to around 8.3. If all I am doing is trying to RAISE my pH, can I use sodium carbonate by itself? AND will the stuff I have for my spa work without nuking my livestock?
(3.) I am adding a calcium reactor. Will all of this discussion be a moot point?
Eventually I will get all of this. And maybe write the “Water Chemistry for Dummies†text. Maybe.
So here are the stupid idiot questions. Please, no open mocking. Mocking via PM is allowed provided I am not included in the discussion.
OK, so my first question has to do this homebrew pH buffer. If it's this easy, then I am never buying it again. I really love supporting SeaChem, but not if I don't have to. I have a few questions specifically related to that.
(1.) Washing soda. Nope, can't get it here. Tried 3 hardware stores and 4 grocery stores. Every customer service person I recruited for assistance... and my WIFE... looked at me like I was from another planet. So, I'm now thinking about another source for sodium bicarbonate. Someone mentioned earlier that pool and spa chemicals were sodium carbonate, and they sure were correct. 97% sodium carbonate and 3% of who knows what. Has anyone else used pool and spa chemicals in their VERY EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT OF A REEF TANK before? The thought kinda freaks me out, as illustrated by my obnoxious use of all caps.
(2.) If sodium carbonate raises pH, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) lowers pH, why are we using both? or when we say “buffer†pH, are we not really talking about “raising†it? The pH of my water is notoriously low. I don’t know why. With my hot tub, I ALWAYS have to add sodium carbonate when I add new water. With my fish tanks, my other parameters are practically perfect, but the pH is low. I am always around 7.9 to 8.1 and I want to get it up to around 8.3. If all I am doing is trying to RAISE my pH, can I use sodium carbonate by itself? AND will the stuff I have for my spa work without nuking my livestock?
(3.) I am adding a calcium reactor. Will all of this discussion be a moot point?
Eventually I will get all of this. And maybe write the “Water Chemistry for Dummies†text. Maybe.
