Baking Soda

[RevHtree]

Is it ok to use baking soda all the time to increase your alk?

Is it normal for my alk to drop out of range within 2 days of getting it to the desired level?

 

[steve the plumb]

yes.I use baking soda all the time.I use Randy's formula dosed with a dosing unit aswell as kalk.DKH is at a constant 9.Unit doses every 8 hrs.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, it is normal for alkalinity to drop in a reef tank, and most folks expect to add it every 1-2 days.

Baking soda is OK, although I am not a fan of independent additions of calcium and alkalinity, and much prefer to see folks use balanced additive systems, if if you make it yourself. Use of baking soda for a long period will also boost sodium relative to other cations such as magnesium (although water changes mitigate that rise a lot).

These articles may be useful:

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm

Simulating the Effect of Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate Additions on Reef Systems
http://web.archive.org/web/20030624...twork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/dec/bio/default.asp

Additional Simulations: The Combined Effect Of Calcium Chloride
/Sodium Bicarbonate Additions And Water Exchanges
http://web.archive.org/web/20010210...twork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/feb/bio/default.asp

 

[weblance]

I tried using baking soda to increase my alk the day before yesterday and my skimmer went beserk. It has filled the cup 4 times now with a very light fluid. It normally uses 3-4 weeks filling the cup!

Is ths normal?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, that isn't normal. Did you dissolve the baking soda first? What brand?

 

[weblance]

I didn't dissolve the baking soda first, just sprinkeled the powder in the sump. The brand is a local danish one, so I don't think it would help very much.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd try dissolving it first in fresh water, and if that doesn't help, try another brand. It is food grade baking soda, right, not something meant for other purposes?

 

[weblance]

I found the container and the ingredients are:

dinatriumdiphosphat and natriumhydrogencarbonat.

The powder dissolved fine in the sump but I will use fresh water the next time!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't use that. That sounds like baking poweder, not baking soda. It is loaded with phosphate.

 

[weblance]

OOPS :crazy1:

I used baking powder instead of baking soda . . .

Can it be the dinatriumdiphosphat that's causing the skimmer to run beserk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It may have spurred bacteria or algae that themselves released products that impacted the skimmer. There may also be additional ingredients. The baking powder that I have in my kitchen also lists cornstarch that might impact a skimmer directly, or by driving bacterial growth.

 

[weblance]

There is starch in the baking powder I used and one more ingredient. I don't know what it's called in english.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You can post the actual written name if you want and I'll try to translate it. But the named ingredients so far would explain the skimmer issues.

 

[weblance]

It is called "hævemiddel". It is something that for example makes bread get bigger.

 

[weblance]

I really need a danish-english dictionary

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just got "raising agent" here, so I can't tell exactlywhat i tmight be.

http://www.stars21.com/index.html?pname=latin1n&aname=danish&fname=dict_da&word=

 

[weblance]

Well, then the ingredients in the baking powder I used are:

Starch
Raising agent
Dinatriumdiphosphat (E 450)
Natriumhydrogencarbonat (E 500)
Doesn't contain traces of gluten

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Aside from the skimmer issue, I'd measure phosphate in the water to see if it has risen too much.

 

[weblance]

Just tested the phosphate and it reeds 2,0 mg/l - usually it tests 0 mg/l.

So it did have a negative impact!

I'll always remeber now NOT to use baking powder, but baking soda instead!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yep!

Good luck reducing the phosphate