Baking soda

[Faisal1976us]

Hi ,,,

Is it safe to use baking soda in reef tank to raise KH ?
and how to use it ?

 

[bertoni]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1159954

 

[Percula9]

Personally I wouldn't do it. Try Reef builder it will do what you want without accidentally overshootng the alk.

 

[surfnvb7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10501989#post10501989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Percula9
Personally I wouldn't do it. Try Reef builder it will do what you want without accidentally overshootng the alk.

i've been using food grade baking soda from walmart and the grocery store ever since i started the hobby and i havent had a single issue.

the key is knowing how much to dose instead of relying on a buffer.

 

[sunkool]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10501074#post10501074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1159954

Funny

 

[reefnetworth]

http:/www.reefkeeping./com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

 

[MDPinUSA]

Our research has demonstrated that baking soda will raise KH.

However, the more baking soda that is added, the more difficult it becomes to raise pH over 8.1.

Continual additions of food grade baking soda will eventually foment the growth of unwanted hair algae.

There are other approaches to increase alkalinity.

 

[surfnvb7]

its interesting how people who work and support businesses that sell certain products to raise alk levels discourage the use of baking soda, isn't it?

 

[jjmcat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10506656#post10506656 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MDPinUSA
Our research has demonstrated that baking soda will raise KH.

However, the more baking soda that is added, the more difficult it becomes to raise pH over 8.1.

Continual additions of food grade baking soda will eventually foment the growth of unwanted hair algae.

There are other approaches to increase alkalinity.

What would you use instead of baking soda?I just used it for the first time last week and it did raise my alk to 4.5 meg.My ph has never had any issues but I do have alot of DIY live rock in my tank that has a higher ph then regular live rock.I also drip about 15 gallons of lime water a week.

 

[bertoni]

I don't see any reason to believe that baking soda creates problems with raising the pH over 8.1. I have a tank that has been dosed heavily with baking soda for over a year, and dosed more moderatly for 5 years, and the pH runs significantly higher than that. I also see no reason baking soda should cause hair algae. That's not been my experience. Baking soda is a rather simple compound, with well-understand effects.

 

[MDPinUSA]

How are you testing pH? Dye test kit, pen, probe, meter, AOAC procedure?

We have experienced unwanted hair algae with continual dosing with baking soda.

We have seen pH values unable to stabilize at values over 8.1.

Many brands of baking soda include aluminum silicate as an anti caking agent. This will introduce and accumulate Al as well have the potential for producing unwanted algae.

If this developes the use of kalk can negate these negative algae. Also the use of some chemical filters can control many algae.

Just as with some food grade purities of Na cl where a cyanide based anti caking agent is added. This is not shown on the package as an ingredient.

 

[MDPinUSA]

Sorry, duplicate post. Deleted.

 

[bertoni]

I am using an Oakton pHTestr 3+, which should be fine for the task. The pH in saltwater is controlled by alkalinity and CO2, for our purposes, and I don't see how the dosing of baking soda affects either one to create any 8.1 pH barrier. I don't know of any mechanism that could make such a barrier possible. Carbonate is carbonate.

I don't see how baking soda can fuel algae, either.

I don't see any aluminum silicate listed on Arm & Hammer, but I'll double-check.

 

[Percula9]

They often put anti-caking agents in these products. Even though it's not listed on the box, that doesn't mean it is not there. I looked at the box in my freezer and it doesn't even list sodium bicarb on the box.

 

[surfnvb7]

this is the MSDS sheet for regular arm and hammer baking soda, it doesn't show any other filler ingredients.

Arm and Hammer Natural Baking Soda
http://www.ahprokleen.com/products/Natural_bksoda.asp

MSDS sheet (PDF file)
http://www.ahprokleen.com/products/msds/960pdf.pdf

it even says the pH is 8.2. therefore you cannot add something of the pH of 8.2 to a system of a less than or equal pH, to get a pH any higher than 8.2.

as for 8.2 vs 8.1, pH determination and comparison is negligible due to differences in pH probes, and calibration of those probes. its use is only really effective when controlling a reactor that doses CO2 into the system.