Preparing and Pre-Mixing Alkalinity solution

[goldfish69]

Hi Forum.

I need your input about measuring the alkalinity portion in order to pre-make the solution.

I purchased the following product:
http://www.jlaquatics.com/reef-crest-bulk-sodium-carbonate-1600-gram.html

And here's the Mixing & Dosing Instructions:

"This product should be dissolved in freshwater before being added to your aquarium. Slowly add the solution to a high flow area of your system. Example dose: 1 tsp (5 grams) will raise 75 gallons of water by 1.0 dKH."

Can anyone tell me or give me simple instructions on how to make 1 gallon worth of alkalinity solution?

I wished they had labeled easy steps as the ones that they do for bulkreefsupply:

Fill one of the gallon jugs about 4/5th with RO/DI or filtered water and pour into the empty bucket or bowl

1. Measure out two level cups of Soda Ash.
2. While stirring the water slowly pour the Soda Ash into the bucket or bowl.
3. When dissolved use the funnel to pour the solution into one of the empty gallon jugs
4. Fill the remainder of the jug with water, cap and label "Alkalinity." Let the solution sit for several hours before use

Thank you.

 

[hkgar]

Basically what you bought is baking soda that you can probably buy at your local grocery store much cheaper.

You can use this recipe

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/

 

[billdogg]

The product listed in the link IS NOT Baking Soda. It is Soda Ash. It can be made from baking soda by, well, baking it. It should be fine if you follow the BRS directions. For future reference, BRS sells it cheaper in bulk. I buy the 5g buckets and use 7g drinking water jugs to store it in.

 

[Pigpen17]

Can anyone tell me or give me simple instructions on how to make 1 gallon worth of alkalinity solution?

I don't think I understand the question.
Do you mean how to raise the alkalinity of 1 gallon of water? Or mix an entire gallon of solution to add to your tank?

 

[hkgar]

And the link I posted has directions for "creating" soda ash (sodium carbonate) by baking it, so it is still cheaper to buy a 5 or 10 pound box at the grocery store.

 

[Pigpen17]

Ah wait. This is for an auto doser?

 

[goldfish69]

Ah wait. This is for an auto doser?

yes - that's correct.

I'm trying to pre-mix the solution and use an auto-doser.

 

[goldfish69]

The product listed in the link IS NOT Baking Soda. It is Soda Ash. It can be made from baking soda by, well, baking it. It should be fine if you follow the BRS directions. For future reference, BRS sells it cheaper in bulk. I buy the 5g buckets and use 7g drinking water jugs to store it in.

Thank you.

I'm in Toronto Canada and with the Canadian-US exchange rate and shipping costs, I'm not sure if it will be cheaper for us.

That's why I decided to order it from a Canadian site.

 

[billdogg]

As was mentioned above - you can easily make soda ash from regular baking soda. The exact how-to is probably in the chemistry forum someplace - You literally just bake baking soda in the oven at like 350 or 400 for an hour or so - once again - do a search so you do it right, and you will end up with soda ash. Then just follow one of several recipes to mix with ro/di water. I use the BRS product and their instructions.

 

[hkgar]

Once again, the link I posted as directions for baking, for those too lazy to read it - 1 hour at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whether to bake it or not depends on your ph concerns. Once again read the link to see the difference.

 

[disc1]

Thank you.

I'm in Toronto Canada and with the Canadian-US exchange rate and shipping costs, I'm not sure if it will be cheaper for us.

That's why I decided to order it from a Canadian site.

They don't sell baking soda in Canada?

 

[goldfish69]

Sure we have baking soda up here.

I wasn't aware that you could make your own additives using plain baking soda.

 

[hkgar]

Sure we have baking soda up here.

I wasn't aware that you could make your own additives using plain baking soda.

You haven't been reading the posts to your own thread. It is right there in the link I posted.

Something about horses and water.

 

[Pigpen17]

Well, in all fairness, the OP wasn't asking how to make their own soda ash. They were asking how to mix the stuff they have.

 

[hkgar]

That was exactly what the posted link was for. It has the instructions for mixing either baking soda or soda ash, and how to make soda ash from baking soda.

 

[TangingOut]

OP, now that you're aware the stuff you bought is the same as BRS' sodium carbonate(soda ash) the same instructions would apply.

Fill one of the gallon jugs about 4/5th with RO/DI or filtered water and pour into the empty bucket or bowl

1. Measure out two level cups of Soda Ash.
2. While stirring the water slowly pour the Soda Ash into the bucket or bowl.
3. When dissolved use the funnel to pour the solution into one of the empty gallon jugs
4. Fill the remainder of the jug with water, cap and label "Alkalinity." Let the solution sit for several hours before use.

 

[Pigpen17]

That was exactly what the posted link was for. It has the instructions for mixing either baking soda or soda ash, and how to make soda ash from baking soda.

Well then cheers to you.

 

[jbvdhp]

LOL.

HK, I followed you. OP, dissolve that soda ash/baked baking soda in RODI, will probably take some heat to dissolve it too, and then add it into a jug and fill with enough RODI to make one gallon of total volume.

 

[Grimreaperz]

Fill a 1 gallon jug half way with your water. Disolve stated amount. Fill up the rest of the jug with water. You now have 1g of solution

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[MattGatten]

I'm a noob and it's literally that easy.