Sodium Hydroxide Source

Look up in the yellow pages for "chemicals" and call your local companies.
Many won't sell to individuals because of the nature of that chemical, but I had two local companies that would sell to me when I used to recharge my resins.
You have to buy a large bag usually, about 20 kilo, but it's not expensive.
Definitely a chemical that needs proper handling and to be kept away from kids, animals, and anyone else that doesn't know the properties and hazards of sodium hydroxide.
 
I dont understant. Do Sodium Hydroxide is the same as Calcium Hydroxide without calcium?
Is it easy to dissolve or it is like Calcium Hydroxide?
 
Sodium hydroxide is NaOH, calcium hydroxide is Ca(OH)2. Both add hydroxide.

Sodium hydroxide is completely soluble in almost any amount of fresh water. So you can easily make a solution that is 50% by weight.

The concerns are that it is very easy to drive the pH too high, and it does not add any calcium the way limewater does.
 
If i have enough calcium i can use Sodium Hydroxide to keep
the PH high and to preciptate phosphat?
Do the Soudium Hydroxide have all of the advantages that in Calcium Hydroxide have except the calcium?
Do i can put Sodium Hydroxide into Kalkreactor?
 
I do not know if it will have similar phosphate precipitating effects as limewater, but it might.
No, you cannot put it into limewater as you will prevent the calcium hydroxide from dissolving.
 
I use lime water most of the time. I test my tank every week and usually have to bump up the calcium with calcium hydroxide, then have to bump up PH and Alk with sodium hydroxide. Most of the top if is lime water though.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6672064#post6672064 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefen
I use lime water most of the time. I test my tank every week and usually have to bump up the calcium with calcium hydroxide, then have to bump up PH and Alk with sodium hydroxide. Most of the top if is lime water though.
What is the advantage of using sodium hydroxide in place of using something else, like the baking soda or baked baking soda in Randy's home made formula?
 
The advantages are a larger pH raising effect, and a higher concentration is possible in the stock solution.

The disadvantage is it may be harder to get good quality sodium hydroxide (food grade, FCC, or USP/BP grades), the pH raising effect may be so high that it needs to be added slowly like limewater, and it may push pH too high even if dosed slowly.
 
we will have to see what Randy's answer to that is. This is just what I started doing back a few years ago to avoid using buffer . I will have to check Randy's home made formula
 
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