Bicarb Of Soda

[BigC]

Hi
My Alkalinity is a tad low and I would like to increase this slightly, I have heard that dissolving a teaspoon of BiCarb of Soda in a glass or plastic beaker and drip feeding this to the sump will increase this. Testing daily.
Is this a good idea or is it a precarious venture (especially as I'll be dosing a Nano 90ltr)
Are there any other methods I could employ to increase the Alk and sustain it, without affecting any important chemical relationships and balances.
This would, I imagine have to be a soft approach and increased over a period of time due to the tank being fully stocked.
Any help or directional pointers (in layman's terminology as I'm no chemist) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
BigC

 

[rictheredneck]

u wanna use baking soda (sodium carbonate) aka washing soda or soda ash. baking soda would be best because its food grade rather than washing soda.

http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

[BigC]

Yeah
I'm gonna have to construct a dosing recpticle (tub/airline/clamp)
I've also read that if you bake the baking soda in an oven it will change from sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate (1 hour 200'C)
thereby not producing a temp loss in pH when added.
Anyone ever done this.
BigC

 

[littleme1969]

Personally Big C having read so many posts on here the best way is not to mess Youll cause more problems with other isues by doing it and with your tank doing so well and the cost of stock corals etc, I wouldnt risk it. Small tanks can crash so easily and Id hate to see such a post from you. If its not broken dont try and fix it and all that. I have found that large water changes will fix most issues. yes its harder than just dripping stuff into the sump but its far less llkely to cause an issue. Good quality salt mixed and aged a little while will help everything and effect nothing. It sdifferent in huge tanks where a 50% is just out of the question. they have no choice other than to use additives to try and keep things balanced. Even in my 100g where 20% water change is about 5 full buckets of two of my 20 - 25ltr mixing containers, I will still use water changes rather than try to mess with water chemistry. If you are supper genned up like Ski and know what effects what then you can get away with it
Its only my opinion Big C, but you know me always speak as I find

 

[rocknurworld2006]

Personally Big C having read so many posts on here the best way is not to mess Youll cause more problems with other isues by doing it and with your tank doing so well and the cost of stock corals etc, I wouldnt risk it. Small tanks can crash so easily and Id hate to see such a post from you. If its not broken dont try and fix it and all that. I have found that large water changes will fix most issues. yes its harder than just dripping stuff into the sump but its far less llkely to cause an issue. Good quality salt mixed and aged a little while will help everything and effect nothing. It sdifferent in huge tanks where a 50% is just out of the question. they have no choice other than to use additives to try and keep things balanced. Even in my 100g where 20% water change is about 5 full buckets of two of my 20 - 25ltr mixing containers, I will still use water changes rather than try to mess with water chemistry. If you are supper genned up like Ski and know what effects what then you can get away with it
Its only my opinion Big C, but you know me always speak as I find

i would agree with this.

The thing with bicarbonate of soda is that it does work really well increasing the alkinlinty but is only a teporaryy measure . As it will drop back down again so there can be alot of ph fluctuaution which is somethting you definately dont want

 

[SkiFletch]

How much of a difference are we talking here? Like you're 1dKH off? That's no big deal and can easily be corrected by baking soda addition. Check out the Reef Chemistry Calculator to figure out how much Bicarb you need. Prolly easiest to just add that to 1/2 a gallon of topoff water next time you topup your tank...