Alkalinity precipitation

[christyf5]

Just mixed up a batch of soda ash, I'll freely admit I might not know what I am doing I thought I had used Randy Holmes-Farleys recipe but its precipitating and my sump is like a snow globe at one end (thankfully it settles before being sent to the display). Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong? Did I mix it up too strongly? This used to happen before I stopped baking my baking soda and switched to just regular baking soda, no precipitation with the regular

[Reefer Rob]

I once dose high density soda ash, It sure raised the PH. Tried it cut with various amounts of baking soda, trying to stop the snow storm. By the time I stopped I had about a 1/16" coating of calcium carbonate on the inside of my sump.

[chris121277]

I'm using soda ash as well.....and no matter how slowly I add it to the sump the same thing happens.....what I've discovered it that if I dump in the return section (as it has the highest flow) it snows in there but after getting chopped up in the return pump I don't see anything in the display.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by chris121277

I'm using soda ash as well.....and no matter how slowly I add it to the sump the same thing happens.....what I've discovered it that if I dump in the return section (as it has the highest flow) it snows in there but after getting chopped up in the return pump I don't see anything in the display.

+1 The BRS soda ash is really bad for precip.
It's by a Drew's Doser to the return section of the sump, where I had to add an MJ 900 to move the water around enough to stop precipitate.

[marie]

I just dump it in front of a powerhead in the display tank by the cupful, I've never had any precipitate......although come to think of it, it is in the morning when the lights are off maybe I just don't see it

[Myka]

Why are you using Soda Ash anyway? That stuff is a PITA.

[ALang]

Pretty normal for that to happen.
I use the dosing pumps to drop into the return part of the sump. That way it gets swirled into the pump and I don't ever see it in the DT.
But when I dose manually I always see precip. Just need to use a small pwr head to mix or manually mix with small cup. It clears up quickly once stirred.

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by Myka

Why are you using Soda Ash anyway? That stuff is a PITA.

LOL I know but I thought maybe I was doing something wrong when I was just baking the baking soda. I thought the prepared stuff might be better. Turns out it really IS a PITA

[christyf5]

Thanks everyone, I think I might just run it into my skimmer effluent, theres lots of turbulence there. If it doesn't pile up in the sump then thats good, if it does, this stuff is getting the old heave ho.