Dosing alk and cal

[Galizio]

Hello,
After long time dosing c-balance I'm determined to switch to bulk chemicals, to save some money and also because this way can dose minor element as needed.
I'm wondering what product you recommend, I was thinking the brs bulk chemicals, the AF one and also the j&l home brand.
Mostly I'm looking for purity and also clean mix. Not really into a cheap way to do it or DYU .
Have to say that I use the brs mag already, and also have alk and cal chloride to get my levels to a point and then start the balling with c balance.
Also what's the best way or the easier to start dosing those chemicals.
Thank you in advance


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[dcw1sfu]

Originally Posted by Galizio

Hello,
After long time dosing c-balance I'm determined to switch to bulk chemicals, to save some money and also because this way can dose minor element as needed.
I'm wondering what product you recommend, I was thinking the brs bulk chemicals, the AF one and also the j&l home brand.
Mostly I'm looking for purity and also clean mix. Not really into a cheap way to do it or DYU .
Have to say that I use the brs mag already, and also have alk and cal chloride to get my levels to a point and then start the balling with c balance.
Also what's the best way or the easier to start dosing those chemicals.
Thank you in advance


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Interested in people's thoughts as well. Ive never used BRS but always hear that it is the best. Im curious as to what people are comparing it too. Ive been using the bulk chemicals from Reefsupplies.ca and have been happy with how easy they mix, however, if BRS truly is a more pure and clean option then I would definitely buy it. I actually need to purchase some more, so I'm interested to hear peoples opinions. Also interested on how clean JL's Reef Crest bulk stuff is.

I currently use reefsupplies.ca soda ash and calc chloride and then mix in the aquaforest component strong. Also use the aquaforest reef mineral salts.

[dino]

so when you use soda ash what are you trying to achieve? because at my work we use soda ash strictly to increase ph and I use sodium bicarbonate to increase alkalinity. I wonder what others say? I dose calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate and magnesium occasionally

[dcw1sfu]

Originally Posted by dino

so when you use soda ash what are you trying to achieve? because at my work we use soda ash strictly to increase ph and I use sodium bicarbonate to increase alkalinity. I wonder what others say? I dose calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate and magnesium occasionally

I use soda ash to raise alkalinity which also has the property of raising PH. Soda ash is sodium carbonate, which is what you achieve if you heat sodium bicarbonate.

To raise alk by 1DKH in a 100 gallon tank, you would use 11.4 grams of sodium bicarbonate, or alternatively use 7.2 grams of soda ash (sodium carbonate)

[dino]

Both will raise ph but bicarb is much more efficient for alkalinity with less of a ph swing. If this was not the case then every pool would not use bicarb for alk

[dcw1sfu]

Originally Posted by dino

Both will raise ph but bicarb is much more efficient for alkalinity with less of a ph swing. If this was not the case then every pool would not use bicarb for alk

Strange, every time i use Sodium Bicarbonate to raise alk, I see a PH decrease.

I don't see much of a PH swing using sodium carbonate as I use a dosing pump every 2 hours to dose it.

[dino]

Not the case I add many times a day to huge volumes and see ph raise after adding. We use soda ash to raise when we use gas chlorine which lowers ph

[Myka]

Originally Posted by dino

Both will raise ph but bicarb is much more efficient for alkalinity with less of a ph swing. If this was not the case then every pool would not use bicarb for alk

Bicarb temporarily lowers pH slightly because of the off-gassing of CO2 but then pH will go back up.

Carb doesn't have CO2 so it instantly raises pH slightly.

Neither raise pH as dramatically as Ca hydroxide (limewater aka kalk).

People don't normally dose a big enough dose to see much pH effect using carb or bicarb. On tanks with higher KH demands the use of carb will trend a slightly higher pH.

The pH effect in freshwater is much more dramatic than saltwater.

[dino]

I was hoping you would chime in. So what do you use for alk?

[Myka]

Originally Posted by dino

I was hoping you would chime in. So what do you use for alk?

Bicarb in client tanks because some of them dose manually, so a smaller pH effect is better.

Carb in my own tank. I'm not dosing heavily enough to make any measurable difference in pH. The CO2 scrubber does have a +0.2 pH effect though.