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02/11/2009, 03:39 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: lebanon
Posts: 138
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sodium bicarbonate or carbonate !
hi , it is not clear to me what is the difference between sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate ?and witch one to use for alk.
and the other one for what ? or it is the same ! thanks for the inputs ! |
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02/11/2009, 04:44 PM
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#2 |
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Reef Chemist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Arlington, Massachusetts
Posts: 86,233
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Either works fine. The bicarbonate has a tiny pH lowering effect when added. The carbonate has a pH boosting effect when added.
I usually recommend grocery store baking soda for its food grade purity assurances, and then you bake it yourself (400 deg F, 1 h or longer) to convert it from bicarbonate to carbonate if you want a pH boost.  2NaHCO3 ---> Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O sodium bicarbonate ---> sodium carbonate + carbon dioxide + water
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Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef |
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02/13/2009, 12:53 AM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: lebanon
Posts: 138
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Thanks Randy
never was i love with the chemistery, and now with reefing I need to catch up with all what I was trying to escape at the univesity. lol |
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02/13/2009, 06:04 AM
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#4 |
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Reef Chemist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Arlington, Massachusetts
Posts: 86,233
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 Good luck with it.
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Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef |
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