Baking soda for long term use.

[MARINECRITTERS]

Hey, So over the past few weeks I have been using a alkalinty supplement that one, is expensive, and two, It is very week meaning it barely can raise the alk in your tank.
So during the time I was using this supplement my tank was surviving, doing all right, but I did not see my corals thriving in any way.
So about a week ago I started using Baking soda/sodium bicarbonate and the day(s) I started using it, I came home to a beautiful aquarium, my corals polyps were fully out and the seemed happier then ever. ( my alk is now at 9 DKH unlike 6.5 it used to be ),
So can I use baking soda long term?, since I only ever here people using it temporarily.
So can I? since I am getting great results.

[disc1]

Yes you can. The expensive product you were buying was pretty much the same thing.

[Palting]

It's what I use as the alk part of my 2 part dosing. I make a gallon, then dose 75 cc's a day. Don't know if it's truly long term, as I've only been using it for 8 months

[MARINECRITTERS]

Originally Posted by Palting

It's what I use as the alk part of my 2 part dosing. I make a gallon, then dose 75 cc's a day. Don't know if it's truly long term, as I've only been using it for 8 months

Thanks

[cloak]

Originally Posted by disc1

Yes you can. The expensive product you were buying was pretty much the same thing.

The ingrediants on my Seachem Reef Builder says; carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and potassium. Each gram contains a minimum of 12 meq of alkalinity.

The ingredients on this box of baking soda I got a Food 4 Less just says; Sodium bicarbonate.

I wouldn't be giving up anything if I switched? Baking soda is much cheeper than the Reef Builder, but I've been using that Seachem stuff for almost 14 years now without any problems. I'm almost afraid to change. Also, I use one teaspoon of the Seachem Reef Builder to every 5 gallons of freshwater. (8 KH via ATO) Would I have to dose more or less if I switched to baking soda? Is one more potent than the other?

TY.

[bunzaroo]

I dissolve 7 tablespoons in my 14 gallon ATO every couple of weeks. Keeps my ALk @ 9.5 (Salifert), PH @ 8.25.....

[Palting]

Originally Posted by cloak

The ingrediants on my Seachem Reef Builder says; carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and potassium. Each gram contains a minimum of 12 meq of alkalinity.

The ingredients on this box of baking soda I got a Food 4 Less just says; Sodium bicarbonate.

I wouldn't be giving up anything if I switched? Baking soda is much cheeper than the Reef Builder, but I've been using that Seachem stuff for almost 14 years now without any problems. I'm almost afraid to change. Also, I use one teaspoon of the Seachem Reef Builder to every 5 gallons of freshwater. (8 KH via ATO) Would I have to dose more or less if I switched to baking soda? Is one more potent than the other?

TY.

LOL!! The first two paragraphs made me laugh! It certainly would seem like you definitely would miss something. No one can argue with success, cloak, as this has worked for you for 14 years! WOW!! Don't change now.

I used to use Seachem ReefBuilder early on, believing as you do in all those additives, and thinking it's a one product does everything deal. For my 200 gallon system, though, I had to find a cheaper way. Best way I've found is a combination of Kalkwasser ATO, plus 2 part alk/cal Randy's recipe dosing, plus the occasional Magnesium. Add a 10% water change weekly to that regimen, and I believe I am adding more with this than plain Reef Builder would. Cheaper, too!!

[cloak]

Lol, slow & methodically. I don't really care about growth, (sort of) as long as these corals stay with me for years on end. Money is tight right now. $7.99 & .79 cents are two different stories when it really boils down to it. It's very intriguing though...

[disc1]

Originally Posted by cloak

The ingrediants on my Seachem Reef Builder says; carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and potassium. Each gram contains a minimum of 12 meq of alkalinity.

The ingredients on this box of baking soda I got a Food 4 Less just says; Sodium bicarbonate.

I wouldn't be giving up anything if I switched? Baking soda is much cheeper than the Reef Builder, but I've been using that Seachem stuff for almost 14 years now without any problems. I'm almost afraid to change. Also, I use one teaspoon of the Seachem Reef Builder to every 5 gallons of freshwater. (8 KH via ATO) Would I have to dose more or less if I switched to baking soda? Is one more potent than the other?

TY.

Yeah, us two part folks tend to dose calcium and magnesium separately. There's no way to dissolve enough calcium or magnesium in an alkalinity supplement to be really effective at anything. So while it makes nice advertising fluff, you're really not gaining anything over using a well designed two part like the DIY that randy put together.

[sponger0]

Ive been using baking soda in my ATO for two month now....It works great. I had considered trying some of those reef products for alk but the baking soda has been working so well and easy and cheap that I just keep up with it. My alk stays at such a stable level.

I dose very little calcium to keep it up and maybe mag once every 2 weeks if Im lucky.

[poakley723]

Used baking soda for about a year and a half with good coral growth. i will go back to it.

Very cost effective and it works.

[falconut]

I've pretty much used baking soda exclussively, along with dripping kalk, for over 7 years and no ill effects.

On a side note. I was using Preston Driveway heat for a calcium suppliment, but decided to stop years ago and now just get the BRS calcium. I had some issues, don't think it was because of the DWH, but after I stopped, I couldn't go back to it.

[StacieRocks]

if i am using pickling lime for kalkwasser in my ATO, do you add the 2 part directly to the tank?

[Palting]

Originally Posted by StacieRocks

if i am using pickling lime for kalkwasser in my ATO, do you add the 2 part directly to the tank?

I use kalk and 2 part, and the kalk goes into the sump. I try to add them all into separate parts of the system. They must all be in relatively high flow areas. I do add the 2 part into separate sections of the DT, close to powerheads. One caveat: it is generally not recommeded to add the alk portion directly into the tank, as alk doses can and does burn coral if it is not rapidly mixed into the water column.