Buffering w/Baking Soda (Yes or No)

[makolonj]

I've currently been buffering my RO/DI water with baking soda to get the pH up. Should I not be doing this? Should I bake it first? My dKH is 8mg/L right now

[kevin2000]

My 02

Why?

Remember that the expensive salt you purchase has alkalinity (aka buffers) in it to help maintain PH --- just mix up a batch of SW and let it dissolve and properly aerate. You only add "buffer" when your SW is low on alkalinity.

[coast2coast7390]

yea um prolly not a good idea...there are scientifically made buffers out there MADE for aquarium use...who knows it could buffer your PH but be toxic to your fish

[kevin2000]

Originally posted by coast2coast7390
yea um prolly not a good idea...there are scientifically made buffers out there MADE for aquarium use...who knows it could buffer your PH but be toxic to your fish

Commercial buffers are simply baking soda (bi carbonate), washing soda (carbonate) and a bit of boron/borate (20 mule team borax).

From my perspective the issue isn't which buffer but whether you need to buffer Ro before you actually mix the salt. IMO .. no.

[rhino509]

as far as i w,you would be fine,i thought baking soda was one of the ingredients to the 2 part dosing.exact quote from article "Dissolve 297 grams of baking soda (about 1 1/8 cups) in enough water to make 1 gallon total" link to full article http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

another little bit from it "Arm & Hammer is a fine brand of baking soda to use in these recipes. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient."

[kau_cinta_ku]

baking soda adds alk. to the tank also are you checking to see what your alk is at? the pH or RO water should be 7 and the salt will get it to the 8.2 or close to it.

[makolonj]

I agree with kevin2000. If you look at the back of those expensive MADE for aquarium use buffers, it's almost the exact same as baking soda, plus two other ingredients (listed about by kevin2000).

Since I'm topping off with RO/DI, should I buffer my top off since its at a lower pH than my tank? Or is it the fact that as my tank water evaporates, my dKH with increase proportionately to the decrease in water volume?

[kau_cinta_ku]

the salt mix already has the buffers you need so when you top off with rodi water the tank water will already buffer it for you. no need to add anything to your top off water

[makolonj]

I'm confused. Isn't dKH and Alkalinity the same thing, or are they completely different?

[kau_cinta_ku]

it is the same thing

[kevin2000]

dKH and meg/l are common measurements for Alkalinity.

[makolonj]

My tank parameters are

dKH 8mg/L
Calc 332mg/L

and pH with a crappy test kit is 8.1

Is my Calc too low? I know it should be 400-410mg/L but I was told 332gm/L was ok. Should I do anything?

[makolonj]

Oops. Just...

8 dKH

not dKH and mg/L...sorry

[kevin2000]

Your alk is fine and if you don't have any hard corals you really don't need to focus on calcium. If you do have hard corals then shoot for a calc level of about 420

Here's a link which discuss water parameters.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

Heres a link to a chemistry calculator which will help you determine how much calc you may want to add .. just make sure you use actual water volume (vs tank size)

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

Hope this helps.

[makolonj]

Thanks!

[kevin2000]

Your welcome.