Question for Randy Holmes-Farley

[kenreef]

I was reading the Nov 02 article you wrote about chemistry and the aquarium and want to make sure I understand.
You spoke about adding Arm & Hammer baking soda and washing soda.
Is this just straight form the store or are you modifying the products for reef tank use?
Thanks in advance.
Kenny

 

[cmm1970austin]

If you check in the instructions for use at TwoPartSolutions.com, you'll find a reference to use of "baking soda" in this section:

Part Two: Alkalinity. (Recipe 1)
Take your one gallon jug and full it 4/5 full with filtered water and slowly pour in half of your bag that says High Purity Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate). Cap the jug and shake till dissolved, then pour in the rest of the bag and shake again. Now add enough filtered water to fill the jug. Label the jug Alkalinity Solution. Congratulations you are done with the calcium portion : )

*note* If you are using bulk soda ash use 2 cups. If you don’t have any soda ash you can bake two and a quarter cups of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in the oven at 400 for an hour and it will turn the baking soda into soda ash.

I have provided this info in this link so that no one makes the mistake of assuming that they can be successful with baking soda when it needs to be baked into soda ash to function as described.