Read an article by A. Thiel regarding using sodium carbonate to neutralize organics in tank to raise pH. Has anyone used this before? It is also known as soda ash, and composition is Na2CO3. Where can I obtain this powder from?
Is this the same as calcium chloride? I have used calcium chloride only to see my alkalinity plummet and my pH swing drastically from day to night. If this is different, I would like to know myself.
Neutralizing organics sounds like typical Thiel nonsense.
Nevertheless, sodium carbonate is a fine way to ocassionally raise tank pH, regardless of how it got low. It's not a whole lot different than adding limewater, except there's no calcium (and it can be much more concentrated). In the long run, adding sodium bicarbonate will have the same effect on pH (by raising alkalinity), but the immediate pH jump is much less (likely none) with bicarbonate.
Calcium chloride and sodium carbonate have nothing in common.
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Randy Holmes-Farley
[This message has been edited by Randy Holmes-Farley (edited 01 June 2000).]
