Yellow Alkalinity

MHG · 01/20/2018, 09:23 AM

so I have been using BRS soda ash for years to make my alkalinity mix. My success in sps dominant reefkeeping has put me in a place where I now buy it by the 5 gallon bucket and use about a gallon of all every 2 weeks. during that time I have had 3 batches come out with a yellow tint. Same brand and two of them from the same batch. This last time I mixed calc and all jugs on the same day. all is yellow. calc is clear. so its not the water.

Has anyone ever seen anything so strange?

bertoni · 01/20/2018, 05:44 PM

A number of people have commented on a slight tinge to the supplements, but no one has had problems. I would use it, but if you are very worried, baking soda will be very clear, in my experience. It can be baked (or boiled) to form sodium carbonate, if you prefer a high-pH supplement.

MHG · 01/21/2018, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

A number of people have commented on a slight tinge to the supplements, but no one has had problems. I would use it, but if you are very worried, baking soda will be very clear, in my experience. It can be baked (or boiled) to form sodium carbonate, if you prefer a high-pH supplement.

Thanks...

bertoni · 01/21/2018, 06:23 PM

You're welcome!

RobZilla04 · 01/23/2018, 06:37 AM

Is this true of Mg supplements as well? I put two small Oceans Blend Mg into my dosing container and two days later noticed a yellow tint.

bertoni · 01/23/2018, 05:51 PM

Yes, I've heard of tints in magnesium solutions. I am not sure about calcium, but minor contaminants can change the color of a solution noticeably without causing any apparent harm.

MHG · 04/17/2019, 06:22 PM

funny a couple of years later and another batch came out yellow...

bertoni · 04/17/2019, 07:08 PM

There probably is some contaminant from a vendor of some ingredient, or something similar, that shows up deterministically. It'd be hard to track down, though.

01/20/2018, 09:23 AM	#1
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Yellow Alkalinity so I have been using BRS soda ash for years to make my alkalinity mix. My success in sps dominant reefkeeping has put me in a place where I now buy it by the 5 gallon bucket and use about a gallon of all every 2 weeks. during that time I have had 3 batches come out with a yellow tint. Same brand and two of them from the same batch. This last time I mixed calc and all jugs on the same day. all is yellow. calc is clear. so its not the water. Has anyone ever seen anything so strange? __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

01/20/2018, 05:44 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A number of people have commented on a slight tinge to the supplements, but no one has had problems. I would use it, but if you are very worried, baking soda will be very clear, in my experience. It can be baked (or boiled) to form sodium carbonate, if you prefer a high-pH supplement. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/21/2018, 06:23 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/23/2018, 06:37 AM	#5
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Is this true of Mg supplements as well? I put two small Oceans Blend Mg into my dosing container and two days later noticed a yellow tint. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

01/23/2018, 05:51 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Yes, I've heard of tints in magnesium solutions. I am not sure about calcium, but minor contaminants can change the color of a solution noticeably without causing any apparent harm. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/17/2019, 06:22 PM	#7
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	funny a couple of years later and another batch came out yellow... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/17/2019, 07:08 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	There probably is some contaminant from a vendor of some ingredient, or something similar, that shows up deterministically. It'd be hard to track down, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni