Adding boiling water to DIY powder recipe

[Aquaman]

Hi Folks,

This question goes out to all the chemical experts out there.

I have some aged water which I hadn't added any powders to, so thought I could simply add boiling water to a small container of the correct ratio of powders and they'd instantly disolve...sounds fine in theory right! I now have a white liquid that doesn't look overly freindly to add to my aged water. Have I cauased some kind of chemical reaction?

Here's the powder recipe I use:

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) - baking soda

Potassium chloride (KCl) - (a salt substitute)

Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) - epsom salts

calcium chloride (CaCl2) - (a pool water hardener)

Assuming a level teaspoon is about 5g mix:

3 teaspoons NaHCO3

1 teaspoon KCl

3 teaspoons MgSO4

1 teaspoon CaCl2

This will treat around 50 litres of water and will give total hardness of around 350ppm, calcium hardness of around 150ppm and a pH of around 8.5.

As soon as I added the boiling water, the whole thing started foaming furiously, I thought for a second it was going to explode!

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

Richard

[Ben]

Hi Richard,

If you add it to your aged water and then that water to the tank you will find in a day or two the water will be clear again.

I use to do the same thing. Added hot water to see if it will help the stuff disolve but it took just as long.

[trofius]

I found that out the hard way aswell, i also found that it can kinda set like concret in the bottom!

The foaming is the release of CO2,

the best way is to dissolove the ingredients in a small container of warm water seperately then add together, as this will avoid the problem or add them one at a time in a larger volume of water constantly stiring.

if it "SETS" What happens ( I am pretty sure) is when you add the boiling water the is sufficient energy from the heat to dissociate some the compounds, breaking their bonds that normally would not be broken simply by being dissolved in water.. these free elements then rebond to form more insoluble compounds....

[anchar]

You have heated the compounds thus producing mostly carbon dioxide...no real harm done..

merjo

[Aquaman]

Very cool, thanks for the responses, much appreciated. I'm glad there is no damage done to the solution.

Cheers,

Richard