what industrial chemicals can be used for maintenance?

[joshuajoshua]

So i have been trying to stay away from fish supply companies due to their massive price hike on easy to obtain items.

My last purchase was for sofnolime, which strips co2 from the air, I paid $80 for a 5 gallon bucket. If I had bought the aquarium supply product it was $30 for a half gallon container.

So i started to look at things like GFO and spherical aluminum oxide. But I am not a chemist, so I don't know how safe these products are, or really if they will work.

I have seen Randy's two part recipes, and actually use them. Just looking for more products that we don't have to buy at a 500% markup for something that is easily available under another product name.

Thank you.

 

[DRThompson]

Where did you get the sodalime? I bought the 5gal bucket from wayfair a year ago for $90, but the price has gone up!

Found 50lb pail of sodium carbonate for $65 on amazon. But I buy most of my bulk ingredients thru BRS though. Havnt found GFO or carbon cheaper than BRS when you buy bulk. Stay away from Aluminum for Phosphate control.

 

[joshuajoshua]

I got the sodalime from airgas.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

GFO and other chemicals to bind and remove phosphate generally have to be specially made to have a high surface area without being very fine powder. So generally, bulk chemicals don't work for that.

Lanthanum chloride (a soluble phosphate lowering product) can probably be found in bulk somewhere, but it isn't that expensive to begin with.

For an iron supplement, I recommend Fergon tablets from the drug store.

For silicate dosing (few do it, I know), I use sodium silicate solution (waterglass) that is inexpensive.

Calcium hydroxide (lime) or calcium oxide (quicklime) to make limewater (kalkwasser) can often be found in bulk and inexpensively. Just make sure it is food grade.

 

[Squamosa]

A quick google search has revealed at least one lanthanum product available at Lowes.

Here is the link:Phosphate Remover - Clorox? Pool&Spa?

Here in Australia where I live, Cacl, Bicarbonate and lanthanum are available in bulk from hardware stores or pool supply companies!

Cheers

 

[ReddyW]

Epsom salt is much less expensive than buying aquarium magnesium sulphate. Magnesium chloride is much cheaper when purchased as Mag Flake, but I can't find it locally. There's a reef shop on eBay that usually sells it cheap.

 

[marke]

I know it's sounds fun to play home chemist but I am not sure we can always assume it's safe. I have bought some of the stuff mentioned on eBay thinking I was saving 5.47. So I get this soda ash that when mixed with rodi turn yellow? Measure and mix another still yellow vs clear for the regular stuff I use? What is this yellowing? Impurities? Can I put them in my tank 24/7 for years and not expect residue? Then I got some mag flakes thinking I saved enough for a 6 pack of soda. The mag flakes were extra large and when mixed they settled to the bottom. Shake again next day still silty water? So my question is does quality matter? It does for me! So buy chemical which are pharmaceutical grade or have been tested by your friend the Ginny pig. But for a $59.99 savings a year I want quality as water chemistry is to important to skimp on! Just an opinion.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Try to buy food grade materials.

Personally, I see no reason to by unknown soda ash when food grade baking soda is so cheap.

 

[AZDesertRat]

The GFO we use in the hobby comes from the drinking water industry, it is used for arsenic removal so it meets EPA guidelines.
Being in the industry I have been fortunate enough to get samples from the manufacturer and wholesaler which are the same people that sell it to TLF and all the other reef vendors.

Its another one of those items with a huge profit margin since they buy it in large supersack quantities for a few $$ a pound then repackage it for much more. Too bad we couldn't do group buys from the manufacturer.

 

[Touring]

PEROXIDE on algae

I have had great success with Peroxide. 1ml/10gallons if in tank and 50peroxide/50water ratio for 5min for rock in a bucket. I have a full SPS tank and i have dosed before when i jumped the gun and thought my tank was cycled........ cleaned the diatoms and algae up within the 2nd day. All coral had polyps out the whole time.