Creating equal parts calcium and alkalinity

[merereef]

So i have purchased a powder form of calcium chloride dihydrate for calcium and sodium bicarbonate for alkalinity

I want to mix these so i have EQUAL parts of dosing meaning i can dose equal amounts and keep the levels stable

On the mixing instructions it says for calcium chloride that i need to add 367g to 1litre of ro water, this would allow 10ml of the solution added to 100litres of water to increase calcium by 10mg/l

For the sodium bicarbonate it says to add 60g to 1litre of water and this would allow 50ml of solutionn added to 100 litres of water would increase alk by 1dkh

Below is instructions for sodium bicarbonate

Below is instructions for calcium chloride dihydrate

My question is

If i follow the instructions will i get equal parts for calc and alk? Or should i ignore the instructions and mix up something like 100g of powder for each to make up an equal parts solution?




Thank you in advance

 

[steelwrap]

Both will be used at different rates. Mix seperate and add what You need after testing to keeps levels where You want them. I think thats what You were asking

 

[merereef]

Both will be used at different rates. Mix seperate and add what You need after testing to keeps levels where You want them. I think thats what You were asking

Thank you for the reply, i want to create a solution that is ionicly balanced.. im wondering if i create the solutions with the recommended instructions will the ionic balance be the same for calcium or alk

 

[beaslbob]

I use the imporved diy two part. In that you basically use 1 cup of calcium chloride and a cup of sodium bicarbonate to make up separate 1 gallon solutions. (actually 250g 1 1/4 cup calcium chloride and 297g 1 1/8 sodium bicarbonate). plus 3 cups Epsom salts and 5 cups magnesium chloride in a gallon for the mag part. After doing a one "bulk" adjustment to get calcium, alk, magnesium in line, you wait until alk drops and dose equal parts calcium and alk. After using up a gallon of those solutions you make new solutions and dose 300ml of the magnesium supplement.

So read up on that system stickied at the top of this forum. FWIW 50 pounds of calcium chloride in $20 at local redimix suppliers, 50 pounds of magnesium chloride in $30 at a local industrial chemical supplier, Epsom salts and baking soda from grocery/drug stores.

All of which doesn't help you with the supplements you have. But you might want to reference dr holmes-farley's improved diy two part anyway.

On your specific system, IMHO best to follow the instructions. And it can be that each will require different dosing rates. You could always dilute the one requiring less dosing until they both are the same. If it is too confusing or expensive just switch to the diy method.


just my confusing .02

 

[merereef]

My calcium is at 490 and alk on 8.6 how can i lower my calcium but maintain the alk at the same level?

 

[JimWelsh]

Thank you for the reply, i want to create a solution that is ionicly balanced.. im wondering if i create the solutions with the recommended instructions will the ionic balance be the same for calcium or alk

The answer is no, they will not be balanced. The CaCl2 solution is 7 times more concentrated than the NaHCO3 solution, in terms of maintaining a Ca:Alk balance. Use Recipe #2 from this article instead: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#9

 

[merereef]

The answer is no, they will not be balanced. The CaCl2 solution is 7 times more concentrated than the NaHCO3 solution, in terms of maintaining a Ca:Alk balance. Use Recipe #2 from this article instead: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#9

Thank you so much... i asked this because i noticed before i dosed my tank was at 6.7 alk and calc at 430-450 i dosed alk 50 ml and calc about 30ml after a week calc was 490 and alk on 8.6 so not sure how to balance it ideally i want calc about 420-450

 

[beaslbob]

My calcium is at 490 and alk on 8.6 how can i lower my calcium but maintain the alk at the same level?

try adding a little baking soda

 

[merereef]

try adding a little baking soda

Would that not just raise my alk?

 

[JimWelsh]

Would that not just raise my alk?

I do see how adding a little baking soda would raise alk. I see no way it would lower calcium unless you added enough to cause CaCO3 precipitation, which is generally frowned upon.

 

[beaslbob]

Would that not just raise my alk?

yep

and lower calcium

 

[JimWelsh]

and lower calcium

How, exactly?

 

[beaslbob]

How, exactly?

I don't know all the chemical reactions but there is a calcium alk balance. Raise one and the other falls. Which is why we need to add both to keep them up.

Worth a try anyway.

my .02

 

[JimWelsh]

Raise one and the other falls.

I disagree, and believe that I'm pretty familiar with the chemical reactions.

 

[beaslbob]

I disagree, and believe that I'm pretty familiar with the chemical reactions.

thanks for you input.

 

[merereef]

The answer is no, they will not be balanced. The CaCl2 solution is 7 times more concentrated than the NaHCO3 solution, in terms of maintaining a Ca:Alk balance. Use Recipe #2 from this article instead: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#9

Thank you everyone for your help... i think il mix up both batches of the products i have according to the directions for farley jones recipe that should give me balanced 2 part

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I manually dose all of mine and it’s bad enough when they make the instructions so bad. It’s more of a pain but, easier than what your doing. With mine, I test alk and cal daily then based on where those are at I do the math and add x amount of tablespoons to my top off water. If my alk is already at 8 I will dose maybe 1/4 or what I normally do so there isn’t such a large drop. If calcium stays at 440 then I simply don’t dose it. There are times like on mine it used 1.5 tablespoons of alk and cal a day just to stay at 8 and 440. At times it slows and now cal changes every few days alk drops from 8-7 daily. I’m hoping it picks back up again like before it’s much easier. But their instructions along with some others aka Redsea make it impossible even for someone who is excellent at math and chemistry and science. Sometimes they make no sense and asking on here is the best.

Personally I don’t like the baking powder way, I have seen too many issues with ofher people’s tank to trust it. But I can say you will need to test daily or often till it gets consistent and it will. However, like mine it can always change so good to test twice a week. Also for coral health do not keep parameters exactly at 8 and 440 let it swing a tad.
Like 7.5 maybe 7, and or maybe 8.5, then 420 maybe to 460.
The more you make and or chase numbers the more sensitive the corals become and will respond badly if you have ever so slight of a swing.

 

[HCl+NaHO=]

So i have purchased a powder form of calcium chloride dihydrate for calcium and sodium bicarbonate for alkalinity

I want to mix these so i have EQUAL parts of dosing meaning i can dose equal amounts and keep the levels stable

On the mixing instructions it says for calcium chloride that i need to add 367g to 1litre of ro water, this would allow 10ml of the solution added to 100litres of water to increase calcium by 10mg/l

For the sodium bicarbonate it says to add 60g to 1litre of water and this would allow 50ml of solutionn added to 100 litres of water would increase alk by 1dkh

Below is instructions for sodium bicarbonate

Below is instructions for calcium chloride dihydrate

My question is

If i follow the instructions will i get equal parts for calc and alk? Or should i ignore the instructions and mix up something like 100g of powder for each to make up an equal parts solution?




Thank you in advance

You can’t mix them.

That’s why it’s called 2 part.

They react together and form a precipitate.

 

[beaslbob]

Hello,

I manually dose all of mine and it’s bad enough when they make the instructions so bad. It’s more of a pain but, easier than what your doing. With mine, I test alk and cal daily then based on where those are at I do the math and add x amount of tablespoons to my top off water. If my alk is already at 8 I will dose maybe 1/4 or what I normally do so there isn’t such a large drop. If calcium stays at 440 then I simply don’t dose it. There are times like on mine it used 1.5 tablespoons of alk and cal a day just to stay at 8 and 440. At times it slows and now cal changes every few days alk drops from 8-7 daily. I’m hoping it picks back up again like before it’s much easier. But their instructions along with some others aka Redsea make it impossible even for someone who is excellent at math and chemistry and science. Sometimes they make no sense and asking on here is the best.

Personally I don’t like the baking powder way, I have seen too many issues with ofher people’s tank to trust it. But I can say you will need to test daily or often till it gets consistent and it will. However, like mine it can always change so good to test twice a week. Also for coral health do not keep parameters exactly at 8 and 440 let it swing a tad.
Like 7.5 maybe 7, and or maybe 8.5, then 420 maybe to 460.
The more you make and or chase numbers the more sensitive the corals become and will respond badly if you have ever so slight of a swing.

I think that should be baking soda.

 

[lapin]

My calcium is at 490 and alk is 8.6 how can i lower my calcium but maintain the alk at the same level?

The calcium will come down on its own as along as your salt mix is not adding more than your tank uses. If your alk falls then Randy's baked baking soda will raise it.
Once you get your numbers in line then you dose part A and part B . The amounts you dose of each will depend on what your tank uses and how much your salt mix puts back in when doing a water change.