DIY Alkatronic reagent

Orly20

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Ok, I have feedback on the 0.1N sulfuric acid standard from Amazon. I mixed up 1.5L of reagent using the Amazon product rather than OEM. I dumped the remnants of the previous reagent just to get a clear test. My last 4 measurements from the previous 24 hours, before swapping in the new reagent, were 7.70, 7.64, 7.70, 7.67. After the new reagent was used, I ran 2 extra measurements. They were 7.56, 7.53. The 0.2 difference between the reagents made from the OEM and Amazon standard is probably caused by a slight mixing error. I overshot on the amount of RODI by 12 ml and tried to add an offsetting amount of acid and then a final correction of RODI, because I overshot on the acid correction :( . I suspect I either miscalculated, or my scale was is not sensitive enough to small volume changes. Similar discrepancies after slight mixing snafus have happened in the past with the OEM version as well, so I don't consider it relevant.

I think the Amazon 0.1N sulfuric acid is a great alternative to the OEM and plan to use this going forward.

Dennis

This one

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Orly20

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Yes, that is the type that I ordered and tested, as first posted by Choooch. Just to be clear, any 0.1N acid standard will work. Either a Sulfuric or Hydrochloric would be fine. It just has to be 0.1N to match the OEM version.

Dennis

So then no one is dumping the Sulfuric reagent back in the tank?
It’s just one less thing to worry about in maintenance if I had to drain it to another container. lol

I appreciate the thread and responses
 
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Silver14SS

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So then no one is dumping the reagent back in the tank?
It’s just one less thing to worry about in maintenance lol

I appreciate the thread and responses

I've returned the Alkatronic branded reagent and a DIY muriatic to the sump with no noticeable impacts. When this bottle is empty, I plan on trying a DIY sulfuric and will return it to the sump as well.
 

dbjonesjr

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For clarification, it should be safe to dump HCl reagent back into the tank, correct? That should be the case assuming all my chemistry classes taught me well. I would think it could be even better than dumping the stock reagent back in, right? Because then I'll just end up with more Cl- ions in the water instead of sulfate?
 

gobble

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So $39 from Amazon vs. $110 from Alkatronic? That doesn't seem like an unfair markup by the Alkatronic guys.

Amazon is out of stock now.
 

Dennis Cartier

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They do have the .2N version. Can you use that and just half as much?

You would have to use 1/2 as much of the standard and more water. For 0.1N you would use 250ml acid and 1000ml of water. For 0.2N you would use 125ml acid and 1125ml of water. The dilution for 0.1N is 1:4 and for 0.2N it is 1:9. That should work fine.

Dennis
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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For clarification, it should be safe to dump HCl reagent back into the tank, correct? That should be the case assuming all my chemistry classes taught me well. I would think it could be even better than dumping the stock reagent back in, right? Because then I'll just end up with more Cl- ions in the water instead of sulfate?

Adding the titration solution back to the tank will cause a small depletion of alkalinity, and anything else depends on the purity of the acid used.
 

Dennis Cartier

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Just posting an update on this. Actually more of an update on mixing the reagent. As I mentioned in a previous post, I ordered some 1L and 250ML volumetric flasks from Amazon. Wow, what a difference for ease of measuring compared to weighing. Other than a funnel, the only equipment I needed was a 10ML syringe to add the final drops to the flasks to hit the meniscus line dead on.

I am going to be away for close to a month, so I mixed up a double batch (2.5L) and it was so fast compared to the old method. The 0.1N sulfuric acid standard was used again and it hit the last reading (from 1 hour before) with a 100% match when using the newly mixed reagent.

So if you are ordering the 0.1N sulfuric acid from Amazon, throw a 1L and 250ML volumetric flask into your cart as well! ;)
 
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Orly20

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Just posting an update on this. Actually more of an update on mixing the reagent. As I mentioned in a previous post, I ordered some 1L and 250ML volumetric flasks from Amazon. Wow, what a difference for ease of measuring compared to weighing. Other than a funnel, the only equipment I needed was a 10ML syringe to add the final drops to the flasks to hit the meniscus line dead on.

I am going to be away for close to a month, so I mixed up a double batch (2.5L) and it was so fast compared to the old method. The 0.1N sulfuric acid standard was used again and it hit the last reading (from 1 hour before) with a 100% match when using the newly mixed reagent.

So if you are oredering the 0.1N sulfuric acid from Amazon, throw a 1L and 250ML volumetric flask into your cart as well! ;)


I would like to thank everyone who participated on this thread as I must say that this works perfectly. I have tons of reagent!
 

windemerejack

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Never did like chemistry at school so can someone tell me if I buy this, 'Hydrochloric Acid 0.1M (0.1N) Volumetric Solution 2.5 Litre' and mix it with 10 litres of rodi water then I will get 12.5 litres of reagent I can just use with the KH Director?
Or is there more diluting to do?
 
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Dennis Cartier

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Never did like chemistry at school so can someone tell me if I buy this, 'Hydrochloric Acid 0.1M (0.1N) Volumetric Solution 2.5 Litre' and mix it with 10 litres of rodi water then I will get 12.5 litres of reagent I can just use with the KH Director?
Or is there more diluting to do?

Yes, you will get ready to use solution if you were to do that. However, you do mean for the Alkatronic right? I have no info on the KH Director.
 

windemerejack

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Yes, you will get ready to use solution if you were to do that. However, you do mean for the Alkatronic right? I have no info on the KH Director.
Thanks Dennis, I meant the KH Director as ive heard and read somewhere that it uses the same reagent as the alkatronic.
Maybe somebody could clarify that for me please?
 

Gaël

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windemerejack

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Hi

Hi, for GHL KH Director I use this https://www.ebay.fr/itm/161880420506 Hydrochloric Acid 0.1M (0.1N) directly with NO dilute it.
Thats the stuff i was looking at, cheap as chips compared to reagent.
Have you ever tried it diluted? its still a massive saving but be even better if it could be used diluted.
 
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