DIY Barium additive

[Heiwald]

Hi,

Is it possible to mix your own Barium additive?

I seem to have chronically low barium in my system. From what I understand, it’s because Fauna Marin Balling Light doesn’t add enough as it’s designed to be used with zeolite media that should add Barium to the system.

I need to add more than one of their bottles to correct the value.

Any help is greatly appreciated

PS: A DIY Chromium additive would be nice too, I use that quite a bit as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I personally would not dose barium to any aquarium as it has no known biological role in any known organism.

That said, a DIY is easy, using barium chloride, but most Amazon sources don't specify purity. One Reagent grade is more expensive, but does have a purity standard. Still, you aren't going to be dosing much. The recipe will depend on the hydrate state you buy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here's a discussion on chromium:

How to source Chromium, Fluorine, and Selenium

I am zeroing in on my DIY trace element potion.....Does anyone have any tips on how to best buy Chromium, Fluorine, and Selenium. I am kinda striking out on finding actual chemical sources......I have found supplements but I want to avoid buying supplements because I don't know what additional...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Heiwald]

So, in your opinion, I should just leave it alone and let Barium go to zero?
According to my latest ICP Barium should be at 3.63 µg/l now. Water volume is 720 liters / 190 gallons.

I can get Barium Chloride dihydrate where I buy chemicals.

Barium Chloride Dihydrate (CAS 10326-27-9)

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Barium chloride dihydrate ≥99 %, p.a., ACS, ISO

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I would will contact them to know the impurities. They only seem to list them on the containers, not the web page.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So, in your opinion, I should just leave it alone and let Barium go to zero?
According to my latest ICP Barium should be at 3.63 µg/l now. Water volume is 720 liters / 190 gallons.

I can get Barium Chloride dihydrate where I buy chemicals.

Barium Chloride Dihydrate (CAS 10326-27-9)

Buy Barium Chloride Dihydrate (CAS 10326-27-9)? Available in different packaging and of high quality. Quantity discount!

www.laboratoriumdiscounter.nl

Barium chloride dihydrate ≥99 %, p.a., ACS, ISO

Order affordable lab supplies at Laboratory Discounter. From microscopes to chemicals, fast delivery in the UK. Browse our range today!

www.laboratoriumdiscounter.nl

I would will contact them to know the impurities. They only seem to list them on the containers, not the web page.

I do not know if it will decline, but I'd totally ignore it. In my tank with no intentional additions it was 8.5 ug/L the one time I had it tested.

 

[Heiwald]

I do not know if it will decline, but I'd totally ignore it. In my tank with no intentional additions it was 8.5 ug/L the one time I had it tested.

It is declining over time in my system. I rarely do water changes, but do correctional doses as much as possible. I have been dosing it, but a Fauna Marin bottle is only 250ml and I needed 400ml til correct it this time according to their directions. It’s becoming a money pit to buy their fancy bottles.

 

[ReefSymbiotic]

It is declining over time in my system. I rarely do water changes, but do correctional doses as much as possible. I have been dosing it, but a Fauna Marin bottle is only 250ml and I needed 400ml til correct it this time according to their directions. It’s becoming a money pit to buy their fancy bottles.

Did you ever figure out the purity?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Did you ever figure out the purity?

The person you are asking has not been on in nearly a year.

Overall, I’m very confident that dosing barium is a waste of time and money. It has no known biological requirement in any organism.

 

[ReefSymbiotic]

The person you are asking has not been on in nearly a year.

Overall, I’m very confident that dosing barium is a waste of time and money. It has no known biological requirement in any organism.

Yeah but the other side of that is that it is present in seawater. If not a direct effect on the coral itself it could have an effect on surrounding organisms that haven’t been studied yet. From my tests something is consuming it so something is using it even if unknown. It could be that it has no major role idk but nature knows best.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yeah but the other side of that is that it is present in seawater. If not a direct effect on the coral itself it could have an effect on surrounding organisms that haven’t been studied yet. From my tests something is consuming it so something is using it even if unknown. It could be that it has no major role idk but nature knows best.

Of course it gets incorporated into depositing calcium carbonate. That is well know, whether it is simple precipitation or biological calcification. It looks a lot like calcium in structure, just bigger. So do uranium and mercury. Do you dose those for the same reason as barium?

I don’t mean to suggest it’s not a fine plan to match NSW levels of anything you want. But to argue that it has some secret benefit that no scientist has discovered and only reefers know the secret is not plausible.

 

[ReefSymbiotic]

Of course it gets incorporated into depositing calcium carbonate. That is well know, whether it is simple precipitation or biological calcification. It looks a lot like calcium in structure, just bigger. So do uranium and mercury. Do you dose those for the same reason as barium?

I don’t mean to suggest it’s not a fine plan to match NSW levels of anything you want. But to argue that it has some secret benefit that no scientist has discovered and only reefers know the secret is not plausible.

I’m not sure who is saying it has a secret benefit I must’ve missed that part. My only arguement would be that nature knows best and that corals consume it at decently fast rate.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I’m not sure who is saying it has a secret benefit I must’ve missed that part. My only arguement would be that nature knows best and that corals consume it at decently fast rate.

Must be something in the Texan water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m not sure who is saying it has a secret benefit I must’ve missed that part. My only arguement would be that nature knows best and that corals consume it at decently fast rate.

What about uranium and dozens of other useless ions that get consumed by calcification? Why select barium as special?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Fauna Marin sells barium and makes claims I think are untrue.

 

[ReefSymbiotic]

What about uranium and dozens of other useless ions that get consumed by calcification? Why select barium as special?

Because it’s radioactive lol

 

[ReefSymbiotic]

Fauna Marin sells barium and makes claims I think are untrue.

If you were to ask me what I think it’s roll might be my best guess would be it probably acts either as a binder to help absorb other elements in order to help calcification or it could be that it makes calcification easier and stronger.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The google search ai says barium incorporation into aragonite makes the crystal weaker by distorting the crystal structure.

 

[ReefSymbiotic]

The google search ai says barium incorporation into aragonite makes the crystal weaker by distorting the crystal structure.

I would think that’s the case if there’s too much but anything that alloys has a purpose for being stronger or softer.

 

[gbroadbridge]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would think that’s the case if there’s too much but anything that alloys has a purpose for being stronger or softer.

Ok, you clearly want to believe it is useful, so dose it. It certainly isn’t going to do anything worse then be a waste of time and money if you maintain natural levels.

But there are dozens of other elements to waste time and money on with similarly convincing data on utility based on deposition into coral skeletons.