DIY vs NeoPhos

[Bitcoin Reefer]

I had always heard DIY phosphate was cheaper than NeoPhos and others, but I didn't know how cheap until I bought and started doing the calculation. Apparently, if my math is correct, DIY Loud Wolf Trisodium Phosphate mixed at 2g/L which final solution is very similar concentration to NeoPhos... approximately 100x cheaper... That is insane.

Now that I've found this I'll definitely look into DIY Nitrate. If anyone has any thoughts, math, recommendation or good threads, please let us all know! Everyone needs to know about the Phosphate DIY, and I am hoping I'll find similar juicy nugget when I dig into Nitrate!

I was spending about $35/month on NeoPhos 2L. Now I'll be spending like $0.35/month LOL?

Here is thread where @Randy Holmes-Farley and others discuss more details. Cheers!

DIY Phosphate Dosing

Howdy, Similiar to my nitrate dosing I am looking to begin dosing phosphates to ensure I NEVER bottom out nutrients again... What's chemicals do I need to get!? I dosed sodium nitrate for nitrate.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[tbrown]

I believe stump remover is the DIY nitrate. It was very inexpensive when I used it - $5 for enough to make 20 gallons or something like that. I think Randy has a thread on here for that one as well.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

So true. Loud wolf direct has been much cheaper than Amazon for me. Sodium nitrate for nitrate. Look up James planted tank calculator to calculate your dosing mixes. Lots of threads on here and in Randy’s reefkeeping articles. Muriatic acid for cleaning and to lower alk is another money saver. Vinegar kept killing my powerheads, blowing through citric acid was getting old. A couple gallons of muriatic for ten bucks works out great. 10:1 with water for cleaning and 50ml in my saltwater station once a month to lower my salt mix alkalinity and I use maybe a quart over six months. I wish I switched years ago.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

So true. Loud wolf direct has been much cheaper than Amazon for me. Sodium nitrate for nitrate. Look up James planted tank calculator to calculate your dosing mixes. Lots of threads on here and in Randy’s reefkeeping articles. Muriatic acid for cleaning and to lower alk is another money saver. Vinegar kept killing my powerheads, blowing through citric acid was getting old. A couple gallons of muriatic for ten bucks works out great. 10:1 with water for cleaning and 50ml in my saltwater station once a month to lower my salt mix alkalinity and I use maybe a quart over six months. I wish I switched years ago.

You have to lower your alkalinity? I am dosing quite a bit of calc + alk every day. Isn't that normal for people who keep coral?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

You have to lower your alkalinity? I am dosing quite a bit of calc + alk every day. Isn't that normal for people who keep coral?

In freshly mixed saltwater. I switched back to io purple salt from tm pro and hw reefer. Io alk is a bit high for me, usually around 10dkh. I lower it to 8.5 with muriatic after I make a batch. I maintain the alk in the tank with a calcium reactor. Two part was getting out of hand for me. I was getting the pre measured one gallon packs instead of bulk so it was spendy. I lost most my usable vision and have issues with tremors and dropping everything so measuring and not spilling powder all over was impossible.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

In freshly mixed saltwater. I switched back to io purple salt from tm pro and hw reefer. Io alk is a bit high for me, usually around 10dkh. I lower it to 8.5 with muriatic after I make a batch. I maintain the alk in the tank with a calcium reactor. Two part was getting out of hand for me. I was getting the pre measured one gallon packs instead of bulk so it was spendy. I lost most my usable vision and have issues with tremors and dropping everything so measuring and not spilling powder all over was impossible.

Nice how do you like calc reactor versus 2 part?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Nice how do you like calc reactor versus 2 part?

Once it’s dialed in it’s amazing. Pretty much set it and forget it. Just have to swap co2 cylinders every three months, about $15, and top off media, another $10ish. So for me it’s about $8.50 a month now…plus the initial investment which was a bit. I’d be paying well over $50 a month for two part. My salinity is much more stable now as well. It crept up on me with two part even with tropic Marin a,k and c. All in all it’s just easier which is what I need to keep things going

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I believe stump remover is the DIY nitrate. It was very inexpensive when I used it - $5 for enough to make 20 gallons or something like that. I think Randy has a thread on here for that one as well.

FWIW, I do not recommend stump remover for two reasons:

1. It is potassium nitrate, and will tend to raise potassium a lot over time.
2. It has no quality control related to impurities.

i recommend food or other high grade sodium or calcium nitrate. Both are much cheaper than NeoNitro, and have composition and purity guarantees that Brightwell does not provide.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I had always heard DIY phosphate was cheaper than NeoPhos and others, but I didn't know how cheap until I bought and started doing the calculation. Apparently, if my math is correct, DIY Loud Wolf Trisodium Phosphate mixed at 2g/L which final solution is very similar concentration to NeoPhos... approximately 100x cheaper... That is insane.

Now that I've found this I'll definitely look into DIY Nitrate. If anyone has any thoughts, math, recommendation or good threads, please let us all know! Everyone needs to know about the Phosphate DIY, and I am hoping I'll find similar juicy nugget when I dig into Nitrate!

I was spending about $35/month on NeoPhos 2L. Now I'll be spending like $0.35/month LOL?

Here is thread where @Randy Holmes-Farley and others discuss more details. Cheers!

DIY Phosphate Dosing

Howdy, Similiar to my nitrate dosing I am looking to begin dosing phosphates to ensure I NEVER bottom out nutrients again... What's chemicals do I need to get!? I dosed sodium nitrate for nitrate.

www.reef2reef.com

In addition to being far less expensive, food or other high grade grade sodium phosphate (any of the several forms available) has purity guarantees that Brightwell does not provide.

 

[tbrown]

FWIW, I do not recommend stump remover for two reasons:

1. It is potassium nitrate, and will tend to raise potassium a lot over time.
2. It has no quality control related to impurities.

i recommend food or other high grade sodium or calcium nitrate. Both are much cheaper than NeoNitro, and have composition and purity guarantees that Brightwell does not provide.

Sounds good! Thanks for chiming in. It's been several years since we had to dose nitrates. This is great info.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

FWIW, I do not recommend stump remover for two reasons:

1. It is potassium nitrate, and will tend to raise potassium a lot over time.
2. It has no quality control related to impurities.

i recommend food or other high grade sodium or calcium nitrate. Both are much cheaper than NeoNitro, and have composition and purity guarantees that Brightwell does not provide.

Thanks Randy. Which do you prefer of those two? Does Calcium Nitrate raise Calcium ?

 

[WrasseyReefer]

I had always heard DIY phosphate was cheaper than NeoPhos and others, but I didn't know how cheap until I bought and started doing the calculation. Apparently, if my math is correct, DIY Loud Wolf Trisodium Phosphate mixed at 2g/L which final solution is very similar concentration to NeoPhos... approximately 100x cheaper... That is insane.

Now that I've found this I'll definitely look into DIY Nitrate. If anyone has any thoughts, math, recommendation or good threads, please let us all know! Everyone needs to know about the Phosphate DIY, and I am hoping I'll find similar juicy nugget when I dig into Nitrate!

I was spending about $35/month on NeoPhos 2L. Now I'll be spending like $0.35/month LOL?

Here is thread where @Randy Holmes-Farley and others discuss more details. Cheers!

DIY Phosphate Dosing

Howdy, Similiar to my nitrate dosing I am looking to begin dosing phosphates to ensure I NEVER bottom out nutrients again... What's chemicals do I need to get!? I dosed sodium nitrate for nitrate.

www.reef2reef.com

I’ve also been using neophos, and I just ordered loudwolf Trisodium phosphate. Wanted to check with you to see how the loudwolf is working for you as far as dosage. I have my neophos on a BRS doser dosing a certain amount per day. Did you find that you were dosing the same amount of loudwolf as with neophos before and getting the same measured tank phosphate when dosing 2g/L of the loudwolf as you were when dosing the neophos? Thanks!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I believe stump remover is the DIY nitrate. It was very inexpensive when I used it - $5 for enough to make 20 gallons or something like that. I think Randy has a thread on here for that one as well.

You can also buy pure kn03 very cheap I think it's called Greenleaf aquariums. It's in Tallahassee or Gainesville FL. I cannot recall which. Great products, fair price.

Green Leaf Aquariums

GLA is a leading planted aquarium brand specializing in aquarium CO2 systems, aquarium plant fertilizer and live freshwater plants. Start your planted tank with our made in USA and lifetime warranty bespoke collections.

greenleafaquariums.com

 

[tbrown]

Just an FYI, Loudwolf is $10 with free shipping on their website. It's $7 plus $7 shipping on Amazon.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Just an FYI, Loudwolf is $10 with free shipping on their website. It's $7 plus $7 shipping on Amazon.

Yeah, I bought it from their website with free shipping.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

I’ve also been using neophos, and I just ordered loudwolf Trisodium phosphate. Wanted to check with you to see how the loudwolf is working for you as far as dosage. I have my neophos on a BRS doser dosing a certain amount per day. Did you find that you were dosing the same amount of loudwolf as with neophos before and getting the same measured tank phosphate when dosing 2g/L of the loudwolf as you were when dosing the neophos? Thanks!

I haven't used it yet, but from what Randy said above, if you make a 1L solution at 2g mixed with 1L of RODI, it should be similar dose to Neophos if my explanation to him and his perception of Neophos dose was correct. I'm waiting to run out of my Neophos then I'll go to the Loudwolf. I'll probably do same dose for 3 days or so, and then test and adjust.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

I haven't used it yet, but from what Randy said above, if you make a 1L solution at 2g mixed with 1L of RODI, it should be similar dose to Neophos if my explanation to him and his perception of Neophos dose was correct. I'm waiting to run out of my Neophos then I'll go to the Loudwolf. I'll probably do same dose for 3 days or so, and then test and adjust.

I’m also going to wait to run out of neophos and then switch to loudwolf. I’ll follow along to see what your experience is in case you start using it before me. I’ll also share my experience once I start loudwolf.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I haven't used it yet, but from what Randy said above, if you make a 1L solution at 2g mixed with 1L of RODI, it should be similar dose to Neophos if my explanation to him and his perception of Neophos dose was correct. I'm waiting to run out of my Neophos then I'll go to the Loudwolf. I'll probably do same dose for 3 days or so, and then test and adjust.

Personally, I didn’t want it to be as dilute as neo. You can make it much more potent if you like. I like to get at least a month out of my dosing containers just so I don’t have to fill them up so frequently and not have to worry about running out if I go on vacay. I’m at 20ml a day of diy which is about a third of neo if I remember right, it has been awhile. It’s about 0.01ppm per ml for my tank volume.

 

[tbrown]

@billyocean are you using Loudwolf Trisodium Phosphate?

 

[billyocean]

@billyocean are you using Loudwolf Trisodium Phosphate?

I am