Dosing silicate

[Bitcoin Reefer]

IMO, I'd use an already made solution that is readily available, but the material you have will work.

1 ppm silica (not 1 ppm Si) is already quite high. 1 ppm Si is higher still. I recommend dosing to 200 ug/L silica (SiO2).

That said, you can determine what dose you need by trial and error.


If you want to boost SI to 1 ppm SI, then you need 750 mg in your system.

The material you have is 10% Si by weight, so yes, you need about 7.5 grams of that material.

Trying to get 7.5 grams of the solid to dissolve in 5 mL of water seems a crazy high concentration and may not work out.


I'd experiment a few times to see what you are able to attain (regardless of published solubility).

First, I'd try dissolving the 7.5 grams in 25 mL of water. if that works for you, I'd use a stock like that.

Dosing the highest concentration possible is NOT desirable. You are more likely to cause precipitation problems. It may be better to dissolve it in even more water, even if it does all dissolve in 25 mL.

When you say you'd use an already made solution that is readily available.
1. Like SpongExcel?
2. Why do you recommend this over DIY, is the price similar? I recently noticed your DIY for phosphate was 100x cheaper. Do we not see big benefit with DIY Silica

Thanks Randy, you rock!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

When you say you'd use an already made solution that is readily available.
1. Like SpongExcel?
2. Why do you recommend this over DIY, is the price similar? I recently noticed your DIY for phosphate was 100x cheaper. Do we not see big benefit with DIY Silica

Thanks Randy, you rock!

No, I mean cheap water glass. :)

High purity:
Amazon product

Low cost:
Amazon product

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

No, I mean cheap water glass. :)

High purity:
Amazon product

Low cost:
Amazon product

Sorry to ask so many questions, but do you have preference of these? They both seem very cheap and last long time? I read your article about Silica, and it said for $10 you have enough for 150 years lol, so I'm assuming either of these are very economical. Whichever you recommend, how do I figure out dosing? I'd like to stick around same dosing I use now in my aquarium which is 15ml/day of SE for 360g tank, and seems to be sweet spot for keeping Dinos in check.

 

[Reefahholic]

I’ve been dosing off/on. My dosage is in the video. The Dino guys helped me with that so should be pretty accurate.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

I’ve been dosing off/on. My dosage is in the video. The Dino guys helped me with that so should be pretty accurate.

Awesome thanks. 1.32ml x 250ml rodi. I’ll do 5.28ml and make 1L.

Do you have any idea how this would compare to SpongExcel concentration? Your video said ppm/g which confused me. Here is photo of SpongExcel container

Lol and funny video with slow motion mixing, and at end BRS “diatoms outcompete everything”

 

[Reefahholic]

Awesome thanks. 1.32ml x 250ml rodi. I’ll do 5.28ml and make 1L.

Do you have any idea how this would compare to SpongExcel concentration? Your video said ppm/g which confused me. Here is photo of SpongExcel container

Lol and funny video with slow motion mixing, and at end BRS “diatoms outcompete everything”

I’m not familiar with SpongeExcel. I wouldn’t buy it because you can make your own for way cheaper.

0.1mL per 15g (gallons) = 1 ppm silicate
0.2mL per 15g (gallons) = 2 ppm silicate

My Silicate Solution mixture was Approximately 250mL RODI to 1.32 mL SI per 100/G of Volume.

 

[Reefahholic]

Additional notes to help you. Keep it mind this was for Dino’s to induce a diatom bloom. So modify for your specific needs.

Below were notes I gathered from Jason Mack’s Dino group (I believe) to help create my dosage:

We recommend dosing waterglass to initiate a diatom bloom for certain types of dinos. Other silicate options can be very expensive in the long run, such as dosing Brightwell’s SpongExcel (it generally takes a large volume to hit the 2-3ppm sweet spot).

Recommended 36-41% liquid sodium silicate (Waterglass)

For the above concentration, we recommend dosing 0.1mL per 15 gallons (56 liters) of tank volume for 1ppm of silicate.

Aim for 2-3ppm.

For example, on a tank that’s 60 gallons:

60gallons/15gallons=4

4x0.1mL=0.4mL- This gives you the dosage to get to 1ppm silicate.

0.4mLx2=0.8mL–This amount should give you 2ppm silicate.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

Additional notes to help you. Keep it mind this was for Dino’s to induce a diatom bloom. So modify for your specific needs.

Below were notes I gathered from Jason Mack’s Dino group (I believe) to help create my dosage:

We recommend dosing waterglass to initiate a diatom bloom for certain types of dinos. Other silicate options can be very expensive in the long run, such as dosing Brightwell’s SpongExcel (it generally takes a large volume to hit the 2-3ppm sweet spot).

Recommended 36-41% liquid sodium silicate (Waterglass)

For the above concentration, we recommend dosing 0.1mL per 15 gallons (56 liters) of tank volume for 1ppm of silicate.

Aim for 2-3ppm.

For example, on a tank that’s 60 gallons:

60gallons/15gallons=4

4x0.1mL=0.4mL- This gives you the dosage to get to 1ppm silicate.

0.4mLx2=0.8mL–This amount should give you 2ppm silicate.

Ok so someone on another thread said that SpongExcel is 4%, and Loudwolf and Amazon product that Randy recommends are 41% and 40%. So are they just 10x more concentrated? I was dosing 15ml/day of SE, so I guess now I can just dose 1.5ml/day to have same effect? Anyone know on this?

 

[Reefahholic]

Ok so someone on another thread said that SpongExcel is 4%, and Loudwolf and Amazon product that Randy recommends are 41% and 40%. So are they just 10x more concentrated? I was dosing 15ml/day of SE, so I guess now I can just dose 1.5ml/day to have same effect? Anyone know on this?

Sounds like it. Overdosing silicates is not a big concern. You could dose 100x the recommended dose and only end up with diatom’s. Don’t sweat it. Just bump the dose to where it needs to be and go from there.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

Sounds like it. Overdosing silicates is not a big concern. You could dose 100x the recommended dose and only end up with diatom’s. Don’t sweat it. Just bump the dose to where it needs to be and go from there.

What do you think of Hanna low range Silica checker? It seems like I always get similar readings of between .30-.50ppm. Gonna try dumping a lot more in and see if it increases.

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

Additional notes to help you. Keep it mind this was for Dino’s to induce a diatom bloom. So modify for your specific needs.

Below were notes I gathered from Jason Mack’s Dino group (I believe) to help create my dosage:

We recommend dosing waterglass to initiate a diatom bloom for certain types of dinos. Other silicate options can be very expensive in the long run, such as dosing Brightwell’s SpongExcel (it generally takes a large volume to hit the 2-3ppm sweet spot).

Recommended 36-41% liquid sodium silicate (Waterglass)

For the above concentration, we recommend dosing 0.1mL per 15 gallons (56 liters) of tank volume for 1ppm of silicate.

Aim for 2-3ppm.

For example, on a tank that’s 60 gallons:

60gallons/15gallons=4

4x0.1mL=0.4mL- This gives you the dosage to get to 1ppm silicate.

0.4mLx2=0.8mL–This amount should give you 2ppm silicate.

These doses, are they just to start? The tank diatoms, sponges, mollusks like limpets etc will use it up, are you saying this much per day or?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What do you think of Hanna low range Silica checker? It seems like I always get similar readings of between .30-.50ppm. Gonna try dumping a lot more in and see if it increases.

I don’t know how accurate it is.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Yup. Once again I should have searched this thread before I winged a dosing amount. Fortunately my goal is the potential result. But for the most part my LCA looks to be in remission. I M just not letting up yet.

 

[EricR]

I'm on reading overload and just found this so wondering if I've misinterpreted anything...

Loudwolf 41% waterglass (Na2 + SiO2 + H2O) with goal to promote diatoms.
30 gallon water volume (rough estimate for simplicity).

From above I'd conclude:
- 0.4 mL (of 41% waterglass) into 30 gallons should cause roughly 2 ppm silicate increase
- mix that into RO/DI for diluted dosing solution

Questions:
Can that amount be dosed all at once? (Any need to stretch that out over multiple days?)
Does dosing that amount weekly seem safe? (Wasn't really planning to test here,,, maybe ICP in a couple/few months)
Any problem with storing mixed solution for a few weeks? (Maybe mix 1.6 mL waterglass into 280 mL RO/DI and just use 1/4 of that solution over the course of 4 weeks)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Silica In Reef Aquariums

Why would I recommend dosing silica? Largely because creatures in our tanks use it, the concentrations in our tanks (at least in mine) are below natural levels, and the sponges, mollusks, and diatoms may not be getting enough to thrive.

reefs.com

How much and what to dose?​

I’d suggest dosing sodium silicate solution, as it is a readily soluble form of silica. It is very inexpensive. I initially used a high quality laboratory grade, but I’d expect the bulk grades sold to the world at large to be good enough (and I use it now). Remember, you aren’t dosing much, and the solutions available are very concentrated. You may find “water glass’ in certain stores because it is used by consumers for things like preserving eggs. Buying chemicals can be problematic for many people, however, and this hobby chemistry store 43 sells to individuals. Ten dollars (+ shipping) gets you enough to last 150 years of dosing with a 100-gallon tank, so cost is not an issue. I just ordered some from them myself and it came broken open, unfortunately. Some of you may have gotten Christmas presents that had ¾ of a gallon of sodium silicate solution coating them as they passed my package in the mail. Nevertheless, I
still have enough for several years!).

Many “water glass” or sodium silicate solutions are sold with the concentration indicated by “° Baume”. Degrees Baume is a measure of the specific gravity, and values in the 40’s are typical of these concentrated solutions.44 A concentration of 41° Baume equates to 29% SiO2 by weight. Note that the density is high (1.38 g/mL for 41° Baume), so volume measurements should take this into account. Maybe eventually, some of the hobby supplement manufacturers will provide a supplement.

Safety note: Sodium Silicate solution is very basic (high pH). In fact, the pH can be substantially higher than limewater, so it is very corrosive to tissue and to metal devices. Be careful to not spill it on yourself, wear some eye protection, and if you spill it on something metal, wash it. In all cases, extensive washing with water is recommended in case of spills or exposure.

Based on my dosing experience, aquarists are probably safe dosing the equivalent of 17 uM (1 ppm SiO2) once every 1-2 weeks. That is based on the fact that my tank used that much in less than 4 days without having any sort of “bad” reaction. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with starting at a tenth of that and ramping up. And, of course, if you do get too much in the way of diatoms, just back off on the dosing. I presume that all that I added to my tank went into various organisms that us it (sponges, diatoms, etc), but perhaps I have more sponges than other aquarists, and diatoms consequently may be more of a concern in some tanks than in mine.

I’d also advise occasionally checking the soluble silica concentration in the water, in case the demand in your tank is substantially less than mine. If the concentration started to rise above 50 uM (3 ppm SiO2), even in the absence of diatoms, I’d probably reduce the dose rate because that is close to the maximum concentration that surface seawater ever attains.

Here’s how to determine dosing amounts. I’ll assume that you want 17 uM (1 ppm SiO2) dosing, and you can scale from there. If the concentration of the supplement is 29% silica by weight (41° Baume), then it is 290,000 ppm silica. To get to 1 ppm silica, you then need to dilute by 290,000 fold. If you add 1.3 grams of this supplement (0.96 mL) to a tank with 100 gallons (378,500 mL), then the final concentration will be about 17 uM (1 ppm SiO2). I’d disperse the concentrated silicate solution into some fresh water before adding it to the tank, and then add it to a high flow area. Because the pH is high, you likely will see some cloudiness that is mostly magnesium hydroxide. The magnesium hydroxide will dissolve without a problem, but to be safe, add the supplement in a high flow area.

 

[EricR]

Thanks, Randy. I read through your article as well as many others.
Loudwolf waterglass (sodium silicate solution) says "41%" with no degrees of Baume that I can see so will assume that means it's 1.4x potency of the 41° Baume (29%) solution you used in your example and go from there.

I was thinking of going for 2 ppm silicate based on reading others' experiences so might start with that and scale down to 1 ppm weekly after that,,, not sure yet. (Wish me luck)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks, Randy. I read through your article as well as many others.
Loudwolf waterglass (sodium silicate solution) says "41%" with no degrees of Baume that I can see so will assume that means it's 1.4x potency of the 41° Baume (29%) solution you used in your example and go from there.

I was thinking of going for 2 ppm silicate based on reading others' experiences so might start with that and scale down to 1 ppm weekly after that,,, not sure yet. (Wish me luck)

Sounds like a fine plan. :)

 

[BasementBox]

I have advised folks to dose silicate for 20 years, and think it is useful for organisms such as sponges. It can also help diatoms to outcompete other organisms such as green algae ( I demonstrate that in the article below) and it may work similarly for dinos (but I do not make that claim myself since I've never had dinos).

I give DIY dosing recommendations here:

Silica In Reef Aquariums

Why would I recommend dosing silica? Largely because creatures in our tanks use it, the concentrations in our tanks (at least in mine) are below natural levels, and the sponges, mollusks, and diatoms may not be getting enough to thrive.

reefs.com

I know that this was posted a while ago, but thank you for taking the time and effort to research this. I'm in the midst of a really bad dino bloom and started last week dosing Silicate (waterglass). In you're experience, how long does it take for Diatoms to typically appear at a concentration one would notice by the naked eye? Its been a week since I did the initial dose and today I THINK (nothing scientific here) that the dino population seems to be losing some grip on the sand bed.

Further, do you continue to dose silicates to this day, and have in the two years since this post, have you gained further insight? The article alone is appreciated, but thanks if you take the time to respond!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My tank is not currently up.

Diatoms often show up as brown on the glass instead of the usual green. Thst happens in a few days.

Did that happen?

 

[BasementBox]

My tank is not currently up.

Diatoms often show up as brown on the glass instead of the usual green. Thst happens in a few days.

Did that happen?

Not yet, I have dino's that are on the rocks, sand, and began to start growing on the glass a while ago. I dosed 1ML of loudwolf last week, however following the mack's dino facebook page, it recommended 2ml daily dosing, which, im not sure is correct - but it may be due to fighting dinos. (160 gal total)