first time Alkatronic user

reefmaster70

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just picked up a Focustronic "Alcatronic" unit for my reef tank. I had to order a replacement 25ml graduated cylinder for getting pumps configured, and also a new magnetic stir bar, as the original was lost. Anyway, I understand you can make your own reagent, as opposed to buying the premade one. Can anyone give me info on that, and how to create it, as that'll be my next step.

Thanks
 

Gumbies R Us

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dwest

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I make 5L at a time. Here’s my recipe:

To make 5L of alkatronic reagent

100 ml 1M HCl plus 4900 ml water

Instructions:
  1. Fill a 100 ml volumetric flask with 1M acid
  2. Put the acid in a 1L volumetric flask and fill to 1L with ro water
  3. Add the solution to the alkatronic feed container.
  4. Add 4 more L RO water to container.
 

Rocks reef

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Is 1M a measurement or name brand? Trying to get a little clarification in hopes the OP can follow your recipe.
 

dwest

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Is 1M a measurement or name brand? Trying to get a little clarification in hopes the OP can follow your recipe.
1M is “one molar”. It’s the concentration of HCl in moles per liter. I buy it off amazon that way. Sometimes I buy 2M and cut in half with RODI first.

I also bought the flasks and storage container from Amazon a long time ago.
 

dwest

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You can use a calculator.
Your stock concentration is 0.1M
You decide your final volume (how much reagent you want to make)
The desired concentration is 0.02M
The output is the volume of 0.1M acid required.

For example, if you want to make 1L of reagent, the required volume of stock acid is 0.2L, using the calculator.

So you use 0.2L of the acid you bought plus 0.8 L of water to make the 1L of reagent.




 

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