Is hydrous sodium silicate fine to use for silicate dosing?

BloopFish · Jan 5, 2020

I've been wanting to dose silicates in my reef tank and read Randy Holme-Farley's article about silicate dosing. I know that it mentions you can buy water glass solution to dose silicates, but I was wondering if I could purchase this hydrous sodium silicate powder I found online to dissolve in water and dose diluted "water glass" in my reef tank. I ask this because it seems a lot cheaper to buy it in powdered form.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

It should be ok. Do you have a link to it?

Gareth elliott · Jan 5, 2020

I have a dry form i use. Its very difficult to keep from caking. Even in a sealed container a few times it been opened has gotten enough atmospheric humidity to just form a solid block. Never found a recipe to use dry so tend to just make a saturated solution, and dose small amounts every other day. My gorgs use before i can get a positive on my test kit. Use my ph probe to make sure i didnt overdose. Also wear gloves.

BloopFish · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It should be ok. Do you have a link to it?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/202699649300

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

It’s probably fine, but it would seem easier to buy a solution:

https://www.sciencecompany.com/Sodium-Silicate-Solution-16oz-P6375.aspx

BloopFish · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It’s probably fine, but it would seem easier to buy a solution:

https://www.sciencecompany.com/Sodium-Silicate-Solution-16oz-P6375.aspx

The shipping seems like quite a lot though - almost the same as the price of the product.