New DIY Two Part Recipes with Higher pH Boost

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why would you use just one part?

 

[Ilya_Tihomirov]

Why would you use just one part?

The idea is this: I dose AFR but KH constantly falls despite the constant level of Ca and Ma, when increasing the dose to stabilize KH, Ca and Ma go out of balance Ca - 490, Ma - 1500, although this is not particularly bad, but I want more correct parameters

 

[Miami Reef]

The idea is this: I dose AFR but KH constantly falls despite the constant level of Ca and Ma, when increasing the dose to stabilize KH, Ca and Ma go out of balance Ca - 490, Ma - 1500, although this is not particularly bad, but I want more correct parameters

This is how I would do it: use AFR to maintain alkalinity. If/when calcium gets too high, switch to sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide, and only use it until calcium decreases through consumption.

Your way is too much work because you’ll be juggling calcium and alkalinity tests and different dosing solutions to maintain each one. My way focuses on maintaining the actual important parameter: alkalinity, and only uses one dosing solution at a time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The idea is this: I dose AFR but KH constantly falls despite the constant level of Ca and Ma, when increasing the dose to stabilize KH, Ca and Ma go out of balance Ca - 490, Ma - 1500, although this is not particularly bad, but I want more correct parameters

I recommend upping the AFR. But if you want to, you can use just this or any alk supplement.

 

[Torontotraders]

I recommend upping the AFR. But if you want to, you can use just this or any alk supplement.

Hey Randy, hoping I’m not hijacking the thread. Wondering if you can take a look at this for me. I found a source for mag flake here in Canada. They sent the certificate of analysis to me, so I’m wondering what your thoughts are on whether its pure enough for our tanks. I have to buy a whole pallet to get this source from them but figured it might be worth it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey Randy, hoping I’m not hijacking the thread. Wondering if you can take a look at this for me. I found a source for mag flake here in Canada. They sent the certificate of analysis to me, so I’m wondering what your thoughts are on whether its pure enough for our tanks. I have to buy a whole pallet to get this source from them but figured it might be worth it.

It may be ok, but it does not say anything about the two primary concerns, ammonia and heavy metals.

 

[Ilya_Tihomirov]

I recommend upping the AFR. But if you want to, you can use just this or any alk supplement.

what if Ca and Mg fly away into the sky?

 

[Ilya_Tihomirov]

This is how I would do it: use AFR to maintain alkalinity. If/when calcium gets too high, switch to sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide, and only use it until calcium decreases through consumption.

Your way is too much work because you’ll be juggling calcium and alkalinity tests and different dosing solutions to maintain each one. My way focuses on maintaining the actual important parameter: alkalinity, and only uses one dosing solution at a time.

Why?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

what if Ca and Mg fly away into the sky?

lol

And what if they drop through the floor?

Boosting alk by 1 dKH only boosts calcium by 7 ppm and magnesium by less than one ppm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why?

Why what? Dosing AFR by alk need makes far more sense than using calcium which is just too noisy and slow to respond.

 

[GSnake]

Anyone having trouble dosing the NaOH solution? Mine intermittently drops fluid back to container... so I think ph is too high for the tubes I use.. red sea dosing tube (silicone) and generic perstalic tubing (I think it's silicone as well) I've used both separate and together and still have issues.

What tubing can I buy ? Amazon preferred. Ive looked for fluoroelastomer, but can't find in smaller lengths rolls.

 

[Miami Reef]

Anyone having trouble dosing the NaOH solution? Mine intermittently drops fluid back to container... so I think ph is too high for the tubes I use.. red sea dosing tube (silicone) and generic perstalic tubing (I think it's silicone as well) I've used both separate and together and still have issues.

What tubing can I buy ? Amazon preferred. Ive looked for fluoroelastomer, but can't find in smaller lengths rolls.

Polyethylene tubing is best.

 

[KTTX]

Here's a first crack at what may end up being multiple possible recipes for a DIY two part that either has a higher pH or can be made more concentrated than traditional two part recipes. This one has about twice the pH raising effect compared to a carbonate based two part, per unit of alkalinity or calcium added. Note that I have neither made nor used this recipe. I fully expect it to work, but first adopters will be guinea pigs. :D

Note that the formation of some cloudiness of magnesium hydroxide is expected when the alk part hits the water (as carbonate versions also do). That is OK since it redissolves on mixing in more. But since the local pH is higher, there may be more chance for local precipitation of calcium carbonate, which is not optimal since it may waste additive (but otherwise is not a huge problem, IMO). To reduce this chance, add slowly to a very high flow area.

This first one is based on Jim Welsh's version of a DIY two part:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/s...hould-i-expect-to-change.215171/#post-2466696

Jim's recipe (with some text added by me):

Part 1 - The Calcium and Magnesium Part​

Dissolve 500 g of calcium chloride dihydrate plus 261.2 g of magnesium chloride hexahydrate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon.​

​

Part 2 - The Alkalinity and Sulfate Part​

Dissolve 374.7 g of sodium carbonate (594 g of baking soda that has been baked; = 3.535 moles of sodium carbonate) plus 68.7 g of sodium sulfate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon.​

​

This recipe is the same strength as Randy's Recipe #1 (e.g., BRS). To make these two parts with the same strength as B-Ionic, then multiply the amounts of the salts by 1.5 (but note dissolving the carbonate can become challenging).​

The sodium hydroxide version:

Part 1 - The Calcium and Magnesium Part​

Dissolve 500 g of calcium chloride dihydrate plus 261.2 g of magnesium chloride hexahydrate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon.​

​

Part 2 - The Alkalinity and Sulfate Part​

Dissolve 282.8 g of sodium hydroxide (=7.07 moles of sodium hydroxide to match the 3.535 moles of sodium carbonate in alkalinity) plus 68.7 g of sodium sulfate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon. BE CAREFUL WITH THIS SOLUTION: IT HAS A pH ABOVE 14. Do not get it in your eyes or on your skin.​

​

This recipe is the same strength as Randy's Recipe #1 (e.g., BRS). To make these two parts with the same strength as B-Ionic, then multiply the amounts of the salts by 1.5. This version can readily be made more concentrated, if that is a goal.​

@Randy Holmes-Farley on part 1 here, can I reduce the 262 Mag chloride if my magnesium is high already. Would lowering Mag chloride cause an issue? TIA

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley on part 1 here, can I reduce the 262 Mag chloride if my magnesium is high already. Would lowering Mag chloride cause an issue? TIA

How high is it? How was that measured? Many mag kits are not especially reliable.

 

[KTTX]

How high is it? How was that measured? Many mag kits are not especially reliable.

Using Hanna Mag tester its at 1420-1470

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Using Hanna Mag tester its at 1420-1470

Try that test on your new salt water before concluding mag is high. What mix are you using?

 

[KTTX]

Try that test on your new salt water before concluding mag is high. What mix are you NYOS Pure

Try that test on your new salt water before concluding mag is high. What mix are you using?

NYOS Pure

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s ok to use no or less of the magnesium parts, but I’d check the new salt water before concluding that.

 

[Felipe BDG]

@Randy Holmes-Farley on the high pH hydroxide recipe, will BPT tubes survive longer? ive tried different tubes but they all have been geting holes really fast, what is the ideal material (is it PE?) and what could be some safe/good alternatives? all i could find over here in brazil is silicone and ive been changing it frequently, but i want to import some better tubing and just wanna be sure about it

 

[Felipe BDG]

@Randy Holmes-Farley on the high pH hydroxide recipe, will BPT tubes survive longer? ive tried different tubes but they all have been geting holes really fast, what is the ideal material (is it PE?) and what could be some safe/good alternatives? all i could find over here in brazil is silicone and ive been changing it frequently, but i want to import some better tubing and just wanna be sure about it

sorry, i am talking about the internal tube of the peristaltic pump, the external hoses are pretty easy to find on different materials here