New DIY Two Part Recipes with Higher pH Boost

[Fábio Cruz]

It is OK, but not better than bicarbonate (unbaked). The carbonate will instantly raise pH by about 0.6 pH units or more if added all at once. So go slow. :)

I will dosing manually during one week... Thanks for help Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I will dosing manually during one week... Thanks for help Randy!

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing. :)

 

[LittleMaui]

I'm a chemistry Dummy, so I apologize. In the opening post, Randy says, "This recipe is the same strength as Randy's Recipe #1 (e.g., BRS)." Does this mean dosing will have the same affect on ALK, with the added benefit of even higher PH? I'm always battling to raise the ph, even using a CO2 scrubber.

 

[WWIII]

I'm a chemistry Dummy, so I apologize. In the opening post, Randy says, "This recipe is the same strength as Randy's Recipe #1 (e.g., BRS)." Does this mean dosing will have the same affect on ALK, with the added benefit of even higher PH? I'm always battling to raise the ph, even using a CO2 scrubber.

That's the idea. I was using the "old recipe" and switched to this one and didn't have to adjust my dosing amounts. The alk and calcium remained stable as before, but with higher ph.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm a chemistry Dummy, so I apologize. In the opening post, Randy says, "This recipe is the same strength as Randy's Recipe #1 (e.g., BRS)." Does this mean dosing will have the same affect on ALK, with the added benefit of even higher PH? I'm always battling to raise the ph, even using a CO2 scrubber.

That is correct, [emoji3]

 

[Chris_ATX]

What’s the best calculator to use in order to dose the proper amounts of each. This will be my first attempt at using 2-part.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What’s the best calculator to use in order to dose the proper amounts of each. This will be my first attempt at using 2-part.

Use the entry for Randy's Recipe 1 when looking for alk or calcium:

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

 

[AnakinReefWalker]

Hey Randy, so if I were to multiply all ingredients by 1.5 to get ESV level strength, which product would I select for the Calculator?
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey Randy, so if I were to multiply all ingredients by 1.5 to get ESV level strength, which product would I select for the Calculator?
Thanks

ESV B-ionic Original Buffer

 

[Tmmste]

The sodiumhydroxide is also great for aiptasia killing; 10ml rodi + 2 teaspoons, swirl and wait until cold and dissolved. Burns everything it touches.. it forms a gell like substance which turns white once it hits the water. Unfortunately I did spill some on corals, but it works incredibly well.. it really burns instantly.. so the aiptasia does not stand a chance.. I prefer this stuff over calciumhydroxide for killing aiptasia.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, the white powder that forms is likely magnesium hydroxide. :)

 

[Tmmste]

FWIW, the white powder that forms is likely magnesium hydroxide. :)

Yes I read that in one of your other posts, it redissolves eventually. I will start with the hydroxide 2-part soon, I am really exited. I will also share my findings here and use the same potency and ratio kH:Ca (I believe 2,8 kH per 19 Ca, I have to check). I noticed I am just not meticulous enough to find out the actual kH:Ca ratio of my tank even after dosing 20 liter of stock solution I find it easier to just add some elements to the topoff reservoir if something is a bit skewed. Hopefully we can make your recipe the absolute best in the industrie.. and I would like to contribute to this as much as I can. Hopefully we can come to some consensus regaring the amount of elements added additionally to the recipe in order to e.g. maintain stable K/B/I/Sr/Mo and other trace elements. What do you think about that Randy?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hopefully we can come to some consensus regaring the amount of elements added additionally to the recipe in order to e.g. maintain stable K/B/I/Sr/Mo and other trace elements. What do you think about that Randy?

I think the problem is that, aside from strontium which we should be able to predict almost exactly, the demand for Potassium and many trace elements does not correlate with calcification since they are used by organisms that do not calcify at all (e.g., macroalgae) and so a perfect mix for all tanks will be impossible.

 

[Tmmste]

I think the problem is that, aside from strontium which we should be able to predict almost exactly, the demand for Potassium and many trace elements does not correlate with calcification since they are used by organisms that do not calcify at all (e.g., macroalgae) and so a perfect mix for all tanks will be impossible.

I understand, however, I think at least the elements lost via total water removal (skimmer / manual ) can be compensated?

For example, there is quite a lot of potassium in a gallon of saltwater despite the fact hardly any is consumed. And we can predict how much water should be removed to maintain a stable salinity level.
Or at least there is some room to add some without creating any excess. Regarding strontrium for example.. I had to add 2x 9ppb for my entire tank before I measured anything it was absolutely 0. potassium was 370 and boron 3.0, probably most disappeared via the skimmer and kalkwasser contained only kH and Ca. I guess everyone can benefit from a little bit of trace elements and correct levels before starting this 2-part and see if there are certain patterns.. who knows what new insights this may unveal...

 

[Tmmste]

In case you may want to consider the above.. I first dissolved some potassiumiodide, sodiummolybdate and disodiumtetraborate in 5 liter of RODI water... after this I added around 100gr of sodiumsulfate and noticed some hard pieces formed... after this I topped up the water to 9 liters and added around 400gr of sodiumhydroxide.. now a crust is formed on the bottom of the container.. do you perhaps know if something reacted?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t know of anything that I’d expect to precipitate from that mix.

 

[Tmmste]

I don’t know of anything that I’d expect to precipitate from that mix.

Fortunately it redissolved after 15 minutes or so Randy. Thank you. As I use a diluted version, 40gr hydroxide per liter made it slightly warm.

 

[Velcro]

Randy, how close to the pH affect of kalk are your new recipes?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, how close to the pH affect of kalk are your new recipes?

Exactly the same per unit of alkalinity added. Nothing can be higher that is an additive.

 

[Tmmste]

I wondered, can I mix potassium hydroxide and/or strontium hydroxide to a sodium hydroxide mix (as you confirmed sodium tetraborate decahydrate, potassium iodide, sodium molybdate dihydrate are all compatible)? I would like to add this to the kH mix instead of the Calcium mix.

Thank you in advance randy!