New DIY Two Part Recipes with Higher pH Boost

[homer1475]

Randys DIY 2 part is meant to be dosed in place of the alkalinity part in AFR.

If you want to dose this to raise PH, cut back on the AFR, test, and figure out how much hydroxide to add to replace the missing ALK.

 

[agorkov]

It is NEVER pH based dosing. It is ALWAYS alkalinity based dosing, and you typically hope for as much pH boost as you can get. Supplementing all alkalinity this way does not usually push pH too high if it starts low.

You will need to reduce the AFR and slowly replace some or all of it with the high pH product if you want to raise pH this way.

What is the pH range now?

Now I have pH level at 7.8-8.0. I think this is too little, so I am looking for a way to raise the pH.

 

[BoneDoc]

Thanks again for all you do in this hobby Randy

 

[kenchilada]

Now I have pH level at 7.8-8.0. I think this is too little, so I am looking for a way to raise the pH.

You don't dose this (or anything else) to raise pH. This is a supplement that provides alkalinity and calcium that happens to have a slight positive effect on pH versus alternative recipes.

If you do not understand 2-part solution you should read up on that and not even look at pH yet.

 

[Adam1985]

Trace elements are more complicated than strontium because some can change form and become insoluble on exposure to air, but there are threads around where folks make DIY trace element supplements, and putting some of them in the calcium part may be sensible. I've not tried it myself.

Thanks Randy, I really appreciate your message.

I have another question (if/when you have time)—do you think running a calcium reactor eliminates some or perhaps all the need for trace supplementation?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Now I have pH level at 7.8-8.0. I think this is too little, so I am looking for a way to raise the pH.

Those pH values are OK, but if you want to raise it, try swapping out 1/4 to 1/2 of the All For Reef for this additive and see what benefit you detect. Be sure to not just swap equal volumes, but equal alkalinity dosed. To do that, you need to know the alk per day you are dosing with the All For Reef, and use this calculator to know how much of this new additive to use (use the entry for Randy Recipe 1):

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

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Randy, I really appreciate your message.

I have another question (if/when you have time)—do you think running a calcium reactor eliminates some or perhaps all the need for trace supplementation?

It reduces the need, but does not eliminate it.

It supplies back trace elements that went into the skeletons used in the reactor, but does nothing for trace elements going into tissues of hard and soft corals, algae, macroalgae anemones, etc.

 

[Adam1985]

It reduces the need, but does not eliminate it.

It supplies back trace elements that went into the skeletons used in the reactor, but does nothing for trace elements going into tissues of hard and soft corals, algae, macroalgae anemones, etc.

Thanks Randy, I was thinking the same.

 

[wattson]

My tanks Ph never gets above 7.8, I use BRS 2 part with soda ash for Alk and run a Co2 scrubber too. strongly considering Sodium Hydroxide for the Alk dosing part to raise Ph, what is the mixing ratio and dosing of Sodium Hydroxide ?
Also, per dosing Sodium Hydroxide, what are the concerns and issues of secondary part of the sodium building up in tank from the Sodium part of the Sodium Hydroxide ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My tanks Ph never gets above 7.8, I use BRS 2 part with soda ash for Alk and run a Co2 scrubber too. strongly considering Sodium Hydroxide for the Alk dosing part to raise Ph, what is the mixing ratio and dosing of Sodium Hydroxide ?
Also, per dosing Sodium Hydroxide, what are the concerns and issues of secondary part of the sodium building up in tank from the Sodium part of the Sodium Hydroxide ?

The recipe is given in the first post of this thread, but here's a simpler one for the swap you are making:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/second-new-diy-two-part-recipe-with-higher-ph-boost.357080/
The sodium effect is identical to what you are using now. Sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide all have the same sodium to alkalinity ratio.

Accumulation of sodium and chloride are reasons to use my part 3, or better yet, Balling Part C along with it. BRS sells it. But if you are doing water changes, the concerns may not be enough to stress about.

 

[Betex]

My tanks Ph never gets above 7.8, I use BRS 2 part with soda ash for Alk and run a Co2 scrubber too. strongly considering Sodium Hydroxide for the Alk dosing part to raise Ph, what is the mixing ratio and dosing of Sodium Hydroxide ?
Also, per dosing Sodium Hydroxide, what are the concerns and issues of secondary part of the sodium building up in tank from the Sodium part of the Sodium Hydroxide ?

Its 283g Sodium Hydroxide per Gallon of RO. Also since you use BRS Soda Ash its an exact swap ppm per gallon so no adjustment needed for the dosing. When I go on vacation I simply swap out my containers since they are same potency

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

My tanks Ph never gets above 7.8, I use BRS 2 part with soda ash for Alk and run a Co2 scrubber too. strongly considering Sodium Hydroxide for the Alk dosing part to raise Ph, what is the mixing ratio and dosing of Sodium Hydroxide ?
Also, per dosing Sodium Hydroxide, what are the concerns and issues of secondary part of the sodium building up in tank from the Sodium part of the Sodium Hydroxide ?

If you care about dosing equal amounts of 2 part, then follow the recipe mentioned above. Sodium Hydroxide is much much more soluble to dissolve. For less frequent mixing/refills I personally dissolve a 2 pound bottle in 1 gallon of water, which is 3x stronger than Randy's recipe. Not sure if this may deteriorate dosing lines, which is why I use silicone tubes.

I use the hybrid balling method with Tropic Marin part C. Every week I take out about half gallon of tank water and let my ATO refill the tank. And just to be more preventative, I'll do a 20% water change roughly 3 months.

 

[wattson]

I have only softies ,mainly zoas and palys.
Am I able to only substitute the soda ash for this sodium hydroxide mix and keep the rest of Calcium/Mag the same BRS two part?
I do not dose Alk/Cal in equeal amounts since softies dont deplete Calcium as fast as Alk. I test and dose separately for these two accordingly.
Since Sodium Hydroxide is a little volatile to handle more than you have to, what would be the easiest way to measure 285g of Sodium Hydroxide to a gallon of RO/Di water ?

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

Buy a scale;).
How much are dosing now? If you only have softies you may be dosing such a small amount you may not get the pH boost you're looking for. Remember the boost is temporary, so unless you're dosing consistently and enough to maintain the boost not sure if the effort will be worth it?

Generally I don't sweat low pH for zoa's, they grow pretty fast regardless.

 

[Betex]

I have only softies ,mainly zoas and palys.
Am I able to only substitute the soda ash for this sodium hydroxide mix and keep the rest of Calcium/Mag the same BRS two part?
I do not dose Alk/Cal in equeal amounts since softies dont deplete Calcium as fast as Alk. I test and dose separately for these two accordingly.
Since Sodium Hydroxide is a little volatile to handle more than you have to, what would be the easiest way to measure 285g of Sodium Hydroxide to a gallon of RO/Di water ?

Yes it's what I currently do I use Sodium Hydroxide (283g per gallon) mix to the potency matching BRS Soda Ash, than I use BRS calc and mag.

Get yourself a 1g jug of HDPE to mix this as I tried others and they melt away :(. To measure get a kitchen scale.

 

[drawman]

@Randy Holmes-Farley I'm curious (and you may have answered this already) but is the pH impact per unit of alkalinity added equivocal to calcium hydroxide? I'm curious if the main benefit is that the solution is more concentrated so you don't have to worry about hitting a max evaporation rate.

 

[uninformed]

@Randy Holmes-Farley I'm curious (and you may have answered this already) but is the pH impact per unit of alkalinity added equivocal to calcium hydroxide? I'm curious if the main benefit is that the solution is more concentrated so you don't have to worry about hitting a max evaporation rate.

Yes. Under normal conditions in a reef tank, adding one alkalinity unit of NaOH, CaOH, or KOH will have the same impact on pH.

 

[trmiv]

Decided to give this a try again. I tried it before when my tank was never and the ph impact wasn’t much because I wasn’t dosing much. Now that I’m dosing significantly more I figured I’d give it a try and see if how the ph boost helps.

I was dosing B-Ionic which I’m perfectly happy with, but I’m anticipating summer here in Florida where I can’t leave a window open most of the day so I’ll need the extra boost.

One thing I’m concerned about missing from B-Ionic is the added trace elements. I know they don’t increase levels, but it really helped me maintain nice levels of trace elements on my icp tests. Tempted to start supplementing the Tropic Marin A- and K+ to make up for it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

One thing I’m concerned about missing from B-Ionic is the added trace elements. I know they don’t increase levels, but it really helped me maintain nice levels of trace elements on my icp tests. Tempted to start supplementing the Tropic Marin A- and K+ to make up for it.

The solution is to use sodium hydroxide for the alk part, calcium chloride for the calcium part, and Balling Part C for the third part. BRS sells it. It's more expensive, but its a better way to go.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley I'm curious (and you may have answered this already) but is the pH impact per unit of alkalinity added equivocal to calcium hydroxide? I'm curious if the main benefit is that the solution is more concentrated so you don't have to worry about hitting a max evaporation rate.

The pH effect is the same. The advantage is concentration, yes.