Post your DIY additives here!

[csb123]

With the popularity of the Triton method and ICP testing gaining steam, a thread containing DIY elemental supplements would be very helpful. Commercial supplements are very expensive and many elements can be sourced cheaply via Amazon, eBay, etc. Examples include fergon pills, potassium chloride, borax etc.

I’m hoping that people, with knowledge in chemistry, can post examples of how to make stock solutions of a wide array of elements. And also how to dose them. I.e. add X mL to 100 gallon water volume to raise Y element by Z ppm.

I have a large reef and the cost of tweaking individual elements is really starting to add up.

Your input into this thread is greatly appreciated!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In this context, are you considering that pure chemicals like food grade potassium nitrate or chloride are DIY?

 

[csb123]

Yes please. Any safe ingredients, regardless of source, without the reefing “tax.”

 

[pedro]

for increase de Boron
0.88 grams of borax (sodium borate 10H2O ) increases the boron concentration in 100 liters of water by 1 ppm.
this recipe is not mine but the author is trustworthy
that recipe is the responsibility of those who use

 

[JimWelsh]

for increase de Boron
0.88 grams of borax (sodium borate 10H2O ) increases the boron concentration in 100 liters of water by 1 ppm.
this recipe is not mine but the author is trustworthy
that recipe is the responsibility of those who use

Confirmed that the math is correct on this one.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

For dosing nitrate, I'd use a food grade sodium or potassium nitrate. I won't link them since they change rapidly, but Amazon sells some and Loudwolf sells some that can be obtained on ETSY. Calcium nitrate is likely also OK and is often available.

For dosing phosphate I'd use food grade sodium or potassium phosphate, and here there is substantial variability since you can have 1, 2 or 3 sodium or potassium ions per phosphate. All are fine if food grade, but the potency changes a bit. Same link issues.

For dosing these materials, this calculator can often help:

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

 

[tgp4274]

following

 

[csb123]

Great additions. I’m also looking for molybdenum, vanadium, and manganese standards.
For these less common elements, let us know where you sourced the ingredients?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sodium hydroxide for new higher pH two part:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-diy-two-part-recipes-with-higher-ph-boost.344500

Good quality is all that matters. Flake, pellet, whatever. Food grade is good:

https://www.amazon.com/FDC-99-Pure-Sodium-Hydroxide/dp/B013KMNCJU

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sodium Sulfate for new DIY two part recipes:

High pH:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-diy-two-part-recipes-with-higher-ph-boost.344500

Regular with carbonate:

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


Food grade is a good choice:

https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sulfate-Granular-Anhydrous-Crystals/dp/B00L4L73CM

 

[csb123]

Thanks for the additions, Randy!

 

[Mono]

Randy,

I picked up:

Loudwolf, TriSodium Phosphate (TSP) Na3PO4 99.9+% Ultra-Pure food grade
Shor, Sodium Nitrate, Reagent Grade (chemically pure) – 1 lb. bag

I actually have access to a photospectrometer at work which I can borrow so I can test this out with a pretty low overhead.

Anyway, I guess this is really good practice for "testing" my test kits and methods.

And now that I am thinking along these lines..

I am not sure if it's even possible for all of the parameters, but it seems like it would be a great reef chemistry project to put together a spreadsheet with recipes for preparing reference solutions for all of the basic parameters.

Ca
Alk
Mg
Ph
Nitrate
Salinity (OK, I'll work on this one.)


It seems like these would be useful to a lot of reefers.

 

[Mono]

ooops posted on the wrong thread. no delete option. my apologies.

 

[Cory]

Diy alkalinity standard (to check your test kit is accurate)

1.135 grams of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in 1 gallon of distilled water or 0 tds ro/di = 10 dkh

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Diy alkalinity standard (to check your test kit is accurate)

1.135 grams of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in 1 gallon of distilled water or 0 tds ro/di = 10 dkh

FWIW, this might or might not work in a Hanna checker.

 

[csb123]

I got my Triton test back today and it looks like I’m low on Mn and Mo.

I just ordered on Amazon the following:

1. Sodium Molybdate: Na2MoO4*2H2O , >99% pure

2. Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate: MnSO4*H2O , >99% pure

Can any chemically oriented reefers give me directions on their use?
Ie. how many grams will increase 100L by X micrograms/ L or how many mL of a stock solution to do the same?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What sort of amounts can you measure with a scale with some reasonable accuracy?

 

[csb123]

What sort of amounts can you measure with a scale with some reasonable accuracy?

Thanks for looking into this, Randy. I can weigh down to 1/10th of a gram.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

#1 is 40% molybdenum by weight
#2 is 32.5% manganese by weight

#1 Dissolve 1 gram in 1000 mL RO/Di. Concentration is 400 mg/L or 0.4 mg/mL. Adding 1 mL per 100 gallons boosts molybdenum by 0.4 mg/378 L = 0.0011 mg/L (1.1 ug/L). Scale to what you want to dose (maybe 10 mL per 100 gallons)

#2 Dissolve 1 gram in 1000 mL RO/Di. Concentration is 325 mg/L or 0.325 mg/mL. Adding 1 mL per 100 gallons boosts molybdenum by 0.325 mg/378 L = 0.0009 mg/L (0.9 ug/L). Scale to what you want to dose (maybe 2 mL per 100 gallons)

 

[csb123]

That is fantastic, Randy!

This is why I want to compile a bunch of DIY supplements. The Mn and Mo I bought are around $16/ pound. Compared to the Triton supplements at $32 per 100mL or 1l bottle.