Premade vs concentrate alkalinity reagent...

[afboundguy]

I am looking into purchasing the concentrate alkalinity testing instead of the premixed solutions to save some money and curious if would need to stir it for a few days/weeks like I often have to do when I make fresh 3-part?

 

[dwest]

I am looking into purchasing the concentrate alkalinity testing instead of the premixed solutions to save some money and curious if would need to stir it for a few days/weeks like I often have to do when I make fresh 3-part?

I don’t. I make 5 liters at a time from concentrated HCl and never mix it again. I’m guessing I’ll use it up in a year or 2.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You are talking about a concentrated acid that is diluted for alk testing? I do that using 2.0 N sulfuric diluted down to 0.1 N for my diy alk tests.

The simple act of adding 19 parts water to 1 part acid is plenty of mixing. Its like adding water to kool aid: it almost instantly
comes to the new color/concentration.

 

[afboundguy]

I don’t. I make 5 liters at a time from concentrated HCl and never mix it again. I’m guessing I’ll use it up in a year or 2.

Do you have a link to the HCI and what ratio? I would love to be able to make it even cheaper than the concentrate I ordered!

 

[afboundguy]

You are talking about a concentrated acid that is diluted for alk testing? I do that using 2.0 N sulfuric diluted down to 0.1 N for my diy alk tests.

The simple act of adding 19 parts water to 1 part acid is plenty of mixing. Its like adding water to kool aid: it almost instantly
comes to the new color/concentration.

I believe so. I was using the premixed 0.02N from CoralVue. Do you use HCI as well?

 

[dwest]

Do you have a link to the HCI and what ratio? I would love to be able to make it even cheaper than the concentrate I ordered!

I just get 1M HCl from Amazon. Then I use this recipe

To make 5L of alkatronic reagent

100 ml 1M HCl plus 4900 ml water

Instructions:

1. Fill a 100 ml volumetric flask with 1M acid
2. Put the acid in a 1L volumetric flask and fill to 1L with ro water
3. Add the solution to the alkatronic feed container.
4. Add 4 more L RO water to container.

 

[afboundguy]

I just get 1M HCl from Amazon. Then I use this recipe

To make 5L of alkatronic reagent

100 ml 1M HCl plus 4900 ml water

Instructions:

1. Fill a 100 ml volumetric flask with 1M acid
2. Put the acid in a 1L volumetric flask and fill to 1L with ro water
3. Add the solution to the alkatronic feed container.
4. Add 4 more L RO water to container.

So this would work? https://a.co/d/07KpDXIv

 

[dwest]

So this would work? https://a.co/d/07KpDXIv

Yes

 

[alabella1]

I don’t. I make 5 liters at a time from concentrated HCl and never mix it again. I’m guessing I’ll use it up in a year or 2.

What are you keeping it in? I've been trying to mix mine and keep it in one of my old 4L coralvue containers but I wouldn't mind jumping to a 5L esp. if it makes the mix easier to calculate/measure out.

 

[alabella1]

This is the stuff I bought most recently at the recommendation of the Hydros Facebook Group guys

Amazon product ASIN B078C9M89J

 

[dwest]

What are you keeping it in? I've been trying to mix mine and keep it in one of my old 4L coralvue containers but I wouldn't mind jumping to a 5L esp. if it makes the mix easier to calculate/measure out.

CSBD F-Style Clear Plastic Jug... Amazon product ASIN B08617J9TC

The container is 10L but I mix 5L at a time

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I believe so. I was using the premixed 0.02N from CoralVue. Do you use HCI as well?

I use sulfuric acid for my DIY alk titrations. There should be no difference between using 0.1 N HCl or sulfuric acid.