Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Woohoo! I'll dose 75x /day, 2ml every 19 minutes. And offset the calcium by 5min or so. Thanks so much!

Sounds like a perfect way to use this method.

 

[Myka]

Thanks, I found this place but shipping is a bit. It'll still work out way cheaper than Amazon which I already found for that $$.
https://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/Lye_Sodium_Hydroxide_p/62190.htm

Even though it is greater than 99% purity it doesn't say "food grade". Randy mentioned looking for food grade, so that's what I did. I just ordered 1 lb to give it a go. If I like it, I will look into a cheaper long-term option. That said, at $29/lb, it's still one of the cheapest things going in my tank! [emoji38]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Even though it is greater than 99% purity it doesn't say "food grade". Randy mentioned looking for food grade, so that's what I did. I just ordered 1 lb to give it a go. If I like it, I will look into a cheaper long-term option. That said, at $29/lb, it's still one of the cheapest things going in my tank! [emoji38]

That material might be (probably is) perfectly fine, I just like the impurities limitations that come with food grading (limits on lead, mercury, etc.).

 

[Finhead]

Even though it is greater than 99% purity it doesn't say "food grade". Randy mentioned looking for food grade, so that's what I did. I just ordered 1 lb to give it a go. If I like it, I will look into a cheaper long-term option. That said, at $29/lb, it's still one of the cheapest things going in my tank! [emoji38]

Yeah I planed to call and see if they had any other info before ordering. Not in a huge hurry as I just made a batch of 2 part that will last another 3 months or so.

 

[Myka]

That material might be (probably is) perfectly fine, I just like the impurities limitations that come with food grading (limits on lead, mercury, etc.).

I didn't know that, thanks for the info.

 

[jnvd3b]

So what is the best way to test the mixed solution with a Hanna or RedSea kit? Or is it not necessary?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So what is the best way to test the mixed solution with a Hanna or RedSea kit? Or is it not necessary?

Why do you want to test it?

 

[jnvd3b]

Why do you want to test it?

Paranoia that I mixed it correctly. But I did 283 grams weighed with an oxo scale so I am probably OK. I saw the ‘use 20% less comment’ but I guess that doesnt pertain to food grade?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The 20% less comment relates to the measurement of the calcium. Regardless of the grade, calcium chloride dihydrate is about 20% less potent than anhydrous calcium chloride.

I wouldn't bother to try to measure alk or calcium from the DIY (you can, but it too is going have the potential for errors), but if you are worried, dose substantially less to the tank than "needed" to reach your goal, and then make sure it seems a reasonable boost once in the tank.

 

[jnvd3b]

The 20% less comment relates to the measurement of the calcium. Regardless of the grade, calcium chloride dihydrate is about 20% less potent than anhydrous calcium chloride.

I wouldn't bother to try to measure alk or calcium from the DIY (you can, but it too is going have the potential for errors), but if you are worried, dose substantially less to the tank than "needed" to reach your goal, and then make sure it seems a reasonable boost once in the tank.

Thanks! Looking forward to trying this out.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks! Looking forward to trying this out.

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[Mindi]

That must be an error of some sort.

This recipe is just a revision of my 3 part with sodium hydroxide. The other thread is a revision of Jim Welsh's true two part recipe.

I assume you mean this recipe:

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

The calcium part in that recipe contains about 8,300 mg/L of magnesium (when made correctly).

To boost a tank from 1150 ppm magnesium to 1500 ppm magnesium (350 ppm) would require the addition of 4.2% of the tank volume in additive, so you'd have to have added 4.2 gallons to a 100 gallon tank. I assume you did not do that? (if you did, salinity would rise a lot and magnesium would decline when you returned it to normal).

No...I didnt do that. I am dumping my Mg test and getting a new one. Of course recognise I can have made a recipe error even with good scales and considerable care. Will dump my current mixes and start afresh. First step would be a new test kit. Thanks.

 

[WWIII]

Here's the source of Sodium Hydroxide I purchased from for anyone looking. $4 per pound...

 

[Mindi]

In a previous thread, I posted a true two part DIY recipe:

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

But some folks may want to just swap the new ingredient into my 2/3 part recipe (as used by BRS, for example).

Here's the original recipe link (which has a lot more discussion on the details and rationale):

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

The new recipe is shown below. It has about twice the pH boost of the original recipe (#1) and should be added to a very high flow area. Initial cloudiness (magnesium hydroxide) is expected, but it should disperse and dissolve. If not, stop using it and figure out why.

Alk part

Add 283 grams of sodium hydroxide to 1 gallon of fresh water. It will get quite warm. Make sure it doesn't soften your container. This solution will contain about 1,900 meq/L of alkalinity (5,300 dKH). BE CAREFUL WITH THIS SOLUTION: IT HAS A pH ABOVE 14. Do not get it in your eyes or on your skin.

Calcium part

Dissolve 500 grams (about 2 ½ cups) of calcium chloride dihydrate (such as Dowflake 77-80% calcium chloride or ESV calcium chloride; see below for substitutes and sources) in enough water to make 1 gallon of total volume. You can dissolve it in about ½ gallon of water, and then pour that into the 1 gallon container and fill it to the top with more freshwater. This solution has about 37,000 ppm calcium.

Magnesium part

Dissolve Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (3 cups) and magnesium chloride hexahydrate (5 cups) in enough purified freshwater to make 1 gallon total volume. There will likely be a precipitate that forms even if you fully dissolve both ingredients separately. That precipitate is calcium sulfate (calcium as an impurity in the magnesium chloride and sulfate from the Epsom salts). It is fine and appropriate to dose the precipitate along with the remainder of the fluid by shaking it up before dosing.

This solution is added much less frequently or in lower volume than the other two parts. Add 16% as much as the other two parts. Over the time you add 1 gallon of the others, 1 add 610 mL (2 ½ cups) of this solution. You can add it all at once or, preferably, over time as you choose, depending on the aquarium's size and set up. Add it to a high flow area, preferably a sump. In a very small aquarium, or one without a sump, I suggest adding it slowly.

Might be worth another reminder ( because I know I forget) that if using anhydrous CaCl2 then reduce volume by 20%

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Since it came up in another thread today...

If you want to add strontium to a DIY two part, here's a rough recipe.
Corals have about 1000 calcium ions for each 9 strontium ions when grown in NSW. Too add about that much to a two part, put in about 1.3 % as much strontium chloride as calcium chloride.

No method can perfectly balance Sr since the demand is about linear with concentration. So your tank will use twice as much Sr (per unit of alk or calcium consumed) at 10 ppm Sr++ as at 5 ppm Sr++.

 

[gobble]

If I swapped out my current BRS Alk solution for this mixture, would I still shoot for the same 1:1 calcium to Alk dose by volume?

And does this recipe not require the sodium sulfate in the Alk solution like the first version of the high-PH recipe. I see that the Alk mixture in this thread is a little different than in the first PH increasing thread (I think that's the case because the BRS recipe has the sulfate in the magnesium solution).

 

[nanomania]

This is a 3part method again. Sobthe 2 part doesnt work?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This is a 3part method again. Sobthe 2 part doesnt work?

Both work. Take your pick. Some people may want to make a bigger change to a true two part, and some may be comfortable with the current 2/3 part and just want a higher pH. The two part version also requires additional chemicals (sodium sulfate) which you need to buy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If I swapped out my current BRS Alk solution for this mixture, would I still shoot for the same 1:1 calcium to Alk dose by volume?

And does this recipe not require the sodium sulfate in the Alk solution like the first version of the high-PH recipe. I see that the Alk mixture in this thread is a little different than in the first PH increasing thread (I think that's the case because the BRS recipe has the sulfate in the magnesium solution).

That is correct. Same potency and no sodium sulfate, but also still needing a separate magnesium mix (which is where the sulfate resides).

 

[miyags]

You can get bulk Sodium Hydroxide at Duda diesel.You can buy your micron filter socks there to.
https://www.dudadiesel.com/biodiesel_chemicals.php