Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When dosing Magnesium part is there guidelines on how much to start with or how many mL raises magnesium?

Is it best to dose all at once or throughout the day?

Just trying to find a starting point and tweak as needed. I don't want to over dose but trying to find out the lower limit dose.

Yes, there are exact recipes of several varieties, and calculators as well.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-chemistry-archive.987116/

 

[geko522]

Would you know if the calculator on brs website good to use for dosing Magnesium? There is a option for liquid Magnesium mix.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would you know if the calculator on brs website good to use for dosing Magnesium? There is a option for liquid Magnesium mix.

I'd use this one if you are using my recipes or the BRS recipes (which they use mine).

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

 

[geko522]

My Magnesium is currently 1125ppm and I would like to go up to 1300ppm. The calculator says to dose roughly 66oz. Can I dose this over a 24hr period or should I just add the 66oz all at once? Say dose 40mL ever half hour.

 

[Miami Reef]

How do you know magnesium is 1125ppm? It’s VERY VERY difficult to get it that low. Most salt mixes have elevated Mg, and natural consumption is almost insignificant.

If you salinity is within 35ppt and you used a reef salt, I would assume the test is inaccurate.

Most, if not all, magnesium kits are inaccurate. We don’t condone using them these days.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree. if you want to see if it is actually low, try using that same kit on some of your new salt water.

 

[geko522]

I agree. if you want to see if it is actually low, try using that same kit on some of your new salt water.

Thank you, I will try that.

 

[KClark]

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. Keep all reef chemicals, especially this alk part, in a way that children cannot access them.

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.

Hey Randy I am going to start dosing tank with sodium hydroxide and will follow your directions i just can't figure out how many ml of the solution i should add per day to increase parameters. Thanks so much Kevin

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey Randy I am going to start dosing tank with sodium hydroxide and will follow your directions i just can't figure out how many ml of the solution i should add per day to increase parameters. Thanks so much Kevin

For alk and calcium, you can use this calculator and the entry for Randy's Recipe #1.jpg

You cannot readily calculate a pH increase for any given tank since aeration changes the values.

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

 

[charliethetuna]

Whats best to use with a calcium reactor ? Baked baking soda,baking soda or kalk? Also what the grams need of each to make a 1 gallon stock solution?

 

[Chrisanthellae]

Whats best to use with a calcium reactor ? Baked baking soda,baking soda or kalk? Also what the grams need of each to make a 1 gallon stock solution?

Calcium reactor adds both calcium and alkalinity in a balanced way so you don't need an additional alkalinity solution. However, kalk would be a good addition if the reactor alone does not meet your tank's needs, as it would counteract the decreased pH from the reactor. Sodium hydroxide would also help raise pH but then you also need to dose calcium chloride.

 

[Miami Reef]

Whats best to use with a calcium reactor ? Baked baking soda,baking soda or kalk? Also what the grams need of each to make a 1 gallon stock solution?

Shouldn’t a calcium reactor supply all of your tank’s demand?

 

[charliethetuna]

For the most part ,I run a sulfer de nitrator,the bacteria that grows on the sulfer also uses up some alk so I dose alk also to bring the alk back to where I want it .

 

[Miami Reef]

For the most part ,I run a sulfer de nitrator,the bacteria that grows on the sulfer also uses up some alk so I dose alk also to bring the alk back to where I want it .

Ah, I understand now.

You’d use sodium bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydroxide; that’s in order of lowest to greatest pH boost. Those will only raise alkalinity, which is what you’ll need in this specific case.

Do you need the recipes and calculator to dose it?

 

[charliethetuna]

Ah, I understand now.

You’d use sodium bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydroxide; that’s in order of lowest to greatest pH boost. Those will only raise alkalinity, which is what you’ll need in this specific case.

Do you need the recipes and calculator to dose it?

Yes if u have them please ..sodium bicarbonate is regular baking soda or u have to bak it in the oven first

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes if u have them please ..sodium bicarbonate is regular baking soda or u have to bak it in the oven first

It’s regular baking soda.

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

 

[Miami Reef]

Yes if u have them please ..sodium bicarbonate is regular baking soda or u have to bak it in the oven first

Sodium bicarbonate is baking soda (like grocery store Arm and Hammer.)

If you bake it, it will become sodium carbonate.
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Here’s the recipe for sodium bicarbonate:

Dissolve 297 grams of baking soda (about 1 1/8 cups) in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 950 meq/L of alkalinity (2660 dKH). As mentioned earlier, Arm & Hammer is a fine brand of baking soda to use in these recipes. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#11
This is sodium carbonate:

Spread baking soda (594 grams or about 2 ¼ cups) on a baking tray and heat in an ordinary oven at 300°F for one hour to drive off water and carbon dioxide. Overheating is not a problem, either with higher temperatures or longer times. Dissolve the residual solid in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 1,900 meq/L of alkalinity (5,300 dKH). I prefer to use baked baking soda rather than washing soda in this recipe as baking soda from a grocery store is always food grade, while washing soda may not have the same purity requirements. Arm & Hammer brand is a fine choice. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#5

Once you make the recipe, you can use this calculator:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator/alkalinity-calculator-reef

If you used sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) select “BRS Liquid Sodium Bicarbonate”

If you used Sodium carbonate (Soda Ash) select BRS Soda Ash.

 

[charliethetuna]

Thank you guys

 

[djkms]

Hi Randy,

Apologies if this has been asked before. Can I dose magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride separate from each other without issue?

I run quarterly ICP tests and the previous salt I used was really low in sulfate. Now I use a different salt but at the time I used sodium sulfate to correct the issue. If my sulfate gets low I would much prefer to just dose magnesium sulfate to correct or if for some reason my chloride gets low I can just dose magnesium chloride.

Your expertise appreciated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi Randy,

Apologies if this has been asked before. Can I dose magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride separate from each other without issue?

I run quarterly ICP tests and the previous salt I used was really low in sulfate. Now I use a different salt but at the time I used sodium sulfate to correct the issue. If my sulfate gets low I would much prefer to just dose magnesium sulfate to correct or if for some reason my chloride gets low I can just dose magnesium chloride.

Your expertise appreciated.

Yes, there is no reason to combine them except convenience, and skewing the ratio for the purpose you want is fine.

FWIW, look to the chloride to sulfate ratio in the test, not absolute values which move around with salinity.