Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

[Tft12]

Hi @Randy Holmes-Farley. I'm using this recipe with significantly more concentrated NaOH solution. I have the NaOH solution stored in a Brute trash can which is then placed in a larger trash can that's used as a secondary container. I deliver the NaOH solution to my aquarium using a Neptune DOS pump via polyethylene RO tubing. I'm not sure what the tubing is within the DOS pump head (maybe neoprene?). Do you see any incompatibility concerns with what I'm doing? Specifically regarding these materials being able to hold up against a concentrated strong base solution? Thank you very much for your help.

 

[Tft12]

As a follow up to my question, I know polyethylene and neoprene are generally resistant to NaOH, but I wanted to confirm that I’m not missing something with my particular products.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Brute cans will be resistant to any pH concerns.

Neoprene is less stable to high pH. Silicone and EPDM tubing are fine.

 

[drawman]

Hey @Randy Holmes-Farley not to derail this thread but a couple quick questions with NaOH. I want to make up a small batch of saturated solution for injecting aiptasia. I would assume I would only need 1-2mL (more likely under 1mL at a time).

1. If I make up say 10-30mLs of solution how much solid would you recommend adding (or should I just mix until no more dissolves visually, I will add powder to the liquid not the reverse)?
2. I'm assuming polypropylene and polyethylene will still be okay for a container for this?
3. If I use 1-2mLs at a time I'm assuming this would be okay and not overly spike pH in a 60 gallon aquarium correct?

 

[LuisPerez711]

I first want to say thank you for all the work you do for the hobby. It's really great that people dedicate their own time and effort to support and grow something they like.

I came across this thread at the right time because I was approaching my daily dosing capacity with my Kalk solution. I was planning to continue dosing kalk while supplementing for Alk but decided to just do the 2/3 part recipe instead.

Somewhere in this thread it's stated that the solution is 46 times more potent than the Kalk solution we all use, so I started my dosing there. I was dosing 120ml of Kalk an hour with a Ph range of 8.1 to 8.4. I started dosing the 2/3 part at 2.5ml an hour but I have since adjusted it to 1.5ml an hour due to my Alk rising above the levels I wanted. My Ph has stabilized at a low of 7.95 to 8.25.

Am I doing something wrong? Am I using the incorrect 2 part recipe? The 2/3 part should have a higher Ph affect but I am not seeing that. Any insight/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Robereef]

Hi @Randy Holmes-Farley . I have been using both parts with sodium hydroxide for a couple of months and I notice that if I want to keep the Ca stable, I have to add an amount to it that makes the Mg consumption rise. Is it possible to mix less Mg in the first part? If possible, in what quantity or manner? I already tried to make water changes and bring the values to where they correspond, but over time my Mg rises. My tank is loaded with acropores.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi @Randy Holmes-Farley . I have been using both parts with sodium hydroxide for a couple of months and I notice that if I want to keep the Ca stable, I have to add an amount to it that makes the Mg consumption rise. Is it possible to mix less Mg in the first part? If possible, in what quantity or manner? I already tried to make water changes and bring the values to where they correspond, but over time my Mg rises. My tank is loaded with acropores.

I'm not sure I understand. What is the magnesium level and how much are you adding?

Remember it is not 1:1:1 dosing.

 

[Robereef]

I'm not sure I understand. What is the magnesium level and how much are you adding?

Remember it is not 1:1:1 dosing.

My current Mg level is 1500. With water changes I manage to lower it to 1380, but after a while the Mg rises again. I am adding to my system almost 100ml daily of solution 1 (part of calcium, mg in the proportion indicated in the mixture).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My current Mg level is 1500. With water changes I manage to lower it to 1380, but after a while the Mg rises again. I am adding to my system almost 100ml daily of solution 1 (part of calcium, mg in the proportion indicated in the mixture).

You are using the recipe is post 1 of this thread (shown below)? If so, and if you believe your magnesium measurement, I'd stop dosing the magnesium part.



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.

 

[Robereef]

Sorry Randy, I use this:

The sodium hydroxide version:

Part 1 - The Calcium and Magnesium Part
Dissolve 500 g of calcium chloride dihydrate plus 261.2 g of magnesium chloride hexahydrate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon.

Part 2 - The Alkalinity and Sulfate Part
Dissolve 282.8 g of sodium hydroxide (=7.07 moles of sodium hydroxide to match the 3.535 moles of sodium carbonate in alkalinity) plus 68.7 g of sodium sulfate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry Randy, I use this:

The sodium hydroxide version:

Part 1 - The Calcium and Magnesium Part
Dissolve 500 g of calcium chloride dihydrate plus 261.2 g of magnesium chloride hexahydrate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon.

Part 2 - The Alkalinity and Sulfate Part
Dissolve 282.8 g of sodium hydroxide (=7.07 moles of sodium hydroxide to match the 3.535 moles of sodium carbonate in alkalinity) plus 68.7 g of sodium sulfate in enough water to make a total volume of one gallon

OK, I'd maybe make a batch without the magnesium and use that until magnesium drops to where you want it.

 

[Robereef]

De acuerdo, tal vez haría un lote sin el magnesio y lo usaría hasta que el magnesio caiga donde lo desea.

OK. Muchas gracias Randy

 

[Shawzy10]

Hi Randy. I currently do a 3 part dosing. I use Red Sea Calcium and magnesium powders seperately and currently use sodium bicarbonate for Alkalinity control. My tank is now up taking alk at an increased rate and was wondering if I could change the sodium bicarbonate out and use sodium hydroxide as a direct replacement but less dosing requirement?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi Randy. I currently do a 3 part dosing. I use Red Sea Calcium and magnesium powders seperately and currently use sodium bicarbonate for Alkalinity control. My tank is now up taking alk at an increased rate and was wondering if I could change the sodium bicarbonate out and use sodium hydroxide as a direct replacement but less dosing requirement?

You can substitute sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide for sodium bicarbonate in nearly any recipe where they are dosed alone. Both allow use of a lower water volume if that is important, but unless it is important, it can be better to use a larger volume to help spread out the dosing in time and help disperse it more rapidly when added.

 

[Shawzy10]

You can substitute sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide for sodium bicarbonate in nearly any recipe where they are dosed alone. Both allow use of a lower water volume if that is important, but unless it is important, it can be better to use a larger volume to help spread out the dosing in time and help disperse it more rapidly when added.

I normally add trace elements to the alk solution such as iodine and potassium. Will this have an adverse effect on the overall bulk liquid by precipitation. It is normally only 5ml in 1000ml so not much at all

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I normally add trace elements to the alk solution such as iodine and potassium. Will this have an adverse effect on the overall bulk liquid by precipitation. It is normally only 5ml in 1000ml so not much at all

Depends on the exact formulation, but potassium is fine (you could even use some potassium hydroxide if you want). Iodine is always a potential concern when diluted into a larger volume exposed to air due to the potential for oxidation of, say, iodide in the dosing solution to less bioavailable iodate.

 

[Shawzy10]

Depends on the exact formulation, but potassium is fine (you could even use some potassium hydroxide if you want). Iodine is always a potential concern when diluted into a larger volume exposed to air due to the potential for oxidation of, say, iodide in the dosing solution to less bioavailable iodate.

It’s aqua forest strong c component that’s being added to the solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s aqua forest strong c component that’s being added to the solution.

Sorry, but I do not know what exactly is in that.

 

[Shawzy10]

Sorry, but I do not know what exactly is in that.

Ok thanks

 

[Shawzy10]

One last query if you could answer please, I am only looking to make 1 ltr of solution (1000ml) so by weight I would need to reduce to approx 75g to get 5300 dKh. This solution would equate to 1ml of solution containing 5.3 dKh which would be over the current uptake level and maintenance level. Would I be able to reduce weight of sodium hydroxide to then reduce dKh concentration within the solution while still maintaining a higher pH (obviously not as high as 14)? What would be the calculation to work this out? Current tank uptake is 1.6-1.8 dKh daily