sodium silicate alternatives

[dinosaur_1552]

Anyone knows a less dangerous chemical than sodium silicate to keep levels up?

I would ideally looking for something which doesnt instantly gets me blind or burns my skin through etc if an accident happens.

How concentrated is brightwell spongeexcel, is that a much less dangerous material?

Or maybe some stuff you drop in fish tank and keeps up levels, like silica sand probably?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m not aware of better alternatives to dose silicate than sodium silicate. You may be able to find extra diluted products, but the pH must remain fairly high to retain solubility.

 

[taricha]

Spongexcel is a much more diluted silicate solution than "water glass" products.

 

[dinosaur_1552]

Spongexcel is a much more diluted silicate solution than "water glass" products.

Yeah I thought so, they say if it gets to the eyes wash it out for 15 minutes, so probably it doesnt instantly burn/blind you, sounds like it might be on the level of some houseshold cleaning etc stuff.

What happens if I put some silica sand in a low flow area into the tank, could that help? I read Randy's article where silica sand actually raised silicate levels, why is it not used like that add some to the sump and it keeps up levels?

 

[Dan_P]

Yeah I thought so, they say if it gets to the eyes wash it out for 15 minutes, so probably it doesnt instantly burn/blind you, sounds like it might be on the level of some houseshold cleaning etc stuff.

What happens if I put some silica sand in a low flow area into the tank, could that help? I read Randy's article where silica sand actually raised silicate levels, why is it not used like that add some to the sump and it keeps up levels?

Are you measuring silica levels in your aquarium?

 

[dinosaur_1552]

Are you measuring silica levels in your aquarium?

Not at the moment, cause its filled with air :)
But once I will have water in it cycled etc then yes I will.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah I thought so, they say if it gets to the eyes wash it out for 15 minutes, so probably it doesnt instantly burn/blind you, sounds like it might be on the level of some houseshold cleaning etc stuff.

What happens if I put some silica sand in a low flow area into the tank, could that help? I read Randy's article where silica sand actually raised silicate levels, why is it not used like that add some to the sump and it keeps up levels?

I don’t think silica sand will add enough silicate for most purposes.

If water glass safety concerns you, you can dilute it yourself and then you only have to use the concentrated stuff once. Dilute it into ro/di.