Sodium silicate

[Gareth elliott]

Directions for sodium silicate stock solution from dry powder.

Would like to raise an inhabitant free 20 gallon tank to ~2.7 ppm. Goal is a facilitate a diatom bloom from collected sea water.

 

[FartyParty]

Are you creating large populations of diatoms only to kill them en masse? If so, I like your style! :cool:

 

[Gareth elliott]

Are you creating large populations of diatoms only to kill them en masse? If so, I like your style! :cool:

I am actually trying to create a large diatom bloom to then add the diatoms to my dinoflagellate bloomed dt.

Hoping the faster reproduction rates of diatoms when added at already raised levels will outcompete the slower reproducing dinos.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I am actually trying to create a large diatom bloom to then add the diatoms to my dinoflagellate bloomed dt.

Hoping the faster reproduction rates of diatoms when added at already raised levels will outcompete the slower reproducing dinos.

Bloody cool!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Herby’s reef]

Have you tried vibrant and uv light? I tried everything and it did not work. Started dosing vibrant every other day ( more than recommended) and put in uv light and it is gone. Takes a little while, but it will kick it. Blow as much off prior to lights out as you can. There is a jeabo 50 w uv on amazon for $100. I have heard this unit works very well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Your sodium silicate is dry? My recipe starts with water glass (aqueous solution), but dry powder can be dissolved to make a dosing stock.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Your sodium silicate is dry? My recipe starts with water glass (aqueous solution), but dry powder can be dissolved to make a dosing stock.

Yes dry. Well not completely dry was packaged with ambient humidity, will call it damp lol.

Has a specific gravity of 2.4.

How many grams of water to grams of Sodium silicate to create a stock solution?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Ok so found my college chem text book and made roughly the stock solution i was looking for considering not knowing the purity of the chemical. Dont buy from Indian chemical companies lol. But Tank is up and running.

Have also dosed some nitrate and phosphate. Also Feeding 4 pellets a day of nls small fish fish formula.

Today will be getting some mud and nsw from another location to diversify the microfauna. Theres no live stock so i am not worried about “the bad”.

Goal is still to culture competitors and predators of HAB producing microbes.

Current parameters
No3 10ppm red sea
Po4 .2ppm red sea
Silicate 4ppm
Alk 9.2
Salinity 35ppm

Light is a simple kessil h80 and power head is a korralia 528 gph.

Assuming the others also fall in line with my DD salt mix.

Will update the thread with microfauna pictures as the tank kicks in.

 

[ZaneTer]

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Dot for following.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Decided to add some fish to the tank to help feed the algae.

So grabbed some guppies from my planted and acclimating to marine. Theres only a small powerhead in the tank so current will not interfere with their poor swimming ability.

Guppies are able to survive salinity up to about 1.9x the salinity of the ocean.

Quick slide made from scrapings of a piece of rock.