New RANDY's 2 part

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The bromide issue applies to all Dow calcium chloride products of all purities, including that one:

http://www.dow.com/calcium/news/August_2005.pdf

Are older batches of Liquidow pure enough? I do not know, but there is a good chance they are. Especially the food grade Liquidow.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

Is there a link for Randy's two-part recipe?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, here it is:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

[sweetdreamfiji]

Randy,

Why do you bake sodium bicarbonate instead of just purchasing sodium carbonate for your two part? Food grade sodium carbonate is available. Are there contaminates in sodium carbonate that are not in bicarb?

thanks for all your help,
Mike

 

[kaptken]

It's easy enough. i just pour 4 pounds of Baking Soda in a stainless steel lasgna pan and bake an hour at the prescribed temp. stir a few times for uniformity.

I bake my sodium bicarbonate because i can buy it at the dollar store for 50 cents a pound for food grade baking soda. They don't carry food grade sodium carbonate. Although the local super market carries washing soda at nearly the same price, it's not rated food grade. It might be just as good, but they don't say. So, ,, what the hey,

I BAKE ...BAKE...BAKE That H20 away!

Thank you Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why do you bake sodium bicarbonate instead of just purchasing sodium carbonate for your two part? Food grade sodium carbonate is available. Are there contaminates in sodium carbonate that are not in bicarb?

Yes, food grade sodium carbonate is available, and that is what some of the reef two part resellers sell, which is likely fine, IMO. But many folks do not have ready access to it the way they do to baking soda at any grocery store. The washing soda sold at those same stores may not be labeled food grade, and so for the combination of convenience and assurance of purity, I've suggested using baking soda.

 

[LittleBlueGT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11817653#post11817653 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
I'm not sure of the reason for the change by Dow.

Craig Bingman talks about uses of bromide by marine organisms here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20030626...twork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/oct/bio/default.asp

This is what I heard:

DOW used to run their calcium chloride through a bromide extraction process, because they sold bromide.

They have since ceased selling bromide, and thus do not run their calcium chloride through that process. Thus the elevated levels in currently produced calcium chloride.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks.

 

[anin]

I had a few questions..I have around 100gal total. Right now just got a few frags of sps, a clam, and few zoos. I wanted to try this 2 part and read the article but, i wasn't sure on couple of things. Right now my ph is around 8.15 and alk is at 5dkh. So choose recipe one? I will use dowflake,baking soda, and also magflake and epsom salt.

1. first when adjusting calcium and alkalinity to roughly their correct ranges, should i do it after a water change? because the levels would be closer to whats wanted?
2.After alk and cal is adjusted, should i does for example (.2ml times 100gal) of recipe one everyday? can I just dump it in my return area all at once?

 

[anin]

Also forgot to mention, i use tropic marin and run chemi pure elite.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd use recipe 1 if the pH is less than 8.2. Let's start a separate thread to discuss individual details, but you need to first measure calcium and alkalinity to see if a corrections is needed. No need for a water change.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

This link seems not to have been posted so far in this thread.

http://www.aquacraft.net/sf9904.html

What I found interesting was not the claims regarding the biological necessity of bromide for marine life, but rather the low levels of bromide in salt mixes. Since the page is originally dated 2000, these numbers might no longer be accurate (perhaps bromide levels in the salt mixes have risen with the change in CaCl manufacturing processes), but they still suggest that there is not clearly an excess of bromide in our systems currently.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That is a debunked study run by a salt company whose product, surprise, surprise won the "contest".

FWIW, many mixes have changed since then and do claim to add NSW levels of bromide now.

 

[Steve 926]

Hello Randy

In your 2 part diy. you mention to use the alk. part after finishing the Ca & Mg. Would you sill add this if your Alk level's were 10~11
before adding the Alk. part of your formula.

Thanks for a reply

Steve

:smokin:

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11891191#post11891191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Steve 926
Hello Randy

In your 2 part diy. you mention to use the alk. part after finishing the Ca & Mg. Would you sill add this if your Alk level's were 10~11
before adding the Alk. part of your formula.

Thanks for a reply

Steve

:smokin:

You got it wrong Steve.
After you finish the calcium and alkalinity parts then you add the magnesium part and NO you do not need to add the alkalinity part or any part whatsoever if the corresponding parameter is at the right level.

 

[Steve 926]

Thanks for the reply jdiek & THANK YOU for your Ca, Mg & Alk calculator !!!

I generally check the Mg levels first & then the Ca. levels before checking your calculator for the correct amount of Randy's formula to add.

My Alk seems to remain steady at 10 ~ 11 (Salifert) so adding anything for it is mute.

Thanks for correcting me, I usually get it right eventually, or get another beer to start all over again :lol:

Steve

:smokin:

 

[jdieck]

:beer: It is rather unusual that the alkalinity stay leveled without any addition while the calcium and magnesium is consummed so eventually you will have to add some of it.

 

[Steve 926]

I do buffer my top off with some seachem marine buffer. I belive it affects the Alk also.

Steve

:smokin:

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11892949#post11892949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Steve 926
I do buffer my top off with some seachem marine buffer. I belive it affects the Alk also.

Steve

:smokin:

Seachem's marine buffer is an alkalinity supplemet including borates but is more suitable for fish only systems. If you will buffer your top off why not use Limewater? cheaper and will add both calcium and alkalinity not only alkalinity while still maintaining good PH?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IMO, it is a much better plan to stick to balanced calcium and alkalinity additives (two part, limewater, CaCO3/CO2 reactor, etc) as much as possible to avoid the roller coaster of calcium and alkalinity that otherwise often results.