Reef Discussion

[Buddy]

Out of curiosity, when making my first batch of baked bicard soda, I reweighed the 470 grams after baking. It weighed 300 grams. That was a lot of moisture to burn off.

I have been weighing it after it was baked. I think the point of baking is that you remove the moisture so that you are only weighing the bicarb.

 

[Ghiacciolo]

Recipe #2

In this recipe three stock solutions are created. Two are used frequently, and one is used only occasionally to balance other elements not added in the first two. The solutions can be mixed and stored in any plastic or glass container.

Recipe #2, Part 1: The Calcium Part
Dissolve 200 grams (about 1 cup) of calcium chloride dihydrate (Damprid) in enough water to make 3 litres of total volume. You can dissolve it in about 1 litre of water, and then pour that into the 3 litre container and fill it to the top with more freshwater. This solution is about 14,700 ppm in calcium.

Note that the solution will get quite warm when dissolving the calcium chloride.

Recipe #2, Part 2: The Alkalinity Part
Dissolve 235 grams of baking soda (about 0.9 cups) in enough water to make 3 litres total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 750 meq/L of alkalinity (2,100 dKH). Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

Once these two solutions are created, they can be added as frequently as necessary to maintain calcium and alkalinity. For further dosing instructions, see below.

Recipe #2, Part 3: The Magnesium Portion
The magnesium portion again gives us two options, with Part 3A being preferred from an aquarium chemistry standpoint. Pick one and follow the same dosing directions regardless of which version you select.

Recipe #2, Part 3A
Dissolve Epsom salts (2.4 cups) and magnesium chloride hexahydrate (4 cups) in enough purified freshwater to make 3 litres 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 than the other two parts. Each time you finish adding 3 litres of both parts of Recipe #2, add 242 mL (1 cup) of this stock solution. You can add it all at once or 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.

The first time it's added, I recommend adding just a small portion and making sure there isn't any problem (such as corals closing up due to stress) before adding the remainder. Make sure corals and other organisms don't get blasted with locally high concentrations of the main ingredients or impurities, or else they may become stressed. This solution contains about 37,300 ppm magnesium, 55,500 ppm sulfate and 68,000 ppm chloride.

Could u please post the Part 3A recipe in scentific measurement units, like...g/L?

Also, for the calcium part: when u say "This solution is about 14,700 ppm in calcium", do you mean 147000 ppm in calcium cloride dihydrate, do you?

 

[Mark2018]

@macca_75

Did you get chance to check, will be picking up this week to make my first batch.

Will make all three recipes using Damprid Baking soda and Epson salts once a get some RODI water from LFS. Only have a 50Lnano so plan on only making 1L of each otherwise will have enough for next 50 years! Other than baking the baking soda is there anything else I should be aware of? Cheers

 

[macca_75]

@Mark2018

Sorry for the late reply - I didn't get an email notification this thread had been updated.

Didn't check sorry but I can do most of it off the top of my head.

I order my Ca from 100% reef safe. They will send you a link to "their" recipes however what I do (and my dosing is set according and stable) is 600g of Ca + 9L of RO.

I order my Magnesium Chloride from 100% reef safe and use Epsom salts as the Magnesium Sulphate. It's 1Kg of MgCh + (I think it's) 600g of Mg Su. Then add water to make it up to 3.8L (Do not add 3.8L of RO, add enough to make a total of 3.8L). I will confirm the 600g tonight as it is written down at home.

I use Baking Soda from Coles for Alk. 666g (unbaked) + 9L of RO. (not sure how I came to 666g, but that's what I use).

Hope this helps.