Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

When dosing Magnesium part is there guidelines on how much to start with or how many mL raises magnesium?

Is it best to dose all at once or throughout the day?

Just trying to find a starting point and tweak as needed. I don't want to over dose but trying to find out the lower limit dose.

Yes, there are exact recipes of several varieties, and calculators as well.

DIY Chemistry Archive

I thought it would be useful to have an archive of DIY chemistry methods. I'll add to it as things come up. Calcium and Alkalinity DIY method comparison https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/randy-recommended-diy-two-part-recipes.984604/ Three Part using Sodium Hydroxide (including Balling Part...

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[geko522]

Would you know if the calculator on brs website good to use for dosing Magnesium? There is a option for liquid Magnesium mix.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Would you know if the calculator on brs website good to use for dosing Magnesium? There is a option for liquid Magnesium mix.

I'd use this one if you are using my recipes or the BRS recipes (which they use mine).

Reef Chemistry Calculator

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[geko522]

My Magnesium is currently 1125ppm and I would like to go up to 1300ppm. The calculator says to dose roughly 66oz. Can I dose this over a 24hr period or should I just add the 66oz all at once? Say dose 40mL ever half hour.

 

[Miami Reef]

How do you know magnesium is 1125ppm? It’s VERY VERY difficult to get it that low. Most salt mixes have elevated Mg, and natural consumption is almost insignificant.

If you salinity is within 35ppt and you used a reef salt, I would assume the test is inaccurate.

Most, if not all, magnesium kits are inaccurate. We don’t condone using them these days.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree. if you want to see if it is actually low, try using that same kit on some of your new salt water.

 

[geko522]

I agree. if you want to see if it is actually low, try using that same kit on some of your new salt water.

Thank you, I will try that.

 

[KClark]

In a previous thread, I posted a true two part DIY recipe:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-diy-two-part-recipes-with-higher-ph-boost.344500/

But some folks may want to just swap the new ingredient into my 2/3 part recipe (as used by BRS, for example).

Here's the original recipe link (which has a lot more discussion on the details and rationale):

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

The new recipe is shown below. It has about twice the pH boost of the original recipe (#1) and should be added to a very high flow area. Initial cloudiness (magnesium hydroxide) is expected, but it should disperse and dissolve. If not, stop using it and figure out why.

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. Keep all reef chemicals, especially this alk part, in a way that children cannot access them.

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.

Hey Randy I am going to start dosing tank with sodium hydroxide and will follow your directions i just can't figure out how many ml of the solution i should add per day to increase parameters. Thanks so much Kevin

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey Randy I am going to start dosing tank with sodium hydroxide and will follow your directions i just can't figure out how many ml of the solution i should add per day to increase parameters. Thanks so much Kevin

For alk and calcium, you can use this calculator and the entry for Randy's Recipe #1.jpg

You cannot readily calculate a pH increase for any given tank since aeration changes the values.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

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