Any pharmacist or Chemists here?

Any pharmacist or Chemists here?

I was looking at some of my additives and on the label it looks like
Just about everything is 99.6% WATER but this stuff costs 16 bucks or more…

So I was wondering what else we can all use that might be "Reef Safe" I know
About the 2 part Dow/Arm & Hammer mix, but what else can we use?
Is there any other household product or other industry product available to us?

Most of us in this hobby are somewhat hack Chemists that would easily mix
Things in our own house and we all understand any information given to us
And tried is 100% at our own risk.

So if anyone has some things they do for Iodine, Calcium, Strontium & Molybdenum etc.
Or anything else you might of found out…

Like I hear pickling lime make a great kalkwasser mix, But I can't say I tried it yet but I got
The information here: What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
So I think I can trust it.

I was going to put this on a few forums and as soon as I get a chance I'll link them all back
So we can all compare notes…Sound fair?

 

Those are the few that I know of. I believe the biggest issue would be when making your own mixtures would be to remember to add ro water as well. I could see myself making a solution that is way to strong where one drop of mine would be the same potency as one bottle of something purchased. Thus it could be very easy to overdose.

 

Interesting point, But you would not (at least always) need to mix it every time you need to use it.
You can mix up a batch 8, 16, 64oz etc depending on your tank size and how much you use it and how long it last. It's not that hard to figure out 1 part or 100th of a part it's all the same, you just need
The right tools as with anything you do.

 

What elements do you want to mix ? There was a time when we had to mix even our own salt mixes could not by any commercially made salts until the mid 60's

I always used Balls pickling lime instead or K.W and the word means lime water

Calcium I always used calcium chloride same stuff used for setting cement in the cold 20.00 per 50 lbs

Buffering mix one part or Borax Laundry booster to 4 parts Arm and hammer Baking soda. Thats all that is in the high dollar stuff
$ 1.00 a ton LOL

Magnesium Epsom salts 1.99 for a a couple of pounds

The list goes on and on I have used this stuff for more yrs then I care to recall..

Lugols Iodine is 9.00 for 2 . 16 oz bottles .

They charge it because people will pay it.. Its all just basic natural earth elements Not so much sicienc. Now some try to make it more then what it is . Mostly common sensce And knowing where to find the stuff

 

cool email me recipes please. cuttingras@yahoo.com and Geekdafied will ya help me with the math???? LOL

 

With Tangster's help I to am now using the Borax Laundry booster to 4 parts Arm and hammer Baking soda to keep my ALK up. Works really well.
I have also used Potassium Chloride to increase the Potassium in my tank. this is a relatively controversial element and I think the jury is still out on if it is necessary. the ZEOVit version of K is about $80.00 for a 250ml bottle that will last less than a month and only maintain K if the levels are already correct. The Potasium choride I by is $15.00 for 2Kg this will last about 1 year.

J

 

Just avoid any precip in the kalwasser

HI,
My first use of kalkwasser was a learning experience when they say avoid the precip in the solution its very important cause it will raise KH off the scale, I usally filter mine with a funnel and coffee filters after allowing it to sit for at least 24 hours.a tsp of the precip in kalkwasser can kill things over night my kh once went to about 24 talk about ca carbonate precip and it uses up all the mag too. your corals and inverts will DOA, and the fish can sufficate if you add vinegar to the mix it seems to depleate the O2 in the waterSO I don't add it to my kalk solution during the make up period.
trust me I know.
And always drip kalkwasser very slow, I have a IV bag that allows about 6 drops per 30 secs over night it really makes the water crytsal clear.
I too use MGCL I use the Red SEa brand its the only one that promisses not to have any additonal heavy metals or toxins...
I bought a 40 lbs bag for 14 bucks it pretty large pellets I usally mix it with epsom salts 1 cup epsoms salt to 3 MGCL, to 1 gal of water. Let it sit for a day or two.
Never add mag cl to cacl in your drip

 

Hey Tangster, is your name Brad? lol...I had a buddy of mine in FL he helped me setup my first tank years ago, he was telling me about the salt in the 60's as well...But, it's been a long time and the information he gave me is long gone...I'm not looking to make salt..lol I can't see it being worth doing today when you can find it for 10~15 bucks a 50 gallon bag..but I would like to know some of the better ways to ad calcium, Ioidine, etc. I just found out about the Lime water Kalk a few days ago and I can't seem to find any of it yet in NJ, aside from that calcium & Ioidine is about all I might add
to my tank, would you mind sharing a good way to do it? Thanks,

Ron

PS: is the Borax Laundry booster soda ash?

 

Pathmark or Shoprite in the canning/seasonal section. Any qrocery store should have it, since it is getting to be canning time. Walmart should even carry it...

 

Ahh, you must be from NJ, I just moved back here from GA about 2 years ago... I was living in Cummings.

I was at PathMark & Shop Rite the other day and they had none...
I never even thought about Walmart, It's not like what you guys have in FL and GA they blow here. I'm on my way to my buddys Coral farm and I will be passing a Walmart, I'll give it a shot...Thanks;D