Calcium Acetate

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

So I'm trying to make a Calcium Acetate solution, a very strong one in fact, but there are some things I want to clear up. Whether why I want it strong does not matter, I simply want a strong solution.

According to my calculations here is the recipe of one gallon solution.

Anhydrous Calcium Chloride 94.5% - 1538.73g = 138378 ppm
Anhydrous Sodium Acetate - 2349.67g = 21196 dkH
BRS MgCl2 (maybe Hexhydrate idk) - 359.8g - 11404 ppm
Anhydrous Strontium Chloride - 15.99g - 2281 ppm

These can be compared to Brightwell's 2 Part in 2 liters as combined they make about 1 gallon (a bit more but whatever). A two liter of part A has 120,000 ppm of Ca and two liter of Part B has 16,800 dkH of Alk. Correct me if I am wrong.

There's one problem though, if put all of these in one gallon, that is almost 10 lbs of chemicals in one gallon. I don't know if my calculations were wrong or my comparisons are wrong and therefore way to strong.

However, if calculations are correct, is all of this soluable to make one gallon of solution?

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Cory · Jan 5, 2020

Insnt it easier to make it with calcium hydroxide?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

LuciVERT said:
So I'm trying to make a Calcium Acetate solution, a very strong one in fact, but there are some things I want to clear up. Whether why I want it strong does not matter, I simply want a strong solution.

Well, it better be a good reason if you want to do something unusual without explaining why and expect people to figure out if it is OK. We spend a lot of time doing calculations that end up being a waste of time because the whole premise was flawed.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

LuciVERT said:
So I'm trying to make a Calcium Acetate solution, a very strong one in fact, but there are some things I want to clear up. Whether why I want it strong does not matter, I simply want a strong solution.

According to my calculations here is the recipe of one gallon solution.

Anhydrous Calcium Chloride 94.5% - 1538.73g = 138378 ppm
Anhydrous Sodium Acetate - 2349.67g = 21196 dkH
BRS MgCl2 (maybe Hexhydrate idk) - 359.8g - 11404 ppm
Anhydrous Strontium Chloride - 15.99g - 2281 ppm

These can be compared to Brightwell's 2 Part in 2 liters as combined they make about 1 gallon (a bit more but whatever). A two liter of part A has 120,000 ppm of Ca and two liter of Part B has 16,800 dkH of Alk. Correct me if I am wrong.

There's one problem though, if put all of these in one gallon, that is almost 10 lbs of chemicals in one gallon. I don't know if my calculations were wrong or my comparisons are wrong and therefore way to strong.

However, if calculations are correct, is all of this soluable to make one gallon of solution?

@Randy Holmes-Farley

let's start at the very beginning.

Brightwell Reef Code A says it has:

Calcium (min) 1,774 mg/oz. (60,000 ppm)

Is that what you are trying to match?

Did you get to the 120,000 ppm for 2 L by doubling that? it doesn't work that way. It is 60,000 ppm no matter the size.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Well, it better be a good reason if you want to do something unusual without explaining why and expect people to figure out if it is OK. We spend a lot of time doing calculations that end up being a waste of time because the whole premise was flawed.

The reason being is because my corals, especially acros, in my growout tank is consuming Alk. and Ca like crazy, even though it is 240 gallons. I do want a strong solution to keep up with this, but I want to make sure if my calculations are correct.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
let's start at the very beginning.

Brightwell Reef Code A says it has:

Calcium (min) 1,774 mg/oz. (60,000 ppm)

Is that what you are trying to match?

Did you get to the 120,000 ppm for 2 L by doubling that? it doesn't work that way. It is 60,000 ppm no matter the size.

I thought ppm = mg/L. Is it not?

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

LuciVERT said:
The reason being is because my corals, especially acros, in my growout tank is consuming Alk. and Ca like crazy, even though it is 240 gallons. I do want a strong solution to keep up with this, but I want to make sure if my calculations are correct.

I know I can just use 2 part, but I do want to experiment a bit.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

1538 grams of anhydrous calcium chloride contains 36% calcium by weight, or 554 grams of calcium.

Put that in 1 gallon total (3.78 L) and the concentration is 146 grams per liter, or 146,000 mg/L.

Far higher than the Brightwell Reef Code A.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

LuciVERT said:
I thought ppm = mg/L. Is it not?

It's not exactly, but that is not the reason for the error.

mg/L and ppm are amounts of calcium per unit of volume.

it makes no difference what the volume is, that doesn't ever change.

The mg Ca changes, the mg/L does not.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It's not exactly, but that is not the reason for the error.

mg/L and ppm are amounts of calcium per unit of volume.

it makes no difference what the volume is, that doesn't ever change.

The mg Ca changes, the mg/L does not.

Oh I see now. Ok thank you for the clearing up the confusion, back to the drawing boards it is then.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Ok last question, what would be the highest amount you would go? I definitely want this stronger than other brands.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

According to wikipedia, the solubility of calcium acetate is 34.7 g/L. I would target a level below that to ensure it doesn't precipitate.

The other ingredients should be more soluble and will not be limiting.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
According to wikipedia, the solubility of calcium acetate is 34.7 g/L. I would target a level below that to ensure it doesn't precipitate.

The other ingredients should be more soluble and will not be limiting.

Ok thank you so much! Looks like I'm gonna have to stick with 2 part since it is a bit weaker than I thought.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

That amount corresponds to 8.8 grams of calcium ion and 26 grams of acetate.

So 8,800 mg/L calcium.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That amount corresponds to 8.8 grams of calcium ion and 26 grams of acetate.

So 8,800 mg/L calcium.

I'm guessing calcium formate also has around the same solubility, am I correct?

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That amount corresponds to 8.8 grams of calcium ion and 26 grams of acetate.

So 8,800 mg/L calcium.

Wait I just looked it up, it said 34.7 g/100ml. So wouldn't it be 347 g/L?

Cory · Jan 5, 2020

Id be interested in making calcium acetate. Can you give me an easy recipe?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

LuciVERT said:
Wait I just looked it up, it said 34.7 g/100ml. So wouldn't it be 347 g/L?

Oh, sorry, yes. I lost a decimal point.

So you can match the Brightwell at 60,000 mg/L since that saturation of calcium formate gives 88,000 mg/L.

LuciVERT · Jan 5, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Oh, sorry, yes. I lost a decimal point.

So you can match the Brightwell at 60,000 mg/L since that saturation of calcium formate gives 88,000 mg/L.

Alright so I have adjusted my calculations. Thank you very much! I'll see how this solution does for me.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 5, 2020

Cory said:
Id be interested in making calcium acetate. Can you give me an easy recipe?

he is not making calcium acetate. he is making a sodium, calcium, acetate, chloride solution.

To match sodium acetate to calcium chloride, you want 2 sodium acetates for each calcium.

calcium chloride is 110 g/mole
sodium acetate is 82 g/mole

So mix them at a ratio of 164 g anhydrous sodium acetate per 110 g anhydrous calcium acetate.

Any volume iof water you want as long as everything dissolves.