Suohhen
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Is it okay to combine all my supplements into one solution to put on a doser? The list of the things I dose everyday includes: Sodium Nitrate, Sodium Phosphate Monobasic, Sodium Silicate, Kent Iron, TLF Acropower.
Combining Supplements
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Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
Short answer: no.
Everything will be consumed at different rates not to mention the risk of precipitation/chemical reactions mixing all of them.
Suohhen
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I would disolve them into RO at the proper ratio of dosing but if anything were to settle, separate, or precipitate would be an issue. So what I am looking for is whether any if these things wouldn't do well together. I've seen Randy say in other posts that the nitrate and phosphate are okay together but this is a lot of things and obv since tlf doesn't say what is in their Acropower maybe there is truly no way to know.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Certainly the first two can be combined, or the first and third.
Combining the silicate with the phosphate might result in some precipitation of SiO2 if the phosphate drops the pH too much.
I'm not sure how exactly acropower is formulated. The amino acids might become insoluble with substantial ph changes.
The Kent iron is OK with the nitrate. Maybe with everything. Least likely with the silicate.
Suohhen
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With the silicate solution being so crazy high ph that wouldn't balance the phosphate? I dose about .01ppm phosphate a day but the number does jump around a lot and I've been using the Hanna LR meter which has .04 accuracy so it might take a while to hone in on daily draw. I am also still adding more fish including a Pyramid that is currently in qt so phosphate may very well balance out once I have things rolling.
But yeah so if I have this right I'm probably safe if I dose the silicate on a separate doser but the amino is questionable? I also run a CaRx if that makes any difference somehow. Also if I added some sodium bicarbonate to match ph with the tank would that possibly help prevent issues with the aminos?
But yeah so if I have this right I'm probably safe if I dose the silicate on a separate doser but the amino is questionable? I also run a CaRx if that makes any difference somehow. Also if I added some sodium bicarbonate to match ph with the tank would that possibly help prevent issues with the aminos?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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The problem is not "balance", it is that the silicate needs a high pH to remain dissolved, and the phosphate material you posted will lower that pH by releasing protons into the high pH solution.
NaH2PO4 --> Na+ + 2H+ + Po4---
H+ + Si(OH)3O- --> Si(OH)4 --> SiO2 (insoluble) + 2H20
If you used trisodium phosphate, that would mix with the silicate OK.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Add sodium bicarbonate to what?
Suohhen
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Great info, the phos is likely not needed in the mix regardless but the bicarbonate bit was about countering the ph drop of the phosphate by adding enough to the dosing container to balance the ph with that of the tank.
You said 'the amino might become insoluble with substantial ph changes.' If I left out the phos and diluted the rest of the solution in enough water might I be able to match the ph of the solution to the tank to help keep the aminos in solution?
You said 'the amino might become insoluble with substantial ph changes.' If I left out the phos and diluted the rest of the solution in enough water might I be able to match the ph of the solution to the tank to help keep the aminos in solution?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Dilution is its own issue. it will allow bacteria to grow and consume the aminos. lol
I'd avoid bicarbonate as it may not help pH-wise. Using Na3PO4 for phosphate eliminates the low pH issue.
I'd avoid bicarbonate as it may not help pH-wise. Using Na3PO4 for phosphate eliminates the low pH issue.
Suohhen
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Okay so I'll just put the amino on its own doser and if I do end up auto dosing phos use tsp. My other question would be the limitations on how much water to use. I've noticed a lot of silicate settles out in my solution. I started by dissolving 11ml Sodium Silicate 40% in 1L RODI and have since upped to 45ml/L. Is this normal or would it help to have the solution be more concentrated?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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The dilution of the silicate likely lowered the pH and thus made it less soluble.
