DIY calcium need help

[bigkai]

Does anyone use the prestone driveway heat for calcium I'm just now useing it and been testing and it does not seem to bring the the calcium levels up very much mixed it just like online instructions said any idea's? And when mixed their is some stuff left in the bottom of the jug that looks a little gross. any ideas?

 

[Spsnut]

Kai (my boys name) are you using Calcium Chloride?

 

[bigkai]

Yes it say that it 100% calcium. And iv read that people have used and do use the driveway heat

 

[bigkai]

That's funny is your sons name really kai?

 

[bigkai]

I just looked up the calcium id# and its says it 77-90% pur calcium chloride

 

[mike007]

What is your alkalinity and magnesium?
If these levels are low it will effect the calcium. Personally I only use Brs or Drs. Foster & Smith 2 part.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I have been using Preston Driveway Heat since 2008. It is an anhydrous form of Calcium Chloride, so you only need two cups per one gallon of total volume (per Randy's Recipe 1).

As stated, check you Mag levels. I'haven't had an issue using Randy's DIY calcium.....using Preston Driveway Heat.

 

[bigkai]

Alk 8.5 mag 1400 cal 390 can't get it any higher ph 8.2

 

[mcarroll]

[...]cal 390 can't get it any higher[...]

Yes, you can!

First stop: Reef Chemistry Calculator

Do not pass Go or collect $200....just go to the Reef Chemistry Calculator (RCC)

First, check that you made your stock solution correctly in the first column of the RCC:

1. Plug in 1 gallon (assuming you're making it a gallon at a time) for your system volume.
2. Plug in 0.0001 (or any very, very small number) for "starting calcium".
3. Plug in 37000 for the "desired calcium" assuming you're making according to Recipe 1. 18500 for Recipe 2.)
4. Select "Anhydrous CaCL..." from the drop down menu.
5. You should be directed to add 387.8 grams/77.5 tsp/1.6 cups of Driveway Heat into your gallon of RODI water to achieve the correct concentration for your stock solution.

If you did all that right, mixed your stock solution and you still get incorrect results from dosing, then due to mislabeling, product change or just slight spoilage you may have something closer to calcium chloride dihydrate instead of anhydrous, which requires more dry material to get the same strength of stock solution. (This lower strength is not consistent with the history of Driveway Heat, but it is consistent with your posted info on the calcium number you looked up....FWIW.)

Consider just testing your stock solution as I did to see if you get a number at least close to what you'd expect (I'm testing for Recipe 2, so you'll have to adjust accordingly if you're mixing for Recipe 1):
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re...uring-do-yourself-two-part-concentration.html

Second, once your stock solution is a known quantity, start over with a blank Reef Chemistry Calculator and...

1. Put your system volume in - I'll assume 50 gallons for discussion's sake.
2. Plug in your current calcium of 390 (take a new test) in for "starting calcium".
3. Plug in your target (420 ppm is nice) for "desired calcium".
4. Select "Randy's Recipe 1 Caclium Part" in the drop down menu.
5. You should be directed to add 153.5 mL of stock solution to correct your system's calcium to 420 ppm.

If you did all that right and still don't get correct results from dosing, check your system volume estimate and make sure you aren't under-estimating.

Also, double check all your test kits' expiration dates. Reagents definitely expire with age.

I hope this helps!

-Matt

 

[Spsnut]

Nice stuff Matt. I like the other poster simply adjust the amount I dose to meet up or down to the tanks usage. To test the strength of the CaCl why not using a reef calculator simply add a measure of CaCl to a volume of sw and test for an increase.

Kai is an amazing name; we love it!
I'm a mere Chem novice; I've proven it a few times on Randy's old test. Lol. There is a balanced relationship between Ca, Alk, and ph, that chemists can explain. 390 is a perfectly good Ca result, especially if it's stable. It may be a tad on the low end, but still in the comfort zone. The things that I might do are verify my test kits results at a friends or lfs, check the strength of the CaCl, and relax because a stable 390 is pretty good.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

I use DowFlake calcium chloride and get the same junk that settles in the bottom.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I dose cal with Dowflake, alk with pool supply soda ash, mag with Mag Flake and bulk Epsom Salt. I get some residue as well, but I refill the 5gallon containers before I start sucking up the stuff off the bottom. I've been using these chemicals for over 2 years in 4 tanks and I haven't had any issues.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

years ago the driveway heat I used would mix up perfectly clear. Now it mixes up with a brown color. Just looking at it you can see the color in it. Not the bright white that it used to be. I don't want that in my tank.

 

[mcarroll]

Nice stuff Matt. I like the other poster simply adjust the amount I dose to meet up or down to the tanks usage. To test the strength of the CaCl why not using a reef calculator simply add a measure of CaCl to a volume of sw and test for an increase.[...]

To each their own - it's amazing to see the systems that people make work. And of course on an on-going basis anyone would have to make periodic adjustments as corals get bigger and have more demands....but that's not really the boat we're in with this thread.

Having said all that, it's very easy to make a correct stock solution and to verify its correctness. So waiting to see how wrong your mix was by testing it on the tank just doesn't sit right with me. Just make your stock solution correctly with known ingredients and a known formula....if an issue crops up such as in this thread, then test your stock solution....then you know if any adjustments to your solution or dosing regime are needed. No mystery, no confusion and any issues were nipped in the bud vs being allowed to propagate. Win, win, win!

FWIW, 390 ppm calcium is only OK if you aren't keeping stony corals....matching alkalinity is only 1.4 meq/L. Growth will never be right at the pH's this water will allow. And only maintaining alkalinity without respect to calcium or magnesium is also asking for unstable conditions. While "stable 390 ppm" may not kill a coral outright, it's not going to do anything positive for it in terms of growth, color or health either. It's just not natural.

Balanced Mg:Ca:alk at healthy levels​ is the whole concept at the base of the complete two-part (and every other) dosing system - try not to fight it!

-Matt

 

[Spsnut]

So sorry for offending the mad scientist. Here's how I roll, strength of the additive does not make changes to the dosing procedure: levels are watched and maintained, when increases are needed, we bump things up a bit and results are watched; it's just like running Ca Rx. Corrections are made with a measure of raw material of choice. A bit of trouble comes in when the material is in need of replacing, but not much, usage is watched a wee bit closer and adjustments are made. Is it a more efficient use of time using a fully saturated solution, sure, does it change the results, nope.

Nsw is 400-420ppm. Unlike with (bi)carbonate, I think you will find it hard producing a study showing maintaining any reasonable Ca level has any result in coral health, especially one that is stable and only 2.5%<NSW.

 

[WhoKnew]

OMG. You all have lost me on this Ca information. Hate to sound ignorant. But I have never tested for ca? What do I use? All other parameters are WNL. I only have a 30g. So I'm just a nubbie.

 

[mcarroll]

So sorry for offending the mad scientist. Here's how I roll, strength of the additive does not make changes to the dosing procedure: levels are watched and maintained, when increases are needed, we bump things up a bit and results are watched; it's just like running Ca Rx. Corrections are made with a measure of raw material of choice. A bit of trouble comes in when the material is in need of replacing, but not much, usage is watched a wee bit closer and adjustments are made. Is it a more efficient use of time using a fully saturated solution, sure, does it change the results, nope.

Nsw is 400-420ppm. Unlike with (bi)carbonate, I think you will find it hard producing a study showing maintaining any reasonable Ca level has any result in coral health, especially one that is stable and only 2.5%<NSW.

No offense! LOL

In fact, unless you're saying that you just dump random amounts of reagents to make Randy's Recipe instead of measuring them, I'm not sure we're really saying anything different.
(If that is what you're saying, then we are saying something different...in that case, to each their own, but I can't recommend not measuring to anyone else.)

-Matt