Is powdered Silica okay to use?

[Mickey]

I started dosing silica to my tank a week or so ago as part of my battle against dinos and per Randy's article. My tank is 225 gallons so the Brightwell SpongExcel doesn't last long and neither will the liquid silica solutions available (i.e. from Florida Aqua Farms which I'm using now) if I continue to does every couple of days. I've been looking at alternatives and found some sodium silicate powders. Will these work?

http://shop.chemicalstore.com/navigation/detail.asp?MySessionID=275-555432172&CatID=&id=SSG
or Amazon - Eastchem Sodium Silicate anhydrous (for some reason can't paste the link)

I assume I'll have to make up the powder into a solution. It's been many years since chemistry class but I assume I'll need to find out the ratio of Si in these powders to make the appropriate solution and figure out the dosing to get to 1 ppm Silica. Is there a downside to using these powders versus the liquid?

Mickey

 

[Cory]

I just used a product called water glass. Not sure of that powder version. You cannot keep up with silica dosing? Check out water glass.

 

[Mickey]

Keeping up with the dosing is not an issue. It's the shipping charges when you buy the liquid solutions, like water glass. Plus I've heard of a number of people ordering the gallon bottles that ended up leaking during shipping. With the powder I can make up my own solution every month or every quarter. I assume this powder form is pure enough to be acceptable. Dosing at 30 ml a time, gallon will last about 4 months.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I started dosing silica to my tank a week or so ago as part of my battle against dinos and per Randy's article. My tank is 225 gallons so the Brightwell SpongExcel doesn't last long and neither will the liquid silica solutions available (i.e. from Florida Aqua Farms which I'm using now) if I continue to does every couple of days. I've been looking at alternatives and found some sodium silicate powders. Will these work?

http://shop.chemicalstore.com/navigation/detail.asp?MySessionID=275-555432172&CatID=&id=SSG
or Amazon - Eastchem Sodium Silicate anhydrous (for some reason can't paste the link)

I assume I'll have to make up the powder into a solution. It's been many years since chemistry class but I assume I'll need to find out the ratio of Si in these powders to make the appropriate solution and figure out the dosing to get to 1 ppm Silica. Is there a downside to using these powders versus the liquid?

Mickey

It may work, but I worry that some substantial fraction of it isn't dissolving well as it says in the advertisement that it forms colloidal solutions (meaning particulates, not dissolved silicate).

 

[Mickey]

Thanks, Randy. I guess I'll keep using the solution. I'd rather pay the postage than have a problem.

 

[507Reefer]

Thanks, Randy. I guess I'll keep using the solution. I'd rather pay the postage than have a problem.

Could you eradicate the dinos by dosing Silica

I started dosing silica to my tank a week or so ago as part of my battle against dinos and per Randy's article. My tank is 225 gallons so the Brightwell SpongExcel doesn't last long and neither will the liquid silica solutions available (i.e. from Florida Aqua Farms which I'm using now) if I continue to does every couple of days. I've been looking at alternatives and found some sodium silicate powders. Will these work?

http://shop.chemicalstore.com/navigation/detail.asp?MySessionID=275-555432172&CatID=&id=SSG
or Amazon - Eastchem Sodium Silicate anhydrous (for some reason can't paste the link)

I assume I'll have to make up the powder into a solution. It's been many years since chemistry class but I assume I'll need to find out the ratio of Si in these powders to make the appropriate solution and figure out the dosing to get to 1 ppm Silica. Is there a downside to using these powders versus the liquid?

Mickey

Could you eradicate dinoflagellates by dosing Silica?
?

 

[Mickey]

I suggest you read the big dino threads, here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/amphidinium-dinoflagellate-treatment-methods.365850

and here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318.

In my experience, I found that dosing silica and maintaining a higher pH helped control the amphidinium dinos.

Good luck.