Reef Chemistry Puzzle #2

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Reef Chemistry Puzzle 2

2 clues today

A. At room temperature, I am typically either a gas or a liquid
B. The fraction of reefkeepers who experience displeasure with me is more today than ten years ago (in my opinion)

What am I?

Good luck!


Previous Reef Chemistry Puzzle:

Chemistry Puzzle #1

Two Clues: A. Used to reduce alkalinity B. 89 53 110 What am I? Correct answer must fit both clues Good luck! .

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Dburr1014]

Carbon dioxide?

Yeah, I'm wrong.

 

[brandon429]

I vote ammonia

 

[jda]

co2 is both a gas and liquid (compressed) at room temperature. More work-from-home and higher summer temperatures have led to more indoor co2 and lower pH. More controllers with pH probes today than a decade ago, so more folks know what their pH actually is might be.

I guess co2, as well.

 

[Alexraptor]

Surely it couldn't be as simple as Water? H20?

I mean water exists both as liquid and gas at room temperature, as it evaporates over time and which is why there is such a thing as humidity. And some people really do struggle with maintaining good water quality and various parameters. And arguably there are more reefkeepers struggling with this today, since the hobby is bigger today than a decade ago?

Total shot in the dark here.

 

[MnFish1]

Bromine or Mercury (I would guess people have always been concerned about mercury - so - probably more concerned about bromine

 

[Kraig]

I'll second MnFish1, Bromine is what I would guess.

 

[Miami Reef]

Why did I say nitrogen?

CO2 makes much more sense.

 

[jda]

People worry about nitrogen more now than they ever have, IMO... so that part fits. I just don't know how nitrogen can be a liquid unless it is really cold, right? Keep in mind that I went to engineering school and I only play a chemist or biologist after sleeping in a Holiday Inn Express.

Mercury can be both and there is a lot of talk about mercury in seafood lately. Good guess. I wonder if reefkeepers talk about this - I do not recall every seeing somebody asking about Hg on their ICP test or anything.

Isn't ammonia a gas that dissolves in liquid, and not a true liquid? Again, I don't know.

If only my HS chemistry teachers would have told me that you need to know this later in your life... seems like math teachers have the monolopy on this threat... and gym teachers if you want to go to college.

 

[tzabor10]

Reef Chemistry Puzzle 2

2 clues today

A. At room temperature, I am typically either a gas or a liquid
B. The fraction of reefkeepers who experience displeasure with me is more today than ten years ago (in my opinion)

What am I?

Good luck!


Previous Reef Chemistry Puzzle:

Chemistry Puzzle #1

Two Clues: A. Used to reduce alkalinity B. 89 53 110 What am I? Correct answer must fit both clues Good luck! .

www.reef2reef.com

Water

 

[Alexraptor]

People worry about nitrogen more now than they ever have, IMO... so that part fits. I just don't know how nitrogen can be a liquid unless it is really cold, right? Keep in mind that I went to engineering school and I only play a chemist or biologist after sleeping in a Holiday Inn Express.

Mercury can be both and there is a lot of talk about mercury in seafood lately. Good guess. I wonder if reefkeepers talk about this - I do not recall every seeing somebody asking about Hg on their ICP test or anything.

Isn't ammonia a gas that dissolves in liquid, and not a true liquid? Again, I don't know.

If only my HS chemistry teachers would have told me that you need to know this later in your life... seems like math teachers have the monolopy on this threat... and gym teachers if you want to go to college.

Well I mean, Mercury vapour is a key component of Metal Halides, and it is getting harder to source good MH lamps these days since they are being phased out. Same with flourescents too actually, mercury-argon mixture, and being slowly phased out.

And the question only specified room temperature, and said no word about atmospheric pressure.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Probably wrong, but iodine?

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

Water changes

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

If not water changes it’s gotta be LEDs

 

[MnFish1]

Well I mean, Mercury vapour is a key component of Metal Halides, and it is getting harder to source good MH lamps these days since they are being phased out. Same with flourescents too actually, mercury-argon mixture, and being slowly phased out.

And the question only specified room temperature, and said no word about atmospheric pressure.

Hmmm - I said bromine and mercury - I'm assumed @Randy Holmes-Farley meant 'what element'. I was thinking bromine because 10 year or so ago people were really paranoid about mercury in lights, etc now there are so few of those lights it would seem that the concern had dropped - but definitely see your point.

bromine and Bromate (Bromine + Ozone) have received a fair bit of attention lately.

 

[Will59Payne]

I'm going with CO2.

 

[Reefer911]

I'm going with CO2.

water was my guess but I didn’t think about CO2. I bet you’re right

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I'm going with CO2.

water was my guess but I didn’t think about CO2. I bet you’re right

Liquid CO2 only extsist under many times our atmospheric pressure

 

[IntrinsicReef]

Bromine or Mercury (I would guess people have always been concerned about mercury - so - probably more concerned about bromine

I am with you on Bromine. More people handling it because of moonshiners and other ICP corrections

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Reef Chemistry Puzzle 2

2 clues today

A. At room temperature, I am typically either a gas or a liquid
B. The fraction of reefkeepers who experience displeasure with me is more today than ten years ago (in my opinion)

What am I?

Good luck!


Previous Reef Chemistry Puzzle:

Chemistry Puzzle #1

Two Clues: A. Used to reduce alkalinity B. 89 53 110 What am I? Correct answer must fit both clues Good luck! .

www.reef2reef.com

Is this a single compound? I wanted to say co2 but clearly carbonic acid isn't co2.

If it's a single compound, then this is a tough one. First thought was ammonia or co2, but my guess is a different compound or aqueous solution isn't the answer here.