Which diy two part and why

ReefMoto · Sep 28, 2014

Who makes their own two part ? and which one?
Well my tank crashed from a little neglect and the past heat wave. Lost tons of sps but luckly saved a bunch thanks to my buddy brandon. Since I'm kinda "starting" over I want to try a different two part method other than just esv and brs. I was contemplating a break down but just can bear to quit ( im bipolar reefer). I have already made Randy two part alk solution and think that I might just get some Dowflakes and do that, but I just heard about the balling method, which looks like a nice method also! any advise on your method of diy two part is appreciated. What do you prefer and have you had any adverse affects from any diy two part solutions? Going to try to bring back my saved sps once system is stable with new two part method and the heat waves are done. Thanks in advance

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 28, 2014

The primary decision in selecting a two part is whether to use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or baked baking soda (sodium carbonate). Whether you buy the ingredients from BRS or elsewhere, it is essentially the same recipe.

Balling is really no different, as best I can tell, except in some forms it adds a bunch of trace elements.

Here's the section from my article on the difference between the two recipes:
Comparing the Two Primary Recipes
This article actually details two primary recipes. One uses raw baking soda, and the other uses baking soda that aquarists bake before use. The baking drives some of the carbon dioxide out of the baking soda, and raises its pH as well as its alkalinity. Be careful about substituting other brands for the Dowflake and the magnesium chloride sold by the Dead Sea Works company. A later section in this article details substitution issues.

Recipe #1 is for use in reef aquaria whose pH is normal to low. In practice, more reef aquarists end up choosing this recipe than Recipe #2. It will tend to raise pH due to its alkalinity part's elevated pH, as do most of the commercial two-part additives. The increase in pH depends on the aquarium's alkalinity and, of course, on how much is added. Adding on the order of 0.5 meq/L of alkalinity increases the pH by about 0.3 pH units immediately upon its addition (and even higher, locally, before it has a chance to mix throughout the aquarium).

If you are using limewater (kalkwasser) and the aquarium is at pH 8.4 or above, this recipe is not the best choice. Otherwise, it is likely to be a good option. It is twice as concentrated as Recipe #2, because the baking process makes the baking soda more soluble.

Recipe #2 is for use in reef aquaria whose pH is on the high side (above 8.3 or so). It will have a very small pH lowering effect when initially added. The pH drop achieved will depend on the aquarium's alkalinity and, of course, on how much is added. Adding on the order of 0.5 meq/L of alkalinity drops the pH by about 0.04 pH units immediately upon its addition.

If you are using limewater (kalkwasser) and the aquarium is at pH 8.4 or above, this recipe may be the best choice. It is half as concentrated as Recipe #1 because the raw baking soda is less soluble because it's unbaked.

berbotty · Sep 28, 2014

Randy H.F thankyou for your input you have a great way to get through to simpletons on the subject like me

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 28, 2014

You're welcome, berbotty, and thanks.

Happy Reefing.

ReefMoto · Sep 28, 2014

I made recipe one alk portion already because I have a lower ph In my tank. Since I added the new alk solution ph st2ays between 8.1 to 8.3 at the higest. I was just curious if I can add those trace elements to your concotion. I really never have to add mg for some reason. Maybe 20 ml every other week ... thanks ms for the input. Luckly I have a lab at my disposal so I can mix what ever I want and filter it down to .2 micron

ReefMoto · Sep 28, 2014

I made recipe one alk portion already because I have a lower ph In my tank. Since I added the new alk solution ph stays between 8.1 to 8.3 at the higest. I was just curious if I can add those trace elements to your concotion. I really never have to add mg for some reason. Maybe 20 ml every other week ... thanks ms for the input. Luckly I have a lab at my disposal so I can mix what ever I want and filter it down to .2 micron

redfishbluefish · Sep 28, 2014

I'm a recipe 1 user.....2 1/4 baking soda baked for an hour to one gallon of RO/DI. 2 cups Preston Driveway Heat to one gallon for the calc part. Also make the Mag solution with Epsom and Mag Flakes....but not used much.

And the reason why....It works and I can dose my 90 gallon tank for less than $15-20 year.

Triggreef · Sep 28, 2014

I'm unsure why anyone really uses diy two part. It's not that expensive & should last a good time. I get c-balance from drs foster Smith for $ 31 per gallon, that is one gallon of each. It has all sorts of things your not getting with baking soda. Check the actual ingredients list. And to top it off, it's meant to be used in equal parts, in order to maintain a proper balanced ratio of ca to alk. If dosed in equal parts it will keep correct levels of each. It's when people think that need ca to be 450 with alk at 8.4 & they start messing with dosing extra ca part.... that is when things go bad.

Just my opinion, a gallon last me over a month easy & I have a large amount of sps. I dose each part for 4minutes every other hr alternating. Alk on odd hrs, ca on even hrs. Never an issue except once when I ran out for a day or 2. Which is why I still test a couple times a week.

Robthorn · Sep 28, 2014

Everyone is different. I use Brightwell Aquatics powders and mix my own solutions according to the advanced directions. Alkalin 8.3p, calcion p and Magnesion P. Been working very well for me for many years. I have tried Dow flake and other formulas over the years and what I am doing now is just easier for me.

ReefMoto · Sep 28, 2014

Has anyone ever heard of the Dowflakes and other driveway calcium having added more boron and or having elevated bromine levels?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 29, 2014

Triggreef said:
ICheck the actual ingredients list. And to top it off, it's meant to be used in equal parts, in order to maintain a proper balanced ratio of ca to alk. If dosed in equal parts it will keep correct levels of each. It's when people think that need ca to be 450 with alk at 8.4 & they start messing with dosing extra ca part.... that is when things go bad.

That part, at least, is exactly the same for the DIY, at least in terms of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. Potassium too, assuming Dowflake is used and has not changed the amounts of potassium present in it.

I agree that a commercial two part may be better with respect to some minor ions, if made properly, but most of the trace elements are probably present as impurities in the primary ingredients.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 29, 2014

ReefMoto said:
Has anyone ever heard of the Dowflakes and other driveway calcium having added more boron and or having elevated bromine levels?

When I first devised the DIY two part, Dowflake removed some excess bromide. Then they stopped doing so. For that reason, the more cautious person might choose to use a better grade of calcium chloride, such as sold by BRS, especilly if you use a very large amount of it in a tank with high demand for calcium and alkalinity. But many people have used the bromide material with no problems, at least if they do water changes.

I've not heard of a boron issue from Dowflake. The original did not have enough to worry about (and matched some hobby brands).

ReefMoto · Nov 4, 2014

So tank crashed. It was the heat wave and a nutrient problem. Anyways I'm starting over and going to use brs calcium chloride and arm and hammer baking soda