DIY Salt- Anyone interested in a group build?

[faerieannette]

WOW, you guys are really hardcore!

[dave w]

Hey guys, I'm a year late in finding your thread. I posted on Reef Central to solve my DIY salt problems, only to find the home boys had already done all the work! I DIY salted a 350 gallon seed tank to dump into my greenhouse by following the DIY salt recipe from the guy in Arizona on RC who built a 1,000 gallon tank and that started your thread. Except that I found two problems with that mix. The first is minor, my SG was only 1.017 because my salt was hydrated with atmospheric moisture, so I am now figuring out which salts will correct the SG. Second, and more important, is that the Kent's Marine Essential Elements may not be accurate as to trace elements. There is no list of ingredients on the label so nobody know whether the formula is valid, or if the last 10% of expensive ingredients were left out. So it is better to follow Millero's recipe than use Kent's.

 

If there's interest in starting up DIY salt mix again, I can help. I have enough ingredients for about 4,000 gallons, except I still need to acquire the last of the trace minerals. I think the easiest way to get a uniform mix is to make a couple of brine solutions containing everything but NaCl, then let people finish the mix by adding dry NaCL at home from their own bags of solar salt from Home Depot. I don't see how a dry mix in a plastic barrell will be as accurate as water mixing.

 

I think each interested WAMAS member can take home a few 5 gallon buckets of a two part brine mix and probably have enough for several hundred gallons of DIY salt mix. I calculate that DIY salt costs 10 cents a gallon. But more than cost I see two major advantages. One, the trace mineral mix will be accurate. Two, if we lighten the NaCl portion we can still keep the sodium/chlorine in balance by making our mix stronger in sodium bicarbonate as buffer (baking soda), more Calcium Chloride, and more Magnesium Chloride. We can get high proportions of the good salts without upsetting the NaCl balance. Otherwise if we add lots of buffer, Mag and Cal to our tanks we would end up with too much sodium and chlorine left over after our tanks deplete the good elements.

 

Did the party end last March,? I don't mind volunteering the garage and mixing tubs but I could use some help getting the last of the trace minerals and calculating how heavy to mix the extra sodium bicarbonate, Cal and Mag. There was a guy mentioned in the Delbeek/Sprung book that perfected this process. I really think if we leave out the solar salt then small volumes can work for a lot of people.

Edited February 5, 2012 by dave w

[DaveS]

Actually the event never happened. I was lame and dropped the ball. Actually, besides getting a little busy, I did the math. I got through about 200G every month or so, depending on the aforementioned laziness. I don't remember the exact numbers but based on the ~$40/box specials that our sponsors run, I thing the savings came out to something like $5/box. That didn't seem to be worth the work and storage space required to do this.

 

I will say that my math was very quick and dirty so maybe it was off. If someone wants to lead this effort, I'll join in and help. Unfortunately with my work schedule right now, I can't lead this. Dave W, sounds like a perfect event to have at your place coupled with a greenhouse tour!

[dave w]

I am willing to host. Like most people, I have a full plate now with several projects and would need help on details like finding sources of the last couple trace minerals. I misstated above, there is a list of ingredients on the Kent's Essentials bottle, but not percentages. The largest ingredient is calcium chloride which is dirt cheap. Does anybody else trust Kent's accuracy or lack of it, or am I being overly suspicious?

 

I understand that a 100 gallon water change will only save you $15, and that most people's system is too small to bother with this savings. To me the value is in knowing that my DIY mix has large amounts (and cheap amounts) of Calcium, Magnesium and buffer. And that adding these elements in large amounts will not result in a brine of NaCl as the animals remove the extra elements. When one considers the cost of 2 part ionic buffer solutions it raises your savings.

 

Having said that, others don't need to see things my way. It is a pain to mix DIY salt and save the 2 part additions unless one has a large system. I have to do it anyway so cheap water changes and Cal/Mag additions can keep my system healthy. It may not replace a calcium reactor, but cheap water changes will do more than just add calcium.

[davelin315]

Have you thought of hitting up the zoos and aquariums that make their own salt to see what they do as far as ingredients and ratios?

[dave w]

Have you thought of hitting up the zoos and aquariums that make their own salt to see what they do as far as ingredients and ratios?

 

No I hadn't thought of that. I was hoping somebody here worked for a chemical company. Many years ago I got stuff from Tilley in Baltimore but I don't even know if they're still in business.