Calcium/Alkanlinity

[BaySailor]

Well I just joined, so i'd like to volunteer a tip that has probably saved me a couple of thousand dollars over the years i've been reefing. I have a swimming pool, which as it happens, requires both calcium and alkalinity in very large quantities. One day, after buying $100 worth of B-Ionic, I decided to try mixing a couple of cups of each with r/o water and mix it in the gallon jugs I got from B-Ionic. I've been using it ever since (about four years) and I have had no problem I can attribute to these chemicals. My coral growth has been excellent. I don't have much crystalline algae, but that's probably because I keep the Alk at around 8 or 9 instead of 10-12.

 

Calcium Chloride and Soda Ash can be purchased locally at any pool store, but I get mine at Leslie's because its cheaper. If you're looking for ways to save some bucks, you might want to consider it. Eric

[Origami]

Thanks for the tip, Eric. Pool supply stores have a variety of chemicals that we can take advantage of. There are a number of sources of Calcium Chloride that can help reduce costs. Certain brands of ice melt can be had very cheaply. Prestone Driveway Heat, for example. For magnesium, we can use a magnesium chloride ice melt from Dead Sea Works, along with some Espom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) in proper proportion. And, for alkalinity, we can use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), or bake the baking soda to produce soda ash (sodium carbonate). If you haven't read it before, a good article for any person using two-part to read is this.

[Coral Hind]

I've recently been using Leslie's soda ash and calcium for both my pool and tank. Everything seems to be doing fine with it.

[DaveS]

Yup, pH UP from Lowe's a much easier to find than Soda ash from the grocery store. Same exact thing.

 

BaySailor- if you decide to pay the $20 membership fee and join, you'll see a bunch of group buys and other deals that will save you money in exactly the same way as this.

[Origami]

... for both my pool and tank...

I see a very large tank upgrade in the future....

 

Has anybody tried using Lanthanum Chloride from a pool supply store for quick reduction of phosphates?

[BaySailor]

Right, forgot about the dues...now i'm a new member. Haven't heard of lanthanum chloride but GFO seems to be working for me.

[Origami]

Lanthanum will precipitate out phosphates quickly. It's different than GFO which binds it on the surface. It's not something I use, but I was just wondering. I read an article by Daniel Knop a while back about it and have heard about other members using it from time to time. It's also used in the pool industry and, in the volumes required for pools, is much cheaper from that industry than from reefing sources.

[BaySailor]

No argument from me on your last point. I doubt there's a cheaper way to handle the calk/alk expense. I'll have to check out that Lanthanum stuff, maybe it will help w/my gha problem.

[Origami]

I wouldn't take the Lanthanum approach if things are stable in your tank. I was just curious as to whether anyone had tried sourcing it from a pool supply company....

[F&Fmgr]

I see a very large tank upgrade in the future....

 

Has anybody tried using Lanthanum Chloride from a pool supply store for quick reduction of phosphates?

 

yUP, AND BOY DOES IT WORK QUICKLY. NEED TO HAVE A SETTLING CHAMBER FOR THE PRECIPITATE THO. SORRY CAPS LOCK.

 

sEAN

[Origami]

HI SEAN! Just kidding.

 

Do you see any ill-effects from a sudden, precipitous drop in phosphate? How do your corals react for the days after dosing? Do you source the Lanthanum from a pool-supply house, or where?

 

Some catch the precipitate in a filter sock. Any luck with that, or does it clog the sock too quickly?