My Observations after a year of scrubbing.

Garf · Aug 6, 2014

iiluisii said: ↑

Please read the last part of this article on the build up that a reef tank would have when using 2 part without water changes. This also goes for kalk and a reactor
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/
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Can't speak for Ricky but I've been dabbling with dissolving Aragonite in RODI. (Softies only);

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2427616

Randy Holmes-Farley;22948671 said:

I discuss such possibilities here:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/7/chemistry

from it:

Dissolution of CaCO3 in Water Prior to Addition
The best way, in my opinion, to use calcium carbonate as a supplement is to dissolve it in fresh water prior to addition. In this sense, it can be used rather like limewater. One can rig up an automatic evaporation replacement system using appropriate pumps and float switches, and just use water saturated with CaCO3 instead of limewater. Alternatively, one can simply pour the saturated water into the tank each day. Unfortunately, the fact that you can add it this way is a mixed blessing. One reason that you can add it this way is that there is so little present that the carbonate does not drive up the pH too much.

So how much goes into solution? This question is rarely addressed directly, and it is because of one big complication: carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In the case of limewater, it is partially destroyed by atmospheric carbon dioxide (producing insoluble CaCO3 from the dissolved calcium and hydroxide). In the case of calcium carbonate, however, the solubility is actually increased by mixing with carbon dioxide. The reason that the solubility is increased is that the carbon dioxide enters the water, becomes carbonic acid (equation 1), and largely combines with carbonate ions to form two bicarbonate ions (equation 2):

1. CO2 + H2O ⇔ H2CO3 ⇔ H+ + HCO3-

2. H+ + CO32- ⇔ 2HCO3-

The net effect is that the concentration of carbonate ions declines: since the solubility of calcium carbonate is governed by the multiplication product of the calcium and carbonate concentrations (equation 3), more calcium carbonate can dissolve to regain saturation.

3. KSP = [Ca2+][CO32-]

Knowing the KSP and some other constants, it is a textbook calculation to determine how much calcium carbonate can dissolve in pure water in the absence of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Pankow (Aquatic Chemistry Concepts; 1991) carries out this calculation for calcite (a slightly less soluble form of calcium carbonate than aragonite).

For those really interested in the chemical details, this calculation is actually much more complicated than it would first appear (i.e., more complicated than for a simple salt like NaCl). You cannot simply solve equation 3 for [Ca2+] and [CO32+]. You need to take into account the fact that some of the carbonate that comes from dissolution will be converted into bicarbonate (HCO3-) and even carbonic acid (H2CO3). This conversion permits more CaCO3 to dissolve before the carbonate concentration rises too high to dissolve any more. One also needs to take into account the fact that calcium can exist as CaOH+, which effectively lowers the calcium concentration (though not very extensively at pH values below 11).

From this calculation, we find that the solution at equilibrium contains about 6 ppm calcium and 0.3 meq/L alkalinity, and results in a pH of 10.0. If we correct this result for aragonite instead of calcite (which is slightly more soluble), we get about 10 ppm calcium and 0.5 meq/L alkalinity, with a pH of just over 10 (which is what about what I got when I initially dissolved both AragaMIGHT and Southdown aragonite sand in RO/DI water). For comparison, full strength limewater contains about 820 ppm calcium and 41 meq/L alkalinity.

The calculation is even more involved when atmospheric carbon dioxide is allowed to enter the system. Thankfully, Pankow has again done the calculations for us. In equilibrium with normal atmospheric carbon dioxide, the solubility is increased by about a factor of 3, with the alkalinity about 1 meq/L and the calcium about 20 ppm. In this case, the pH drops to about 8.3 as the carbon dioxide enters the system. Confirming Pankow's calculation, this result is about what I got when I let both AragaMIGHT and Southdown aragonite sand sit in RO/DI water for a few days). Still, these calcium and alkalinity values are about 40X lower than for saturated limewater, so are likely not enough to satisfy the needs of most reef tanks.

At one point I had the bright idea of adding aragonite to seltzer (soda water) bought at the grocery store to really boost the solubility and maybe have a nice, liquid additive. Seltzer has far more carbon dioxide in it than water in contact with normal air (which is why it goes flat when open), and that extra carbon dioxide will cause a great deal more calcium carbonate to dissolve (at 3.5 atmospheres CO2, the solution would contain more than 10 meq/L alkalinity and would be similar to limewater in potency, but much lower in pH). If only I had been able to mix them!! Instead, it ended up a science experiment for the kids, with the added aragonite sand providing a perfect surface for the carbon dioxide to turn into the gas phase and erupt from the bottle as a fountain of water, gas, and sand!
Click to expand...

Ricky · Aug 6, 2014

I use two part and Tech M when I need magnesium.

How can you dose trace elements when we don't even know what trace elements we need?

iiluisii · Aug 6, 2014

Ricky said: ↑

I use two part and Tech M when I need magnesium.

How can you dose trace elements when we don't even know what trace elements we need?
Click to expand...

Read the link I posted about two part. And on trace elements test some of your elements and you will be surprise. In my 135 after dosing aquavitro fuel, stronium,potasium and lugols my sps were night and day different colors were bright and growth was faster. Just with a simple addition of trace elements.
My old 135

iiluisii · Aug 6, 2014

iiluisii · Aug 6, 2014

rleahaines · Aug 6, 2014

fantastic pictures! Flying fish? !

iiluisii · Aug 6, 2014

rleahaines said: ↑

fantastic pictures! Flying fish? !
Click to expand...

It was a peninsula tank lol so it links like it

Turbo · Aug 6, 2014

iiluisii said: ↑

Just with a simple addition of trace elements.
Click to expand...

Wait, I thought our tanks got all the trace they need from food. Who said that?

...another "fact" bites the dust.

Garf · Aug 6, 2014

Turbo said: ↑

Wait, I thought our tanks got all the trace they need from food. Who said that?

...another "fact" bites the dust.
Click to expand...

It's confused further when you look at post 2 and 3 here
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?2643-Elements-in-Foods

Ricky · Aug 6, 2014

Exactly my point. We don't really now squat.. so why mess with it.

Nice tank @iiluisii

iiluisii · Aug 6, 2014

Ricky said: ↑

Exactly my point. We don't really now squat.. so why mess with it.

Nice tank @iiluisii
Click to expand...

Thanks rick it's my old tank

Garf · Aug 6, 2014

Oh how I wish "Elegance Coral" from RC was part of our gang. He knows everything

Think I may give him a poke about wasting trace elements by running bare bottom and siphoning religiously.

Edit - poked
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22996070#post22996070

iiluisii · Aug 7, 2014

Garf most of the most successful sps tanks in the hobby are bare bottom just saying.

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