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6K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  citrusvrucht 
#1 ·
Hi,

Who can think of a way to dose liquid KH or alk buffer using a dosing pump?

It's easy to find solutions (no pun intended) for marine tanks OR powders for fresh water tanks. But I've not found a liquid product for fresh water.

My tap water is 1KH so I need to dose alkalinity buffer, or kh+, into the tank to prevent gradual decline in PH.

I use a fully automated water change system & auto top off system so I'd love to integrate a liquid KH/Alk dosing using my peristaltic pumps.

Ideally this liquid would not be phosphate based.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
Andrew
 
#8 ·
No, I believe bicarbonates are generally more soluble than carbonates.

Bicarbonates tend to be more readily available than carbonates (not sure about pricing). With regards to the "potency" I did not work out the molar concentrations, but this is an exercise left to the reader (or you can just Google it).

Yes, baking sodium bicarbonate will decompose it into sodium carbonate.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the reply Darkblade.

Could you do the same, baking Potassium Bicarbonate to create Potassium Carbonate?
Again, I'm no chemist so I have no idea if anything is ignitable or if the same would apply (I would imagine so).

Found these about solubility
INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY OF CARBONATES & BICARBONATES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_carbonate#Solubility

Too tired to read them right now, so will get back to that later.
Does it state anywhere the solubility of how many grams of bicarb vs carb can be dissolved in X amount of water?
Just from knowing that dissolved form would only be bicarbonates, wouldn't they have the same solubility?
Lol, I need to get some rest and research it.
 
#11 ·
You can make up a liquid KH booster. The amounts depend on what your'e using, the size of the tank, the dose size and the solubility of the chemical.

I have several listed in my Windows calculator if you don't want to do the calculations yourself.

Amount of each to raise one gallon of water 1 dKH

KHCO3 135.045657592 mg Solubility @ 20 °C: 337g/l
K2CO3 93.212947875 mg Solubility @ 20 °C: 1,110g/l
NaHCO3 21.761702144 mg Solubility @ 20 °C: 96g/l

Example, Lets say you have a 10 gallon tank. You want to raise KH 2 dGH. Using a 1 liter bottle, a dose size of 30ml and K2CO3...

93.212947875 * 2 = 186.42589575 mg to raise 1 gallon 2 degrees

186.42589575 * 10 = 1,864.2589575 mg to raise 10 gallons 2 degrees

So one dose is 1,864.2589575 mg

1,000 ml / 30 ml = 33.333 doses in one liter

33.333 * 1,864.2589575 = 62,141 mg

Check solubility. 62.141 grams is 1,110g/l so your'e all set.

Add 62.141 grams to your 1 liter container and dose at 30 ml per 10 gallons to raise KH 2 dKH

btw, Solubility was obtained from a solubility table. No math involved


http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/hardness-larryfrank.html
 
#12 ·
There is no difference to dosing a freshwater tank vs a marine tank for KH maintenance, in a fundamental sense. You will certainly be dosing a lot less in most freshwater systems so that means use a less concentrated solution.

Ideally for a dosing pump, you want to be putting in small, daily amounts, matched to your consumption rate, to keep it as consistent as possible. So your solution concentration should keep this in mind.

Were you looking for someone to give you a favorable solution concentration and recipe?

Bump: There is no difference to dosing a freshwater tank vs a marine tank for KH maintenance, in a fundamental sense. You will certainly be dosing a lot less in most freshwater systems so that means use a less concentrated solution.

Ideally for a dosing pump, you want to be putting in small, daily amounts, matched to your consumption rate, to keep it as consistent as possible. So your solution concentration should keep this in mind.

Were you looking for someone to give you a favorable solution concentration and recipe?
 
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