i remember reading about a commercial salt substitution recipe on here a while back but lost it in a recent move. Can anyone give me some insight for a FOWLR tank without having to go buy salt for my weekly water changes?
commercial salt substitution
- Thread starter shark_curious
- Start date
+1 I have been told that the boxes are much more stable and better than the buckets for some reason. Not sure why, but they tend to be cheaper than the buckets anyway.jworth;4737517; said:you need salt for salt water tanksjust buy the 200 gallon buckets.
ive been doing that but with a 240 gallon tank that becomes pricey, obviously i need salt, but does anyone have a recipe so to speak to get all the key elements i would need
can anyone shed any light on this? found it on shark ray central.
The basic formula comes from a couple of sources -
Most notable are from "Chemical Oceanography" by Frank Millero, and Mattiej's Salt Recipe that he posted on a couple other aquatic forums nearly 3 years ago.
Mattiej's version is based on 25 gallons. As opposed to the Frank Millero's version which is based on about a liter.
For this Board, I will quote Mattiej's version. Since it's the easiest to understand, and use.
2350 g - sodium chloride (NaCl)
500 g - magnesium chloride (MgCl)
400 g - magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
110 g - calcium chloride (CaCl)
66 g - potassium chloride (KCl)
20 g - sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)
2 g - strontium chloride (SrCl)
With smaller amounts of various trace elements.
Note: Mattiej uses a 1 capful of Kent Marine Essential Elements - to cover the trace elements.
The Sources:
NaCl - water softener salt
MgCl - ice melter at Hardware/Home supply stores - (i.e. Lowe's/Home Depot)
MgSO4 - Epsoms salt at local grocery or drug store
CaCl2 - another ice melter at hardware/home supply stores
KCl - solar salt - called pipe safe at hardware/home supply stores
NaHCO3 - baking soda (local grocery store)
SrCl2 Kent Marine Turbo Strontium - LFS or online
The Kent Marine Essential Elements - but can be substituted for any full spectrum additive to cover these trace elements.
The Directions - are as follow mix above amounts with 25 gallons of RO water & aerate fo at least 24 hours. The result will be a salinity of about 31-32 ppt or a specific gravity of about 1.023-1.024, with a pH of 8.1. If you want a slightly higher pH - then a little more Sodium Bicarbonate(baking soda).
Also note: To buy all those chemicals - adds up to about 5-8 cents per gallon. Compared with name brand Aquarium salt mixes - which run about 20-33 cents per gallon
The basic formula comes from a couple of sources -
Most notable are from "Chemical Oceanography" by Frank Millero, and Mattiej's Salt Recipe that he posted on a couple other aquatic forums nearly 3 years ago.
Mattiej's version is based on 25 gallons. As opposed to the Frank Millero's version which is based on about a liter.
For this Board, I will quote Mattiej's version. Since it's the easiest to understand, and use.
2350 g - sodium chloride (NaCl)
500 g - magnesium chloride (MgCl)
400 g - magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
110 g - calcium chloride (CaCl)
66 g - potassium chloride (KCl)
20 g - sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)
2 g - strontium chloride (SrCl)
With smaller amounts of various trace elements.
Note: Mattiej uses a 1 capful of Kent Marine Essential Elements - to cover the trace elements.
The Sources:
NaCl - water softener salt
MgCl - ice melter at Hardware/Home supply stores - (i.e. Lowe's/Home Depot)
MgSO4 - Epsoms salt at local grocery or drug store
CaCl2 - another ice melter at hardware/home supply stores
KCl - solar salt - called pipe safe at hardware/home supply stores
NaHCO3 - baking soda (local grocery store)
SrCl2 Kent Marine Turbo Strontium - LFS or online
The Kent Marine Essential Elements - but can be substituted for any full spectrum additive to cover these trace elements.
The Directions - are as follow mix above amounts with 25 gallons of RO water & aerate fo at least 24 hours. The result will be a salinity of about 31-32 ppt or a specific gravity of about 1.023-1.024, with a pH of 8.1. If you want a slightly higher pH - then a little more Sodium Bicarbonate(baking soda).
Also note: To buy all those chemicals - adds up to about 5-8 cents per gallon. Compared with name brand Aquarium salt mixes - which run about 20-33 cents per gallon
If you perform water changes to control nitrate and phosphate, why don't you look into building one of these?
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180385
As long as you make sure there's no significant evaporation, you could go a long time before needing to do a water change.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180385
As long as you make sure there's no significant evaporation, you could go a long time before needing to do a water change.
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f76/diy-salt-mix-98902.html
Dont know about here, but this is a thread on the matter elsewhere.
http://nycichlids.com/viewtopic.php?p=15409
The cichlid thread is about people using solar water softener salt in their tanks for cichlids I believe, but its possible that one could use it for a FOWLR maybe.
The second option I would not do, ever. The first however I might try on a FOWLR.
Dont know about here, but this is a thread on the matter elsewhere.
http://nycichlids.com/viewtopic.php?p=15409
The cichlid thread is about people using solar water softener salt in their tanks for cichlids I believe, but its possible that one could use it for a FOWLR maybe.
The second option I would not do, ever. The first however I might try on a FOWLR.
Whoops! Got ninja'd...cool that you got in touch with mattiej.
An algae scrubber works to keep nitrates and phosphates down, but it pulls, and wont replenish EE's in a tank. H2o changes are necessary.
Last note, after reading through a couple threads on the matter, it looks like that actually might be (I think it probably WILL be) more expensive than just buying your salt in bulk. Plus whatever your time is worth.
An algae scrubber works to keep nitrates and phosphates down, but it pulls, and wont replenish EE's in a tank. H2o changes are necessary.
Last note, after reading through a couple threads on the matter, it looks like that actually might be (I think it probably WILL be) more expensive than just buying your salt in bulk. Plus whatever your time is worth.
Buying IO salt even not in bulk, just the 200g box works out to about $0.25 a gallon. A little bit less for IO or if its on sale.
Your recipe works out to about the same...minus the cost of your time, and the quality of your salt...probably not worth it.
Your recipe works out to about the same...minus the cost of your time, and the quality of your salt...probably not worth it.
ive already built an algae scrubber, but im waiting on a bulkhead to drill out my sump to add the algae scrubber. I also have a diy denitrification tube. just wanted to see all my options
