Potassium supplement

[lduncan]

Sulfate and sulfur is very important in de-nitrification and nutrient cycling.

Extra important if your using a DSB.

I haven't seen any other information on any other roles in aquarium.

Sulfur's similar to phosphate in that it's tightly cycled, so isn't depleted rapidly, and isn't exported as easily as phosphate either.

Some analysis of salt shows that some asw may be low in sulfate, so with something like magnesium, where often you have to add a LOT to bring levels up, using a mix of sulfate and chloride, can help minimize any skewing of chloride levels. Plus mag sulfate is easy to get hold of.

Layton

[Bruce]

Have a look at this

I Use Lugols Fluid (4%) Potassium Iodide on a weekly basis, I dose 2 drops per 400 litres

This is available from your local chemist for about $15.00

One bottle will last years

Adds Iodine and Potassium Iodide

Preparation of Lugol's iodine

Dissolve 10 g of potassium iodide in 100 ml distilled water. Add 5 g of iodine after the potassium iodide is fully dissolved. Stir well until all the iodine flakes have fully dissolved.

The solution should be stored in a sealed container to prevent evaporation of iodine and loss of staining activity.

Do a google search on Reef Aquaria and Lugols

/Bruce

[chimera]

Chim, that was when adding magnesium. A combo of sulfate and chloride to try and balance things a little more due to the mass that needs to be added

yeah that was it

Chimera, not sure if you're aware, but NSW is 60% Sodium Chloride.

In other words most of the water in your tank is a chloride which is a neutral form of chlorine!

Convert it and your tanks history...

but dosing XXX chlorides is a non issue because there is so much chloride any way.

completely aware. if your tank has 60% sodium chloride, and you dose magnesium chloride and calcium chloride, then you're adding chlorides on top of what you have, so more than the normal 60% and who's to say that chloride in seawater is so finely balanced that the addition of even say 5% more chloride doesnt throw everything out of whack? take it even further, what if you dont do a water change for 2 months but dose heaps of mg chloride and ca chloride to keep up with the uptake, what happens then? clearly a higher percentage of chloride. btw, a year of dosing is a bold call. with the amount of mg chloride i've been adding, it's gotta be a HEAP of chloride. not proving you wrong, just want some hard evidence to prove it!

[wasp]

I think you miss the point of the whole concept behind the placebo effect.

. No.

[wasp]

Chloride against sulphur in NSW runs about 10 to 1. So if wanting to keep correct ionic balance, if dosing say calcium chloride, you could also add magnesium in the form of magnesium sulphate, enough to get the correct balance. Likely though you would also have to add some magnesium in the form of magnesium chloride because otherwise it would be easy to quickly exceed the amount of sulphate in NSW.

I think what Cracker is saying is that since there is already a heckuva lot of chloride in NSW, a bit more will not change things much in % terms. However take sulphate for example which is in much lower amount, would be more easy to change the amount by a big %.

But for me, I always try to keep everything as close to NSW as possible, wether the benefit has been proved or not, it can't hurt.

[cracker]

I agree Wasp,

My philosophy is to chuck heaps of MaG, Ca, and Strontium Chloride in to the tank all the time. I also throw in a tablespoon of MG sulphate every now and again, but I do large 30% water changes every six odd weeks.

This is the balancing regime I believe works for my system. I have been doing it for 2 years and my tank is ok.

Chim.....Maybe a year too much, but find me proof of disaster WITH Chloride overdose first.

[lduncan]

Where did you get Strontium chloride from, how much?

[cracker]

Im still in the process of getting STR Chloride in bulk through the States.

Its difficult getting companies to participate.

At the moment Im using seachem REEF ADVANTAGE which is chloride based. (I got a 4 kilo bucket imported for way too much $$).

Not sure of the ingredient ratios though, which is why I want to get it pure from elsewhere.

I can get some pure shipped at the moment, (100% pure lab grade), for $15.00 a kilo, but am reluctant to spend that much unless someone wants to join me. It comes in 55 kilo barrels.

Im sure it will be more potent then SEACHEM also. They have probably got bulking agents in there to make more money.

[cracker]

Im heading to the states in a couple of months, so may bring a heap back. will check on the pricing and vicinty.

[lduncan]

A 55 kg barrel would be enough to last several hundred lifetimes!

[wasp]

Where did you get Strontium chloride from, how much?

If you do a web search Layton it is available. I imported 5 kg of high grade from the US. How much? Not much. Freight it the biggest part.

[lduncan]

Yip. Just thought that someone might have found a convenient economical source in NZ.

[wasp]

Been there, tried that, it is simply not available except at extortionate prices for tiny amounts.

Mind you that was a couple of years ago, but I doubt anything has changed.

[ZEOvitANZ]

Do you find in NZ if you ask for chemicals from suppliers that they look at you as if your going to build a bomb ?

[wasp]

Funny you said that!!!!

A couple of years ago when I was sourcing these chemicals I called on a number of chemists, and was quizzed intently, before they eventually told me they couldn't do it.

The whole thing was a real pain, embarrassing even, I did feel under suspicion.

Makes me appreciate the internet even more :lol:

[lduncan]

I'd love to see someone build a bomb which chlorides and carbonates.

All the questioning seems strange when you can find everything you need to make a bomb at a garden centre for a few dollars. :lol:

Oklahoma bombing was carried out with little more sophistication than that.

[Feelers]

Clarks Chemicals sold me 50kg of potassium nitrate while I was in my highschool uniform.

They all just gave wry smiles, the guy told me the only thing that they couldnt sell me was alcohol. - you need a permit for that.