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DIY KZ Coral Snow (with >97% purity)


jedimasterben

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jedimasterben

I don't know if this was addressed, but if I make a stock solution, how long will it keep and should it be stored at room temp? Should it be used within a certain timeframe?

It can be kept indefinitely in any conditions. The CaCO3 doesn't dissolve (it is only suspended in the solution) so you don't have to worry about different conditions deteriorating it or precipitating. :)
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It can be kept indefinitely in any conditions. The CaCO3 doesn't dissolve (it is only suspended in the solution) so you don't have to worry about different conditions deteriorating it or precipitating. :)

Fantastic, thank you

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I don't know if this was addressed, but if I make a stock solution, how long will it keep and should it be stored at room temp? Should it be used within a certain timeframe?

good question
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Most homebrewing supply stores should have calcium carbonate powder. It is used for creating water profiles for brewing certain types of beer styles better. Great if you want to just try it out.....I bought 50 grams for $1.25.

 

Do be careful though and make sure to ask for calcium carbonate as they will also stock calcium chloride and calcium sulphate.

 

Dan

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So Korallen Zucht's Zeovit product line has been around for a while. It contains many products, but one that finds usefulness outside of the ultra low nutrient setups is Coral Snow. In addition, the claims that KZ makes about it are not completely absurd and actually lie in the science of it. They claim it is a 'calcium-magnesium carbonate mix' (aka MgCO3 and CaCO3). When dried, it looks like an off-white confectioners sugar, extremely fine ground powder.

 

It is essentially a calcite chalk. Yes, the same stuff that teachers used to write on chalkboards with, that is bought for pennies and sold in RO/DI at nearly $120 per liter.

 

Despite being expensive, it does have its benefits. Organics adhere to its surface, as do particulates, acting as a flocculent, being easily removed via protein skimming or small micron mechanical filtration. This leads to unparalleled water clarity.

 

Thankfully there is a cheaper way to get that same clarifying effect. You can purchase food grade calcium carbonate powder, minimum 97% purity, for around $9 per pound, less if you order more (but that's not really necessary).

 

It comes as a very fine powder. You will want to mix it with water before dosing. The amount of KZ product in each mL (after it is very well-shaken to thoroughly mix) is 0.4g. This is a bit less than 1/8 teaspoon, and this is good for roughly 100 liters aquarium volume (25 gallons). You can either just put the dry powder into a small container and mix right there, or you can create a stock solution.

 

For a 250mL solution, use 5 level tablespoons (roughly 115 grams) of CaCO3 powder and add roughly 230mL of RO/DI water. This should mix right about 250mL. The powder will NOT dissolve, it will stay suspended in the water. Will look like this when you're done.

 

20150826_190144.jpg

 

 

Mix thoroughly before dosing, and dose 1mL per 100L volume (25 gallons) whenever you feel like. No harm in doing it daily, twice a day, once a week, etc, as it gets removed from the water column. It won't raise your pH, calcium, or alkalinity, as the powder will not dissolve in a reef aquarium, the pH is too high. You can even double, triple the dose without consequence. Your tank will look like this (actually a bit cloudier, as this is roughly an hour post-dose) for a few hours, then will clear up with much higher clarity than before.

 

20150826_181336.jpg

 

 

Happy reefing!

 

You said they say Coral snow is calcium & magnesium carbonate.... the links I've seen you say were ok are just calcium carbonate.... should we get the magnesium carbonate as well for the "full effect"?

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jedimasterben

Most homebrewing supply stores should have calcium carbonate powder. It is used for creating water profiles for brewing certain types of beer styles better. Great if you want to just try it out.....I bought 50 grams for $1.25.

 

Do be careful though and make sure to ask for calcium carbonate as they will also stock calcium chloride and calcium sulphate.

 

Dan

So roughly the same price. Does the packaging give the purity?

 

You said they say Coral snow is calcium & magnesium carbonate.... the links I've seen you say were ok are just calcium carbonate.... should we get the magnesium carbonate as well for the "full effect"?

Magnesium carbonate is an impurity in the calcite used to make the powder (label should also show the silica, phosphate, iron, etc lol). I don't believe that MgCO3 has the same flocculent property that CaCO3 does, but it might. Both are insoluble in reef aquaria, though, so adding more of one and less of the other won't really change anything.

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Magnesium carbonate is an impurity in the calcite used to make the powder (label should also show the silica, phosphate, iron, etc lol). I don't believe that MgCO3 has the same flocculent property that CaCO3 does, but it might. Both are insoluble in reef aquaria, though, so adding more of one and less of the other won't really change anything.

 

Ok cool thanks man..... And since they are insoluble in Reefs neither will have any impact at all on calcium/ magnesium levels either correct.

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jedimasterben

 

Ok cool thanks man..... And since they are insoluble in Reefs neither will have any impact at all on calcium/ magnesium levels either correct.

Correct, unless your pH drops into the high six range, but you'd have TONS of other problems if that happened lol :)

 

 

I tell him that almost every single day. I wonder how his head hasn't exploded yet.

 

So this shit just makes your water more clear?

:lol:

 

 

Just a tad clear ;)

 

 

IMG_2604.jpg

  • Like 5
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never considered using coral snow. but if ben says its great, well damn it, then it must be great. just ordered mine and cant wait to give it a shot. although, I'm sure the folks at KZ aren't happy about this discovery. lol

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So roughly the same price. Does the packaging give the purity?

 

 

 

 

No it doesn't give the purity, it must be food grade though, for beer and all.
It looks like they bought bulk and split it up into small ziplock packages.
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jedimasterben

No it doesn't give the purity, it must be food grade though, for beer and all.

It looks like they bought bulk and split it up into small ziplock packages.

The problem with that is that food grade doesn't necessarily have to have a specific purity, it just needs to be in compliance with FDA rules as far as the contents (no heavy metals, etc).

  • Like 1
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Got my baggie from Amazon today. My daughter in college shares my Amazon account so she got copied on the shipment notification. She sent me a text asking "Is this cocaine?"

21123624095_67e7f035d5_b.jpg2015-09-03 by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

Isn't Amazon great? You can get anything there :D

 

Anyway...here's my 4g tank right after dosing. I'll post an update after it clears.

20501030764_77d16b8987_b.jpg20150903_191505.jpg by TeenyReef, on Flickr

  • Like 9
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And? How did it go?

Took a few hours to clear up but I was surprised how clear the water was. Keep in mind I have a pretty low tech set up going on, I don't run carbon or anything....it was probably purely coincidental but one of my nems was really pissed off after the dosing. I did a water change a couple days later and it was back to its normal self. Again, probably purely coincidental, and I will surely be using this regularly.

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I got mine just haven't had time but I plan to post before and after pics g/l

my "cocaine" powder arrives today, so i'll be testing it this afternoon. anybody else use it yet?

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