DIY Two-Part Calcium/Alkalinity Solution??

[gilbertjanke]

Any one ever try making or currently using the DIY recipe for Calcium and Alkalinity mentioned here.
An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Is this a pretty good recipe? Im thinking about trying it instead of buying the B-ionic 2 part solutions.

Ive got a new born and am close to broke.

I priced out a 2 lb bag of 100% calcium chloride from a pool supply store at $6.99
Epsom salt for the magnesium at $3.00
and
Baking soda for $3.00
$13.oo for enough chems to make multi gallons of the 2 part solution

Worth a try? Or is this too dangerous and not reliable?

[Diver_1298]

Absolutely worth a try and much better on the pocket book also.
There are many people who dose this way, or similar. It is not necessary to buy that all in one additive that cost a hundred times more to purchase then what you have listed above.
Read and enjoy, make sure you have a good reliable test kit, ie salifert or seachem


Jim

edit: I purchased from these guys when they were called two part solutions. Bulk Reef Supply - Bulk Reef Supply

[gilbertjanke]

Thanks DiverJim! I will give it a try. Im excited to learn about this and look forward to implementing it!

Thanks again

[suckafishtankcleaning]

let me know how it works out for you, cause i am using b-ionic at the moment and thing saved is just more money for corals!

[lunatik_69]

Just b-careful when dosing DIY additives, esp. if your new to it. Wait until Tangster, Otty, RG chime in so they can give you a guide line. I have only used the baking soda and it does work and its cheap.

[Otty]

All I use is the ones Tangster has informed me about. That man has so many formulas in his head is is unreal. But he was keeping saltwater way back in the day before all this commercial stuff was available. Stuff has worked great.

[gilbertjanke]

i've been usisg bakng soda buffering my cichlid tank 4 a while. works great! just wasnt sureabout salt water