NO3:PO4-X ...in case you were wondering what's in it?

[ichthyoid]

From a thread on RC a few years back-

Today is "make my grad students do aquarium experiments" day in my lab. I had a student take an NMR of NOPOX (see attached image for spectrum).

It is...

6:1 EtOH:AcOH (ethanol : acetic acid). The AcOH is ~3%.

So you can make your own NOPOX (roughly) by adding 1 part vinegar to 1 part 30% ethanol.

There are a couple impurities around 3 ppm, but otherwise it's quite clean stuff.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2408985&page=2

Before you go making your own, just be sure you have the chemistry proportions right.
Ethanol isn't readily available at 30%, so you'll have to adjust the dosage amount, or ask for help on how to.

 

[bhodges82]

Now that's how you do homework!

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Adam]

That's really cool. I figured no3po4x was only marginally more expensive than vodka. Turns out it's about twice the price.

80 proof vodka is 40% alcohol. So there's 25% less in no3po4x, then the 1 part vinegar is pretty cheap.

Hmm... I've got a source of 95-99% pure ethanol.

3 parts "Shine" to 7 parts RO/DI water is pretty close to 30% ethanol

 

[ichthyoid]

If you buy Taaka vodka (naturally gluten free!) from Total Wine at $9.99 for a 1.75 liter bottle it works out to-

$5.71 per liter for the vodka vs $17.14 per liter for NO3 : PO4-X at $85.69 per gallon from Saltwater Aquarium (just a quick Google price check)

So, 17.14/5.31 which is 3x's the cost for the NO3 : PO4-X in bulk vs vodka, ...but don't blame me if your bacteria get a hangover from that vodka

Caveat: there is also a difference in the alcohol concentrations of the products, which will make the vodka even less expensive. So adjust for that if you diy.

 

[Adam]

Might be me hungover! 1:1 for me, 1:1.5 for the tank... lather, rinse & repeat

 

[ichthyoid]

Lmao!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk