Wait what ?
I just read this ... /\
Seachem makes excellent mag, alk, and calcium test kits now dude.

Well thought I would update. I received an email from DD three weeks ago that they were going to test the batch my salt came from. Never received a response and I sent a follow up email last week with nothing since so I guess there is something they don't want to say or it just isn't important at this point. Below is the last correspondance I had with them. So who knows. My tub of salt is still reading low mag with no change. Once I get through this batch I'll try one more and see if it was just a inconsistant batch. Besides the low Mag my tank really does look good and I'm happy with the salt.

Not trying to dig this up after awhile, but I decided to purchase this salt and was curious if it's the same mix as most other salts. What I mean is usually a half cup of salt to a gallon of water gets close to 1.025?

How is everyone mixing this salt? It seems more coarse than other brands but I want to be sure which is the easiest? I tried to mix a gallon the other day and a half cup to one gallon gave me a salinity reading of 1.022?????? Seeing how it's more coarse it might take more than a half cup to a gallon??? Anyone chime in on that?


Thanks
Spankey

That's odd, it actually takes a little less than half a cup to get SG to 1.025 for me. Is your refractometer calibrated correctly? I checked mine recently and it should be correct.
The coarseness of the salt doesn't seem to affect how well it mixes, but DO mix for 48 hrs. before using.
Also, I'd try using something to mix all of the salt in the bucket up well, sometimes certain elements can end up settling.

Same for me. I use 2 cups for 4 gallons.

I checked my refractometer and its right on? Maybe I am not allowing it to mix long enough? I usually mix in the morning and do the water change that night? Thanks for the input guys. Are you guys liking this salt? I bought two small buckets so I hope to see some slight changes, even if it's keeping the parameters more in check.... Less dosing!!!!

Aerate and mix it up for a few spankey. Coarse salt mix is always hard to dissolve. Wen ever I get a coarse mix I just use warm water and let it cool down while it mixes with a power head and an air stone.

i'm using D-D.

it's good.

well I got my second bucket about a weekago so I'm going to test the batch I'm mixing now on wedensday and see what I get.

I got a second bucket this week also. I'm planning to mix it up tomorrow and see if my low mag problem was just with that first bucket.

Steve

Weird I havent had any problems with the buckets I've bought. Im very happy with this salt just not the price.

very dissapointing results.

Sg.35ppt
cal440ppm
alk 3 meq/L
MAG:1000PPM Wtf! i did everything right, even double checked the test results. I used api for cal and seachem for the rest. I'm sticking with this bucket and just going to test then add some epsom salts to the water to get it up where it needs to be. Might e-mail DD about this.

welcome to my world. Already been through the exact same issue and they never responded after the last email. I haven't tested my new bucket yet but I still have some hope.

Steve

are both of you using the seachem test?

if so, try an elos test and see if there is still a problem.

for a salt marketed as high in magnesium (compared to others), i find it odd that your mg is testing so low.

I like this salt as well. I use this salt more as an additive though. I am a pico reefer. So I only do 1 gallon a week wc's. I have used nsw for 2 years now. I add a table spoon to the nsw to bump up the alk. My lfs store has the nsw for 99Cents a gallon. I have a 7 gallon jug that they fill for me for 5 $ . I have not mixed up a batch of this salt from pure Ro water so Idk about low mag. I was dosing the nsw water with alk buffer before reading about this salt about 4 months ago. I like how simple it is to do it this way now , and I have noticed a difference in my Euphyllia looking healthier. As well as greater pe on my sps. Idk if it's imagination , but the results seem noticeable

I sent them an e-mail, gonna have my LFS test it with their salifert kit.

Strange that you would get low Mag on this salt. I use Elos kits and my tank is testing out at 1,500/1,600.

I'm starting to think now it's the test kit. even though the calibration sample tests ok.

Almost the same here... I test out @ 1450 with the Elos test kit...

I ordered some so I hope it's good.

Here's the email I recieved,

Nick

This is very interesting information.

In all of the hundreds of tonnes of salt that we sold last year we have never had reports of a magnesium level this low.

We have had people who said that their magnesium level was only 1150 but on testing the retained batches and further testing by the end user it turned out to be that the salinity was lower than they thought or that the test kit was problematic.

Batches sizes are 1 tonne so you would have expected someone to make a comment.

I have attached this link to a FAQ which illustrates the situation.

http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/node/494

Regards

Stuart




Stuart Bertram BSc Hons

Sales Director

D-D The Aquarium Solution Ltd



I think it has to be the kit, especially if they test each batch before it goes out to check that it's good. Now i need to go fork over $30 for a new kit.

I will be dosing Brightwell aquatics A-B and using this salt.

i just ordered a buket of this and will be changing from Reef crystals to it if i like the results

i'll throw up a new post in 2 weeks after i get the new salt and am able to do a water change, hopefully the results are good

i never test my salt before i add it to my tank, i always test the tank after a water change and then adjust the dosage to the tank for that day, test the next day 24 hours later and re adjust, seems to be the easiest way of maintaining satbility in my tank, since no salt has every parameter at 100%

Hey Nick I forgot to ask. Did you mix up your salt in the bucket before you mixed the water? Magnesium has a tendacy to go to the bottom of the bucket during shipping.

Steve

Good point. I saw some variability from water change to water change until I rolled the bucket and bag around a bit. I'm only making 4 gallons at a time so a well mixed bucket is key.

yes

I just tersted my water I am mixing and I got 1475 Mg.


I switched over about a month ago and I like it, I will be picking up 36 buckets on the 15 I hope it last's more then 2 days this time

Store front ?

For what it is worth I am on my 4th month with this salt "dd's", and my third bucket. "small one" Anyways I switched from RC because of inconsistency. So far all the categories have checked out. Good Salt!!!

Good to know about mixing the bucket.

So far my switch to this salt has been amazing, my corals are looking great and i noticed that my Alk/Calc/Mag remain consistant and stable after each water change, no more of having to buff up a dose just to get the tank back to being what it was at before the water change

i switched from Reef crystals to this salt and i won't be going back

Just wanted to mention my second bucket of salt tests fine for Magnesium now. I used the same test kit I used before. Must have been a bad batch the first time around.

Steve

Just tested freshly mixed batch of water and got the following results:

SG-- 1.026 (refractometer)
Ca-- 420 (API kit)
Mg-- 1213 (Seachem kit)

Bah.
New bucket, salt was well mixed before mixing up a batch of water.

hey weetie weren't you getting above 1300 on this salt?

Steve

Okay, um, well, I am embarassed to admit that I never tested it for Mg.
I just got the salt, started using it, and saw a positive response from corals in my tank.
The Seachem test kit I use for Mg takes FOREVER to use so I tend to only test for Mg when I have reason to be suspicious.
I tested my tank for Mg tonight for other reasons and got a reading of 1125, which totally shocked me of course.
That's why I went ahead and tested this batch of water that I've had mixing for 3 days now and got a Mg reading of 1213 at an SG of 1.026.

Yea that Seachem test is a pain but I think it is a good test. I got 1125 with my first tub now my second tub is reading correctly at 1320 using the same test. IDK, I still like the salt but I'm debating trying the red sea product as magnesium is a pain to find locally and if I need it for this salt might as well save some money and move to a salt I can get locally. If I understand correctly the RedSea product is made the same way through an evaporative process. However, everything still looks great and the reality is that I only mix about 5 gallons a week between three tanks so it doesn't really cost that much.

A guy at Gulfaquaria.com (where I get this D-D salt from) told me that D-D is made by the same co. and with the same process as Red Sea.
I've had bad experiences with Red Sea though.
I have a Seachem Mg supplement that I won at a frag swap that you can have for free if you want, just PM me if interested.

Thanks for the offer weetie. For now I'll keep on with the DD. I just started a new bucket and should be good for a least a couple of months. I'm still happy and my corals are still happy. No need to switch till I'm not. Just wish I could get it locally.

Steve

I do not trust the Seachem Mg test kit either, try elos or salifert, I use elos for mine. Salt is +++ Alk is a bit high for me but I rather use this salt than any other brand.

hi, muzzy here from the UK

came across this thread by accident but decided to read through it all after seeing my name mentioned in one of the first posts!

OK, there is a similar thread going on at UR.
Im not going to get into the debate here too much, personally I think its a fantastic salt as do most reefers in the UK now and many are switching to it on a daily basis.

anyway, regarding the salt being teh same as RedSea Coral Pro salt, well its almost the same yes, made by the same process and I believe in the same facility.
However, both redsea and D-D appear to have their salts mixed to their own formulas, D-D adding more potassium than red-seas version.

Someone from redsea has posted in the thread on UR and confirmed what i said above, well pretty much anyway
thread is here, http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthr...4204&page=4 page 4 is the redsea comments, but start from the begining if you wish

muzzy
www.tank-tests.co.uk
www.muzzys-reef.co.uk

Muzzy, thank you SO much for your comments here on this salt, esp. since you're the one that got us all started on it in the first place!!!

Nick's Reef and hcsceo, do have lot or batch #'s for the buckets you have had with low Mg?
I'd like to compare it with mine since my new bucket has the same problem.
Nick, can you give me the contact info for the guy you dealt with, since I may contact him as well?
TY in advance!

mmmmm, I personally dont trust your mg results. not with the seachem kit. Try a different kit such as salifert or elos.

Weetie, just go to theaquariumsolution.com and click contact us. It should bring up the e-mial of the guy. I don't have batch #'s sorry. Also for you with low mg, just test then dose epson salt into the mixing bucket. That's what I was doing. But I must say I'm not changing salt brands, my corals absoultly love it.

Oh sure, I've got wads of $$ laying around to buy high end test kits whenever I want.
Also, my tank has gotten noticeably happier since I raised the Mg level, so it has to have been off some.

whaaaaaaaaaa, what do mean you dont have money laying around. lol. i know. well just keep add mg then.

Will do.

Thanks Nick!

No problem weetie, I've been running around the house trying to get good pics for the frag swap. Not going to well......

Heh, sry bout that.
Swaps can be hectic to prepare for, but usually end up being a blast, hope you have a great time!

I've been using Instant Ocean/Reef Crystals for over 8 years and never once switched salts.

I read the reviews for this salt, then this thread, and am seriously thinking about buying a bucket of this salt.

Sorry weetie I threw that lot # out last week. I'll try and find the email I sent to dd with it on there