I have been using Kent buffer to bring up my PH in my Bio cube 14g. I have had it running for over 5months now and have never been able to get the PH to stabilize at 8.3, it only levels off at 7.8.

I was reading the back of the Kent buffer bottle and it says if your having problems keeping your PH stable to look at your salt mix and see if it has natural sea salt levels of magnesium, and that poor magnesium will result in poor calcium and ph levels

Well I have been using the oceanic natural salt mix from the start and it does not say that it has magnesium, though it says it has some "special blend" to keep your KH levels stable. Any time I see "special" in marketing I think short buss.

I haven't been testing my calcium or magnesium levels since I have just 3 frag corals, but I think maybe my low ph is due to my salt mix,. Since I don't know 100% I think it would be good to see if any of you out there are experiencing poor ph, magnesium or calcium with oceanic natural salt mix.

As for other factors for my poor PH, I have been over just about every option that has been segusted to help wit no success.

Also if you have a good experience with any salt mix including Ocianic Natural Salt I would like to see it.

Thanks.
- Josh C

I use Oceanic and love the salt. All my levels are spot on except my Alk. Oceanic salt runs low in ALK so I dose in my top off water for ALK. My PH is great and my calcium runs about 460-500. My Mag is always spot on. You can't go wrong with Oceanic if you dose for ALK/KH.

i use oceanic as a backup salt. its very good. Better than Instant Ocean IMO.
but the levels could be a little better. thats why its my backup

I stopped using it. My calcium was always around 580-600, alk always around 5-6 and ph never above 7.8. I've since switched to neo-marine and couldn't be happier. The near instant dissolving was very nice, but those levels were just unacceptable.

i used to mix IO with oceanic to try to get decent levels when thats all i could get.....

usin reef crystals now.....seem ok...havent tried any other brand yet

I started out using oceanic but was getting poor calcium/pH levels.
I've since switched to seachem reef and happy

Been using Oceanic for over 3 years with no problems.

I think I will give Seachem Salt Reef mix a try and see how that does,
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...fm?pcatid=14916

I second this.





If you think you have PH problems now wait till you use seachem. You won't be unhappy with Oceanic.

I have been using Oceanic for over 5 months now, and no amount of buffer has ever helped me.
I wont blame Oceanic's salt to be my problem "yet" until I have different results when using another mix.

I like that when I read the description for seachem reef mix on http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...fm?pcatid=14916 it goes in to great detail about the levels in mix. and it gives numbers as to what you should expect, I did not see the same detailed description when reading the label on my Oceanic mix, the best I got what "special blend", in marketing you never print what you can't deliver. So it's safe to say the seachem believes they wont get sued for what they print, where as Oceanic looks like they needs to be more careful about what they print. That alone says allot to me.

And with my experience so far with Oceanic, what is trying something new gonna hurt.
One thing is for sure I will know if the salt is to blame for my poor ph levels or not.

If you are having that big of PH problems I was saying I would not switch to Seachem. I have never had PH problems with Oceanic. I have know a few people that switched to seachem and were not happy. But I know about 5 or 6 people that have switched to H2 ocean from reef crystals and they said they will never buy any other salt.Just my 2 cents. Hope you get it figured out.