JMurphy97 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Does anyone have recent testings of red sea salt( the normal kind) and Instant Ocean? I just opened a new bag of reef crystals and got 425 cal 11.5 alk 1,500 mag 35 ppt (1.026) I know these are pretty frequent topics but salt is always changing. I google this topic and you get threads from years ago. Anyways I'm trying to really get my tank going and it seems that when I'm close to needing more salt that's always the toughest decision. Stay with this or try that. With my latest interest in biopellets I've been reading that you want to keep alk lower. My tank last night tested at 425 cal and 7.7 alk. It's four months old and only has three fish and some snails and hermits. I'm seeing coraline starting to pop up on a few spots. Either way with or without biopellets it seems like you can't go wrong trying to closely match the ocean. I know that changing out only 5 gallons on a total volume of 50 isn't going to change things too much, but it's still a change. With reef crystals yeah you have higher cal then IO but people say it has more added organics to it. Alk seems to be high in everything anyways. I see red sea claims 400 cal 8 alk and 1,300 mag. I don't think IO comes close to 400 cal. These are my three choices for next salt. IO is cheap but it lacks calcium so you need to bring it up. Reef crystals is too high alk and additives. Red sea is more expensive but is it worth it? Once I get corals (mostly sps) I'll be adding 2 part I'm sure. Link to comment
seabass Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 At 35.5 ppt, Red Sea Salt should mix to: pH between 8.2 – 8.4 alkalinity between 7.8 – 8.2 dkH calcium between 420 - 440 mg/l (ppm) magnesium between 1250 - 1310 mg/l (ppm) http://www.redseafish.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/10031-Red-Sea-Salt-manual.pdf Link to comment
jservedio Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 I've had bad luck with the IO and RC salt lately with it being very poorly mixed. Make sure with your bag, bucket, or box of salt, you mix it as thoroughly as possible before putting it into RODI to ensure there isn't settling. Also, when you do mix it up, make sure you very slowly add it to RODI and mix as you add it in. If you dump it all in at once, I find I get way more precipitation and your levels end up very, very low. Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I was just about to start a thread about this lol. I'm using RSCP salt and I'm having ridiculously high alk,like 13-14 or higher. Mag and Calc arent too too bad,but kinda high. I'm only mixing to 1.024 and when I tested last night Alk was at 13.7. My Superman Digi is encrusting after being in the tank for going on 3 weeks,and my Superman Monti is starting to encrust as well. While my Green Birdsnest is so so looking but it's branches look like they're getting longer.. Link to comment
aviator300 Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 I was just about to start a thread about this lol. I'm using RSCP salt and I'm having ridiculously high alk,like 13-14 or higher. Mag and Calc arent too too bad,but kinda high. I'm only mixing to 1.024 and when I tested last night Alk was at 13.7. My Superman Digi is encrusting after being in the tank for going on 3 weeks,and my Superman Monti is starting to encrust as well. While my Green Birdsnest is so so looking but it's branches look like they're getting longer.. I just posted about my high DKH with RSCP salt on this forum after i tested today...My DKH today was between 12 and 13. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.