Fed up & Changing salts - any precautions needed?

[Clown79]

Ok, little rant:

 

FED UP with io reef crystals. I originally switched from io to the reef crystals because my params dropped big time and I had very little coral(softies).

 

With reef crystals-

My mixed water results are consistently inconsistent!

 

Mag is the worst. I have had new water mix each time different and very low - my sg is 1.026 every time.

 

Mag results: 1050,1110,1140,1170,1200...never higher than 1200.

 

I dose esv bionic and get my mag to 1230/1240 by end of week.

Do a water change and my mag then drops and drops large.

My tanks don't use up the mag because from day to day there is no drop, its like in 3 days a minimal drop- until waterchange day.

 

My ca and alk mix 420-440 / 8-9

 

I'm literally wasting money on mag testers and dosers.

 

Nothing I do is working and I've never had this issue.

 

I've used different bags of the salt, I pre roll the bags, no difference.

 

I want to change salts, thinking of red sea or red sea pro.

 

Is there any precautions I should take in switching? I don't want to cause any issues with the corals and I know red sea pro has high alk.

 

Tanks full of lps and sps.

[brandon429]

I only have used premade lfs water for the last 8 yrs or so, and they change the batch regularly when bulk pricing deals are had although they may hold a certain brand for a year or so before changing, I rarely ask. they've done all the common stuff from io, rc, esv, coralife, kent, on and on and I only do 100% changes in my tank. At any time im fully changing water with some new salt brand, varying params, with no acclimation period and its harmless to all corals. Even the reefcrystals will work fine if param detailing wasn't the goal, they all work. I never have to factor what kind of salt is being used at any time, ever. they could pipe me RC for the rest of the time and the reef would still work exactly the same its nice to be a little freer on the param detailing side if poss, the corals are very forgiving.

[Clown79]

my params did start effecting the corals, thats how low IO was. Ca 360, alk 7, mag well below normal. So i switched...not worth the $$$ on reef crystals, the mag levels are questionable.

 

I had to become a regular tester due to it. Spent a fortune and fed up.

 

I prefer no dosing and if changing salts gives me more stable numbers, then I'll do it.

 

I think io has changed things and I don't believe the numbers they state on the pkg.

 

100% water change wouldn't correct my issue because water changes is what lowers the numbers. Or else I'd try that.

 

I did 50% on my 10g to lower the nitrates and the mag went from 1260 before, to 1200 after. Thats a fair drop in 1 day.

 

I will never recommend this salt.

[vangvace]

The safest thing would be mixing both the new and old salt, increasing the ratio over time to the new stuff. It isn't 100% necessary.

 

I am transitioning away from RSCP. My batch mixes to 20 dKH! Right now I am switch over to IO, but keeping a small amount of RSCP in there to boost the levels slightly.

[brandon429]

http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/image/41867-maritza-the-vase-reef/

 

 

all done exclusively with IO, how are they pulling it off with such bad params am curious

 

ive seen the claims too about IO being low in core params, just wondering whats the difference between the successes and non successes, that one is 3 yrs straight and my own reef was on it that long in intervals.

 

either way though, its ok to switch all at once its already documented years over as not impactful. your dosing regimen would follow suit.

[Clown79]

Pico thats how.

 

What I'm experiencing is not normal.

 

Not a single person can explain how large, regular, or multiple water changes are effecting my mag negatively but it is.

 

The general consensus - salt.

 

I will never use reg. Io again. The numbers are pathetic, takes forever to mix.

 

I'm not the only one online with these issues with this salt not to mention the disgusting sediment it leaves on the bucket

[brandon429]

the sediment is not IO specific see RHF articles on the matter, i get it from all salts and when any container is used over and over that accumulates.. its in the article as nonspecific and what its made of.

 

im not sure your mag issues are shored up either along the same lines but its ok to change at any time for any reason.

 

picos run just like larger tanks, they are smaller models... magnesium deficiencies will affect picos just the same only faster~

 

lots of people change salts though, we can also link a totm large tank using it as well. no prob in switching all or partially... doesn't matter either way. only your dosing regimen changes, all salts will grow corals as links show.

 

I personally think the Kent brand was the least algae impacting of the ones given to me, the few times I asked what they were using the diatoms or cyano components in my tank when I got lazier on exports seemed to be less using the Kent and higher with others.

[Clown79]

If i stay with this salt - i give up on trying to maintain mag because it simply doesn't stay in normal range unless I don't do water changes.

 

Its a literal waste of esv doser. I've been working on this since Nov.

 

Dose, get mag in normal range, do water change, back down.

I have a spreadsheet, its clear as day after every water change it drops.

 

If I can get esv salt - i'd go that route because their product is awesome.

[Nano sapiens]

My experience with RC is that is has very high Alk and elevated Mg in the 1300+ zone. I could get much lower readings when I rushed the mixing process, so to keep params up try adding the salt mix very slowly while vigorously agitating the filled bucket of water at the same time.

 

Also, might want to have a LFS double check your newly mixed salt params. I have found all the typical Mg test kits (Red Sea, Salifert) to be hit or miss regarding accuracy as well as the test being sensitive to how it is done/who is doing it.

[iHexBot]

I recently changed from IORC to HW MarineMix. Definitely worth the extra money.

[Clown79]

Definitely not my mixing. Tried every trick with the same results. Tried 24hr mixing, 4hrs, 2 hrs - all the same. I always add my salt slowly and mix it very well.

 

It seems with RC there are 2 scenerios I see happening through others experience.

 

You either have very high numbers or drastically low. My ca and alk is great, but the mag-just can't even get it to normal levels nor retain a level.

 

The costant instability is a concern.