High Cal / Mg - AF Reef Salt

[mezan91]

Hi everyone.

 

I would like to check if anyone has ever experienced high cal and mg ? Especially those using AF Reef Salt.

I recently got a new NYOS test kit and did a test on my water parameters. Below are the readings:

 

Temp: 27 degress celcius

Nitrate: 50ppm (Salifert) 

Salinity: 1.025 (Refractometer)

Alkalinity: 8 (Nyos)

Calcium: 550ppm ( Nyos )

Mag: 1575ppm ( Nyos )

 

Pardon the high nitrate. I am doing water changes to lower it down, though I do not have any algae issues in the tank. The tank is approximately 3 months old. 

How do I lower down my Cal and Mg from here? Or I am fine at this level? I have tested a freshly mixed batch and the numbers for both Ca and Mg is the same. 

 

Corals are all opening and extending. Growth is slow though. The tank is mainly LPS and zoas. Have a birdnest and an unknown SPS frag. Both of them has their polyps extended.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Finhead1]

What test kits are you using? High Calcium will not hurt anything and that MAg level shouldn't either but I would be suprised if it's actually that high.

Alk is more what I would worry about, keeping that stable.

[mezan91]

1 hour ago, Finhead1 said:

What test kits are you using? High Calcium will not hurt anything and that MAg level shouldn't either but I would be suprised if it's actually that high.

Alk is more what I would worry about, keeping that stable.

 

I am using NYOS test kit for Mg, Ca and Alk. I have search the net and it seems that I am not the only one having this issue. There is a thread at RC in regards to the parameters not matching the "cert" included. 

[Finhead1]

11 hours ago, mezan91 said:

 

I am using NYOS test kit for Mg, Ca and Alk. I have search the net and it seems that I am not the only one having this issue. There is a thread at RC in regards to the parameters not matching the "cert" included. 

Sorry I missed that, yes I saw there are issues with this salt. I see  Lots of people are reporting Dino outbreaks after switching to either of the AF salts as well.

[Clown79]

I use the salt.

 

No high ca but high mag. Mine sits around 1460+

 

I have had a weird algae outbreak that is like diatoms but not dino. 

 

Where have you seen others experiencing this? I have not read about it.

[Finhead1]

6 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I use the salt.

 

No high ca but high mag. Mine sits around 1460+

 

I have had a weird algae outbreak that is like diatoms but not dino. 

 

Where have you seen others experiencing this? I have not read about it.

 

I ran across a few posts on RC when I was researching it, I was contemplating switching to have my ALK more inline with where I keep it rather than the 13dkh Reef Crystals sits at. End of the day I decided the 0.5 raise at a water change wasn't worth the worry I was giving it.

Here's a thread on Canreef that has a few people that are getting outbreaks.  http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=123813

[mezan91]

1 hour ago, Clown79 said:

I use the salt.

 

No high ca but high mag. Mine sits around 1460+

 

I have had a weird algae outbreak that is like diatoms but not dino. 

 

Where have you seen others experiencing this? I have not read about it.

 

I do not have weird algae like you and @Finhead1 mention. 

Here is the link in RC regarding the inconsistency of AF salt: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2605639

 

I'm unsure who to believe. AF or the end user. I would understand if the difference in numbers is a few % but not totally way off. 

 

Guess I will have a try on Red Sea RCP. It looks simple enough.

[Finhead1]

3 minutes ago, mezan91 said:

Guess I will have a try on Red Sea RCP. It looks simple enough.

 

I use Part of the Read Sea RCP, I really like the resaults and coloring is far better than I had before.  Use Reef Energy A+B and all the 4 Trace Elements.

I use over saturated Kalk (3tsp-gal) with vinegar (carbon dosing) for all my top off so I don't use the NoPox or there Foundation Elements.

 

Another plus to the program is that it's super cheap and easy compared to other programs.

 

 

[mezan91]

Just now, Finhead1 said:

 

I use Part of the Read Sea RCP, I really like the resaults and coloring is far better than I had before.  Use Reef Energy A+B and all the 4 Trace Elements.

I use over saturated Kalk (3tsp-gal) with vinegar (carbon dosing) for all my top off so I don't use the NoPox or there Foundation Elements.

 

Another plus to the program is that it's super cheap and easy compared to other programs.

 

 

Great. Are you using the RS salt too? 

[Finhead1]

4 minutes ago, mezan91 said:

Great. Are you using the RS salt too? 

 

No not currently but I'm thinking about switching to there standard mix as it falls more inline with the parameters I keep my tank at, currently using Reef Crystals.

[Clown79]

9 hours ago, Finhead1 said:

 

I ran across a few posts on RC when I was researching it, I was contemplating switching to have my ALK more inline with where I keep it rather than the 13dkh Reef Crystals sits at. End of the day I decided the 0.5 raise at a water change wasn't worth the worry I was giving it.

Here's a thread on Canreef that has a few people that are getting outbreaks.  http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=123813

I think it may just be coincidence because I've read no complaints anywhere else.

 

Also the person's phos was high and they were adding a lot of supplements which if not used up by corals, will lead to algae/nutrient issues.

[Clown79]

7 hours ago, mezan91 said:

 

I do not have weird algae like you and @Finhead1 mention. 

Here is the link in RC regarding the inconsistency of AF salt: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2605639

 

I'm unsure who to believe. AF or the end user. I would understand if the difference in numbers is a few % but not totally way off. 

 

Guess I will have a try on Red Sea RCP. It looks simple enough.

Every salt I have used was inconsistent: io, RC, RSCP

 

The most consistent has been AF 

 

There is no perfect salt. Everyone has different results. I used RC  and never had high dkh and my mag was so low it was ridiculous.

Each water change I got different numbers.

 

Rscp ca was consistent, mag was in low range, alk changed and was very high. Too high. My corals were unhappy.

[Finhead1]

1 minute ago, Clown79 said:

Every salt I have used was inconsistent: io, RC, RSCP

 

The most consistent has been AF 

 

There is no perfect salt. Everyone has different results. I used RC  and never had high dkh and my mag was so low it was ridiculous.

Each water change I got different numbers.

 

Rscp ca was consistent, mag was in low range, alk changed and was very high. Too high. My corals were unhappy.

Most consistant is AF? Really? They haven't been around all that long in comparison and I see a ton of people say otherwise on ReefCentral. But I gess it all comes down to taking the time to match your levels.

 

Yeah fluctuations are a big no no for SPS, which is what 90% of my tank is.

 

I test each bucket after a good dry mix of the bucket. My last 2 RC buckets have been almost exact with dkh 13 mag 1350 and calc 460. Which is fine I can lower the dkh just takes a bit longer to bring the drop in PH back up. If I can find a salt that closer matches my dkh that would make life a little easier. The other 2 for the amount a water change impacts those levels is of little to no concern, dkh is.

 

 

[Clown79]

I didn't  like dkh being high and my corals were  reacting poorly to it.

 

Since going back to a salt with nsw  levels everything has been happy. 

[Finhead1]

39 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I didn't  like dkh being high and my corals were  reacting poorly to it.

 

Since going back to a salt with nsw  levels everything has been happy. 

 

Yep I agree high dkh didn't work for me either. I run mine a little higher for that "just incase" factor, mine runs at 8.2-8.5 throughout the day.  But a 10% WC only swings that 0.46 on my current bucket of RC, which can easily be taken down with a timy amount of Muriatic Acid.

[Clown79]

The problem with finding a perfect salt is that it doesn't exist.

 

I did extensive research on salt and every single salt  had great reviews and negative reviews 

 

They all mix differently for everyone.

 

My salt mixes at 7.7 alk and 390 ca

 

I do a 15% water change and when I test right after my results are alk 9 ca 410. That's what I maintain through the week. 

The volume of waterchanges also effects the numbers 

 

So clearly the small amount of waterchange isn't altering the levels in my tank but it will If I were to do 25% or more.

[Finhead1]

11 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

The problem with finding a perfect salt is that it doesn't exist.

 

 

I do a 15% water change and when I test right after my results are alk 9 ca 410. That's what I maintain through the week. 

The volume of waterchanges also effects the numbers 

 

So clearly the small amount of waterchange isn't altering the levels in my tank but it will If I were to do 25% or more.

 

Yep I don't expcet to find a perfect salt at all, just one more inline with the levels I keep my tank. AF just seems to have alot of other issues so I have crossed it off my list, RS is the closest I found local so I'll be doing a gradual switch.

 

Pretty much what I just said. lol  No argument here, just don't see the point in paying 30% more for salt and having to adjust as I would the lower cost options.

[Clown79]

Just now, Finhead1 said:

 

Yep I don't expcet to find a perfect salt at all, just one more inline with the levels I keep my tank. AF just seems to have alot of other issues so I have crossed it off my list, RS is the closest I found local so I'll be doing a gradual switch.

 

Pretty much what I just said. lol  No argument here, just don't see the point in paying 30% more for salt and having to adjust as I would the lower cost options.

Oh I agree. I don't like altering salts. Defeats the purpose imo.

 

I think ppl should use what works for them because every brand has it's issues. Not a single salt that hasn't had a story or complaint behind it.

 

I personally haven't  read many negative things on AF reef salt. I've heard complaints with the probiotic and so far it's my favourite salt.

 

Rscp would have gotten that vote if the alk wasn't 11+

They should fix that as many are no longer using the salt due to high alk. 

 

[Asureef]

That's weird, my last bucket of AF reef salt was low on everything.  I'm now using Red Sea blue bucket, it's perfect.  

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, Asureef said:

That's weird, my last bucket of AF reef salt was low on everything.  I'm now using Red Sea blue bucket, it's perfect.  

Lol.

That's what I mean. Everyone has different experiences with the same salts. Very frustrating.

Ppl recommend a salt and then you use it and have totally different experiences with it.

 

So many like RC. I hated it.

 

It would be nice to have a salt that's perfect.

 

I actually want to try rs  blue bucket because it seems to have no complaints.