puntific Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 So I mixed up a batch of Crystal Sea Marine Mix Salt. Specific gravity: 1.025 using a refractometer dKH = 2.97 so far so good Ca = <300 I was going to fast... but <300! Mg = 720! (learned my lesson and went drop by drop This is terrible! (or am I wrong?) I've been dosing my tank with Kalkwasser and also adding Epsom salts to boost Mg. Then I bought the refractometer and discovered the specific gravity: Tank stats: Specific gravity: 1.028! Whoops. glad to know. Helps to have a real tool. did water change to slowly work it down. After change: dKH = 2.63 CA = 360 Mg = 1260 So it looks like when I do a water change, i put in new water without enough CA and Mg. Then I correct with Epsom salts and CaCl2 and Kalkwasser (depending on dKH) and my specific gravity goes though the roof. Sooooooo...... What water do you use? Time for me to switch? puntific Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 are you using RO/DI water? or tap water? id recommend the seachem reef salt, or the tropic marin reef salt personally, but, thats just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Is it a newer bucket of salt? If so roll it around and mix it up in the bucket, then make and test a new batch. Sometime buckets can seperate. I have always had luck with Kent. And if you are adding supplements anyways IO is cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puntific Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 are you using RO/DI water? or tap water? id recommend the seachem reef salt' date=' or the tropic marin reef salt personally, but, thats just my opinion[/quote'] RO/DI measuring 001. It's also a new box of salt. Seems like it shouldn't be able to seperate!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy-S Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 i don't know a lot about Crystal Sea Marine Mix Salt but I agree with Mike if its a bucket roll it around and try again. I can say I don't know a lot of sps keepers who use that salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 RO/DI measuring 001. It's also a new box of salt. Seems like it shouldn't be able to seperate!? With all the bouncing it takes during shipping it could very easily have settled. Try mixing it up and making a new batch to test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Let me guess? Seahorse? I use to use that salt and the calcium was way low. (Lower 300's) Somewhere I have a chart here that compares the levels of several salts that matches this as well (Low Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium). I switched to Ocean Pure 4 or 5 months ago which is still a cheaper salt but the levels are much better. I haven't had to dose anything other than Alk which was due to high calcium levels that I believe were due to new sand I added rather than the salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 K = 1260 K= Potassium Mg=Magnesium I think you should try Oceanpure, Kent, or H2Ocean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrd Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I use Kent when I mix up a batch that matches my tanks SG of 1.025 the mixed water tests Ca-500 KH -11 MG -1200 I add some Mag sulfate from BRS and all is good. 49.99 makes 200 gallons Works just fine- IMO-way to many product lines in this hobby (nutty) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrd Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 K= Potassium Mg=Magnesium I think you should try Oceanpure, Kent, or H2Ocean. Thanks- I was wondering what the heck K was. Am I missing something?????? Never heard of dosing/checking Potassium (scratch) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puntific Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 K= Potassium Mg=Magnesium IQUOTE] Now that's just embarrassing ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 IMO-way to many product lines in this hobby (nutty) I agree, but competition breeds better products and brings prices down a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I have been using Tunze Reef Salt, and like it a lot! Every batch has tested exactly the same for me: CAL: 410 ALK: 9 MAG: 1450 I get it from bulkreefsupply.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumby Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Your test on the Crystal Sea Salt seems pretty close to what I came up with. Salinity 1.025 Alkalinity 3 Magnesium 1075mg Calcium 300mg. I was not impressed at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanz Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Just got some oceanpure to replace pci marine mix (terrible salt!). Here are the results for a batch that I made last night: SG 1.025 Temp 78 Cal - 400 Alk - 10 Mag - 1320 I was getting around this for PCI: Cal - 350 Alk - 5 or 6 Mag - 900 DOH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I've been using Reef Crystals for close to a year now. Been great. I like Kent too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I use Corallife and have been for years and may not have the perfect numbers but the corals dont seem to care beings I grow over 200 types using it lol I have seen more bad then good when trying to get that "magic" set of parameters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Does anyone here use coral pro salt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean In a Box Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I just started using H2Ocean. I wasnt too happy with the results after mixing. They say it mixes at 430-460 for the (Ca2+) but I tested at 370. Everything else tested fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Had the worst results from D-D H2Ocean. I'll just use Kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puntific Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 Well, I'll revisit this thread in 2-3 weeks when I do another water change. I've been though years of this salt so finishing the box won't kill me. I'll stir up the salt and report the results. puntific Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I use kent and have no complaints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undrtkr_00 Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I use Kent when I mix up a batch that matches my tanks SG of 1.025 the mixed water tests Ca-500 KH -11 MG -1200 I add some Mag sulfate from BRS and all is good. 49.99 makes 200 gallons Works just fine- IMO-way to many product lines in this hobby (nutty) I used to use Crystal Sea Marine Mix as well. Once I started testing my newly mixed saltwater, I got results very similar to puntific (way too low on alk, ca, mg). I thought about just boosting values with supplements but figured out it was cheaper just to buy a different kind of salt! I switched to Kent and have consistently gotten figures similar to Byrd's. Mag is a little on the low side (so I supplement), but it is pretty consistent and the tank seems happy. The other thing to remember is that if you are mixing up salt with a SG of 1.025 and getting those low values for alk, ca, and mg, then the salt has lots of some other kinds of elements in order to reach that SG. What is it? Is it desireable? It is certainly not consistent with natural seawater! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talkalot82 Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Ya id try RO water and different salt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 I think the whole salt debate is kinda weird. I believe it all comes down to comforts and willingness of dosing and stuff like that. I use TM and TMPR and I have zero complaints. I have been using it since getting into salt, except when using SCRIPTS water and I have never had an issue with low anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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