Instant Ocean salt parameters out of wack

[MarcosTacos]

I just switched over from red sea blue bucket to io standard salt (not reef crystals), as the cost was lower and the parameters seemed ok for my tank from what I gathered online (10-11dkh, 400ppm calcium, 1350 mag).

I tried my best to mix up one of the bags from the 200gal box before opening it and then mixed up my first batch in a 5 gal bucket.

I tested the water, at 1.026 specific gravity i got 9.6dkh alk, 480ppm calcium and 1500+ mag (i used up the whole 1ml of titration fluid and the solution was just about to change color).

I find that a bit odd since the salt was supposed to have higher alk and lower calcium and mag.

Anyone else had this issue?

 

[willieboy240]

I believe that’s the core numbers for IO. If you get RC it’s higher. Do a google search. People posted their findings before.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Use the RMM method and you'll be fine (ignore what is likely an incorrect magnesium reading).

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[rtparty]

I would believe a lot of scenarios from bad test kits, user error, poor salinity reading, poor quality control from IO. The last one wouldn’t shock me at all

 

[MarcosTacos]

So basically, just measure calcium and alk and if calcium is low and I need to dose, add 10% as much magnesium? I am already dosing all for reef and my parameters are pretty stable at the moment.

Use the RMM method and you'll be fine (ignore what is likely an incorrect magnesium reading).

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So basically, just measure calcium and alk and if calcium is low and I need to dose, add 10% as much magnesium? I am already dosing all for reef and my parameters are pretty stable at the moment.

If you are dosing AFR and maintaining alk with it, I'd rarely if ever measure magnesium, unless you are not doing any water changes. AFR contains magnesium.

 

[MarcosTacos]

If you are dosing AFR and maintaining alk with it, I'd rarely if ever measure magnesium, unless you are not doing any water changes. AFR contains magnesium.

The reason why I am testing the salt is to know what my parameters will eventually come to. By switching from red sea blue bucket to io, I expected the parameters to change and if the concentration on a certain one was too low, i'd have to dose some to the mix before adding it. I was expecting calcium to be lower at around 400ppm, which would have required me to increase that value before adding the fresh mix to my tank.

I will test the following batch to see if it is consistent with the first one, if not I am afraid that my parameters will end up fluctuating over time...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

imo, it is always far more likely that a magnesium test result is inaccurate than that any big name salt mix has an unacceptable level of magnesium.

 

[jda]

Small batches are tough when you don't use the whole container. Did you let it mix for a while, like overnight? I mix whole bags of IO and they always turn out good.

 

[MarcosTacos]

Small batches are tough when you don't use the whole container. Did you let it mix for a while, like overnight? I mix whole bags of IO and they always turn out good.

I did! Although I did not mix all of the bags together, I only took one bag out of the box, maybe I should just empty all of them in my old red sea bucket and mix them together. I don't have room to premix 50 gallons (1 bag i think), and I read that premixing salt will deplete the parameters over a period of time

 

[jda]

Just put one bag in the bucket and shake the heck out of it.

1 bag needs a 44g brute trash can. This is not a ton of room, but not everybody has it. I mix up 44g and leave a pump in there and use it over a few weeks if I need. I use it over a few weeks and the parameters are fine.

 

[Big E]

I just switched over from red sea blue bucket to io standard salt (not reef crystals), as the cost was lower and the parameters seemed ok for my tank from what I gathered online (10-11dkh, 400ppm calcium, 1350 mag).

I tried my best to mix up one of the bags from the 200gal box before opening it and then mixed up my first batch in a 5 gal bucket.

I tested the water, at 1.026 specific gravity i got 9.6dkh alk, 480ppm calcium and 1500+ mag (i used up the whole 1ml of titration fluid and the solution was just about to change color).

I find that a bit odd since the salt was supposed to have higher alk and lower calcium and mag.

Anyone else had this issue?

There is no issue. Your numbers are similar to what I get after 24 hours of mixing. Mg is variable based on test kit/ ICP company. I usually get 1280-1350 per Salifert.

Alk at mid 9's is normal..........calcium in 420-450 range.

The only element I supplement is K as it measures 340-350
--------------------------------------

The IO numbers are favorable to the ICP tests I have on file from Oceamo and Reef labs as well when it comes to macro and micro elements.

 

[MarcosTacos]

Just put one bag in the bucket and shake the heck out of it.

1 bag needs a 44g brute trash can. This is not a ton of room, but not everybody has it. I mix up 44g and leave a pump in there and use it over a few weeks if I need. I use it over a few weeks and the parameters are fine.

I use up about 5g a week, i'd have to wait 2 months to fully utilise the mix.

There is no issue. Your numbers are similar to what I get after 24 hours of mixing. Mg is variable based on test kit/ ICP company. I usually get 1280-1350 per Salifert.

Alk at mid 9's is normal..........calcium in 420-450 range.

The only element I supplement is K as it measures 340-350
--------------------------------------

The IO numbers are favorable to the ICP tests I have on file from Oceamo and Reef labs as well when it comes to macro and micro elements.

By K you mean potassium? I didn't even know you could test that with something other than an ICP

 

[Big E]

I use up about 5g a week, i'd have to wait 2 months to fully utilise the mix.

By K you mean potassium? I didn't even know you could test that with something other than an ICP

Yes there are K test kits......I was using Salifert but it's been discontinued in US, so I'm still testing other kits. Plenty of other options but most are sold out now since Salifert is gone.

I have also have seen no depletion of elements on ICP tests while doing 10% weekly of IO.

 

[MarcosTacos]

I heard potassium was useful in coloring up some corals, namely red digi. I am dosing AFR so I think that's take into account.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Potassium does not necessarily deplete. It never depleted in my system.

 

[Big E]

Potassium does not necessarily deplete. It never depleted in my system.

Yep, I've never had it deplete..........it's just low in IO salt generally so I up that to 400 when I mix up my new saltwater.

The only time I've heard of it depleting was from Zeo folks..............claiming the zeolite stones absorbed it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the testing is accurate, there’s nothing wrong with upping potassium (I recommend now foods potassium chloride).

I was a while ago now, but potassium was spot on in my system using normal IO without supplements.

 

[MIke Wood]

did you happen to mix the salt up before pulling it out for your water mix? i always roll the bucket to mix things together every time before i open the bucket. a friend told me a reason they have the checkered texture inside the bucket is for this reason. doing weekly changes id assume heavier particles will settle and youll end up with inconsistency.

 

[MarcosTacos]

My red sea blue bucket doesnt have that pattern on the inside but I get your point. I did try to mix the bag as best I could, i just added a second bag to my bucket and mixed them well, will test again when I do my next water change.