I recently switched from IO because it was mixing up around 1550 mag, 500 cal and 9 for alk. That’s a lot higher than I’d like to be at.
New Purple Instant Ocean High Calcium + Magnesium...What's Changed?
- Thread starter george9
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Multiple salts showed stratification with IO brands being one of the worst. Mixing the bag or bucket is definitely recommended.
Just a few examples below. Even those that are 10% or below still show stratification is happening.
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Welcome to IO and low quality control. They aren’t the cheapest because they feel like making less money. They are the cheapest because they have large tolerances and lower control.
I’m not saying it’s a “bad” salt at all. It works just fine. Just know the parameters can and will change randomly from batch to batch.
I’m not saying it’s a “bad” salt at all. It works just fine. Just know the parameters can and will change randomly from batch to batch.
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Yes its cheap and probably one of the main driving factors in most major large aquariums around the world use it. But I would also argue they use because it is the most consistent.
For what it's worth, back in the day we used to raise MAG up to as high as 1700 with a particular MAG product that also had something in it that killed bryopsis. Never had an issue with MAG as high as 1650, but I have personally never went higher then that.
I've used IO for the better part of 20 years, and still do today. It's one of the most consistent salts I have ever used. My boxes from last year(I wait till I find it on sale and buy enough for the year) are still mixing up the same parameters as 20 years ago.
Yes its cheap and probably one of the main driving factors in most major large aquariums around the world use it. But I would also argue they use because it is the most consistent.
For what it's worth, back in the day we used to raise MAG up to as high as 1700 with a particular MAG product that also had something in it that killed bryopsis. Never had an issue with MAG as high as 1650, but I have personally never went higher then that.
I've always used IO and still do. Yes, there is some variation, but after seeing the results of separation I always roll buckets or mix bags for evenness. When a bucket gets low I'll open what I have and add it to the open bucket and shake, roll, etc. Only recently have I started using the boxes, but still only add 1 bag at a time to an open bucket and mix well.
Most recent water change mixed to:
At 35 PPT
Ca 420
Mg 1400
Alk 4.0 meq/l
Most recent water change mixed to:
At 35 PPT
Ca 420
Mg 1400
Alk 4.0 meq/l
The buckets.
I've been using Instant Ocean for 5 years now. Have tried different brands but can see no advantage to them since I'm a "dabbler" anyway. (I can't leave anything alone, you know an extra dab here and there of this and that.) Anyway, I've ALWAYS noticed that IO pushes the limit on calcium, usually around 500 and the reef crystals even higher so I stick with IO for my reef tank and tinker.
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