Question on making new water with adjusted parameters after reaching salinity

[CosmicMan]

Hi All,

I am currently using red sea blue bucket to reach 35 ppt salinity. I dose the 3 part aquaforest components now for my display tank.

After mixing, the desired range of calcium, magnesium and alkalinity are not where I want them to be.

Is it common to adjust parameters after mixing? An additive to adjust each value or if using two part or three part, adjust with that equally?

The reason I am asking is that the components in my 3 part have other things in it that it will add. If you add individual additives they don't contain other elements.

My thought is that it does not matter which one to use.

Parameters I am using now:

Calcium 440
Magnesium 1350
Alkalinity 9

 

[Pistondog]

Adjust params in your tank. Pick a salt close to target params.
If you consider awcs, things are more stable.

 

[CosmicMan]

Adjust params in your tank. Pick a salt close to target params.
If you consider awcs, things are more stable.

Wouldnt the tank be more stable if your taking out the same parameters and putting back in the same parameters? Especially if there was an emergency and you needed to do a large change?

 

[Pistondog]

Wouldnt the tank be more stable if your taking out the same parameters and putting back in the same parameters? Especially if there was an emergency and you needed to do a large change?

Periodic water changes, weekly, monthly, are disruptive imo. We may think we can match components we test for, but other elements change.
You are essentially doing the same work twice if correcting salt mix before adding.
Try it if you think it is a better way.

 

[Outlaw Corals]

Don’t go chasing numbers through your water change then dose accordingly

 

[jda]

I adjust my WC water to be exactly what I want. I figured out the forumla years ago and it takes about 15 second to do it now. Muriatic Acid will lower alk, dowflake to raise calcium and the mag is already where I want it. I use Instant Ocean. I do have to mix it for another day to allow the pH to raise after adding the acid.

I see no reason to spend more on salt that is less consistent just to save a few pennies and less than a minute to make the salt the way that I want it.

 

[jda]

Forumla for Mutiatic Acid to use is gallons * desired dKh drop* .123 is the number of MLs to use. You have to aerate really well to drive off the co2 that the acid made reducing the alkalinity.

You only have to figure this out once and then you are all set. Test before and after and keep notes the first time or two. After this, you should be all set.

I do not know if Red Sea Blue is consistent enough for batch-after-batch mixing without testing, but Instant Ocean is.

 

[CosmicMan]

Don’t go chasing numbers through your water change then dose accordingly

Forumla for Mutiatic Acid to use is gallons * desired dKh drop* .123 is the number of MLs to use. You have to aerate really well to drive off the co2 that the acid made reducing the alkalinity.

You only have to figure this out once and then you are all set. Test before and after and keep notes the first time or two. After this, you should be all set.

I do not know if Red Sea Blue is consistent enough for batch-after-batch mixing without testing, but Instant Ocean is.

Much appreciated. I haven't had a situation where I needed to lower ALK but will keep this handy, Thanks!

 

[KGV]

Forumla for Mutiatic Acid to use is gallons * desired dKh drop* .123 is the number of MLs to use. You have to aerate really well to drive off the co2 that the acid made reducing the alkalinity.

You only have to figure this out once and then you are all set. Test before and after and keep notes the first time or two. After this, you should be all set.

I do not know if Red Sea Blue is consistent enough for batch-after-batch mixing without testing, but Instant Ocean is.

Is that using a 1 Molar concentration HCl?

 

[homer1475]

Not sure on the Molar concentration, but I use Transchem brand from ACE hardware store. I use the same calculations as posted above.

Transchem Muriatic Acid 1 gal Liquid - Ace Hardware

Professional Strength 31.45% HCL (Muriatic Acid), excellent for pH reduction in swimming pools or to clean and etch masonry surfaces, excellent for pH reduction in all commercial and residential pools.Find the ACID MURIATIC GAL at Ace.

www.acehardware.com

1 Gallon goes a long way as you only use a few ML at a time. Just use cation as muriatic acid is nothing to scoff at.

 

[jda]

Is that using a 1 Molar concentration HCl?

Hardware store stuff for swimming pools and the like. I thought that all Muriatic was the same strength hcl, but I could be wrong.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Wouldnt the tank be more stable if your taking out the same parameters and putting back in the same parameters? Especially if there was an emergency and you needed to do a large change?

If the tank water coming out is the same as all the water going in (parameter speaking), why do the water change to begin with?

I believe he was following the same recommendation as I would, don't alter the salt to your tank, pick a salt brand/type that is as close to what you want to keep as possible and dose to hold those parameters stable. If you are using a salt that doesn't keep the parameters you choose and then dose you are just wasting time and money.

 

[CosmicMan]

If the tank water coming out is the same as all the water going in (parameter speaking), why do the water change to begin with?

I believe he was following the same recommendation as I would, don't alter the salt to your tank, pick a salt brand/type that is as close to what you want to keep as possible and dose to hold those parameters stable. If you are using a salt that doesn't keep the parameters you choose and then dose you are just wasting time and money.

It has not been such a big deal for me since I rarely do water changes. I recently got a triton test back with a bunch of heavy metals detected and i did not want to compromise my parameters with the salt mix i had. So was wondering if people adjust their new water prior to their changes.

Looks like people just mix to salinity and check if parameters are close to target and adjust them in their tank.

I get it, I am stubborn and don't want my parameters changed even slightly by water change when needed. I was mainly just curious if I had an alk of 9 and the fresh mixed water had an alk of 8 and you did a 50% water change how much of an impact it would be.

I feel that it really matters depending on the % water change you are doing. 10% -15% changes probably adjust the tank parameters in a saver way then a 50% change unless you adjust the mix to begin with.

 

[jda]

Find something that works for you and your personality.

I have no desire to spend more on a salt mix that are usually less consistent just because the calcium and alk are more like my tank. A decade of acid and driveway melt is less than $10 and it takes a few minutes. $38 for a box of IO makes all of this worth it.

Others disagree.

If you don't change a lot of water, fresh mix with parameters that are way off barely move the values in your tank.

 

[KGV]

Hardware store stuff for swimming pools and the like. I thought that all Muriatic was the same strength hcl, but I could be wrong.

31% HCl is 10 Molar. This this concentration is not the safest to have around. I typically use 1 M HCl for the purpose of lowering KH. I dilute it once more to 0.1 HCl as reagent for my KH director.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I adjust my WC water to be exactly what I want. I figured out the forumla years ago and it takes about 15 second to do it now. Muriatic Acid will lower alk, dowflake to raise calcium and the mag is already where I want it. I use Instant Ocean. I do have to mix it for another day to allow the pH to raise after adding the acid.

I see no reason to spend more on salt that is less consistent just to save a few pennies and less than a minute to make the salt the way that I want it.

Hi jda -

After adding the muriatic acid and letting it mix for another day, do you leave the lid off your mixing container for gas exchange or does it matter?

Can the muratic acid be the same jugs I use for my swimming pool? Any issue with impurities getting added?

Where do you get dowflakes, I’ve never used - I’m in California. I do Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride for my 2 part.