Switching Salt Mix Help

[Ian Baxter]

I want to have a mixed reef and currently have two easier sps (pocillopora and a cap). Both are doing well, and I want to try some more difficult SPS. I know I need to keep my parameters stable and I am having some difficulty with my current salt. I use RPM Pro salt and my alk always stays around 7 and cal around 480ish at 1.026. But, it's supposed to mix Alk between 8-9. I dose AFR daily (10ml). I’ve dosed alk to get it up to 7.5, but it dwindles down by the next WC (weekly 10 gal on my 60). An LFS suggested that I switch salts to Red Sea blue bucket as it would be cheaper than dosing alk. Thoughts? I’m also on my third box and have always had this issue. I read that SPS prefer alk around 8.

These are the numbers from my last WC on Saturday. Hanna for everything with the exception of Mag I use Salifert.
Sal: 1.027
Nitrate: 2.1
PO4: .018
Alk: 6.8
Cal: 451
Mag: 1230

 

[twiatr2001]

My system uptakes about 30-35 ml of alk a day. i currently use ESV for daily dosing, the more sps you have the more the system will demand, at one point in time you will need to dose alk daily or setup a reactor so that you don't have to daily dose. I hope this helps, I currently test alk and cal every day using hanna.

 

[Ian Baxter]

My system uptakes about 30-35 ml of alk a day. i currently use ESV for daily dosing, the more sps you have the more the system will demand, at one point in time you will need to dose alk daily or setup a reactor so that you don't have to daily dose. I hope this helps, I currently test alk and cal every day using hanna.

Do you think switching salt might help a bit for a while? I probably should test my alk daily for the next weeks, or just divide it by 7 days, to check it, but I don't have enough salt left for the next water change.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Reading up a little on the ALK between products, the RPM Pro looks to have dkh=8.5. Blue bucket=7.5 to 8.5. So on the average it's gonna have less. Not by much, but less. I don't think they looked it up (presuming I am correct). Not sure how accurate it is, but I found a .pdf of different salts with their Ca, Mg and ALK levels. See it this helps.

 

[twiatr2001]

So what I do, is use a salt with a higher alk to help maintain higher levels, that way when you do a water change you dont drop the alk in your system too fast and too much, this causes unneeded stress. Pick an alk level that you want to be at and then focus on maintaining that level, keep in mind the other levels as well, calcium, magnesium, etc. Ideally is to get a salt that mixes to roughly the same alk as your goal and then adjust by dosing daily. As your system matures and grows the demand for alk and other elements will be greater and then you will have to either dose more or setup a reactor. But I would focus on a number and then keeping it there for now. you can use a dosing calculator on brs to help with dosing, if you do, I would cut the initial dose in half and then test the next day to see how much it rose by. This will take you a while but bring levels up slowly. make sure you measure alk and calcium daily as well, adjust as necessary. Once you get to your desired level, stop dosing for one day and then check to see by how much your level dropped, then start with a smaller dose to arise back to desired level, then you will find out how much your system takes in daily, this number will change when demand becomes more by growth etc. Hope this helps.

 

[twiatr2001]

Tropic Marin Pro reef mixes at 7 DKH I believe?

 

[Ian Baxter]

Tropic Marin Pro reef mixes at 7 DKH I believe?

Yes, TM Pro does mix at 7, so part of me was thinking to just keep using the same salt even though it won't raise my alk. It seems like my parameters match TM PRO.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'll say it! If you wish to keep hard corals, regardless of the salt, doing weekly water changes won't maintain a steady alk and calc level. You are going to need to dose. Weekly water changes (without dosing) results in alk and calc swings....more so with alk. Pick a dosing regiment, test and dose as needed. I dose two part and dose my tank three times a day to maintain constant alk and calc numbers.

 

[twiatr2001]

I agree, for the meantime, test daily and dose. Use the water change to remove waste(nutrient export) and replenish trace elements, but not weekly.

 

[Ian Baxter]

I'll say it! If you wish to keep hard corals, regardless of the salt, doing weekly water changes won't maintain a steady alk and calc level. You are going to need to dose. Weekly water changes (without dosing) results in alk and calc swings....more so with alk. Pick a dosing regiment, test and dose as needed. I dose two part and dose my tank three times a day to maintain constant alk and calc numbers.

I agree that I need to dose. Just wondering why my alk would always drop when it's supposed to remain stable when using AFR.

 

[twiatr2001]

Because your corals and coralline algae are using it up, most likely reason.

 

[Ian Baxter]

Because your corals and coralline algae are using it up, most likely reason.

Yes, I am starting to get more coralline. So, should I dose AFR and alk or switch to a two part?

 

[twiatr2001]

Test your calcium and see how much that is dropping, then you will know if you need two part, I believe AFR has some Calcium, and Magnesium, its very possible that your system uses more alk than calcium.

 

[Ian Baxter]

Test your calcium and see how much that is dropping, then you will know if you need two part, I believe AFR has some Calcium, and Magnesium, its very possible that your system uses more alk than calcium.

Thanks!

 

[twiatr2001]

Here is the AFR:
Specifications (per 500 mL)

• Carbonate Hardness Concentration: 2,800 dKH
• Calcium Concentration: 20,000 mg Ca
• Magnesium Concentration: 950 mg Mg

 

[Ian Baxter]

Here is the AFR:
Specifications (per 500 mL)

• Carbonate Hardness Concentration: 2,800 dKH
• Calcium Concentration: 20,000 mg Ca
• Magnesium Concentration: 950 mg Mg

 

[rtparty]

I would look into just dosing a little alkalinity daily along with the AFR if alkalinity continues to drop. A little sodium bicarbonate is easy to dump in everyday as needed.

The salt chart earlier in the thread is not accurate. That is super old and lots of those salts aren't even around today. I had planned to make a similar chart with all my salt testing but have never done it.

Switching salts isn't going to change/fix anything here. Daily dosing is required to keep corals that use up elements to grow

 

[Ian Baxter]

I would look into just dosing a little alkalinity daily along with the AFR if alkalinity continues to drop. A little sodium bicarbonate is easy to dump in everyday as needed.

The salt chart earlier in the thread is not accurate. That is super old and lots of those salts aren't even around today. I had planned to make a similar chart with all my salt testing but have never done it.

Switching salts isn't going to change/fix anything here. Daily dosing is required to keep corals that use up elements to grow

Yeah, I thought the chart seemed off. I’ll look into the sodium bicarbonate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that I need to dose. Just wondering why my alk would always drop when it's supposed to remain stable when using AFR.

Because you were not adding enough.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, I am starting to get more coralline. So, should I dose AFR and alk or switch to a two part?

Both will work fine.