A General Guide to Salt Mixes

[Billybeau1]

I've already tested RS Coral Pro. Just haven't posted the numbers yet on the chart.
At 1.0264 (35ppt) I got 490 calcium 7 dkh and 1300 mag. And thats pretty much what the manufacturer claims on the bucket.

 

[HowardW]

<<< Reef Crystals, Instant Ocean, and Seachem Reef Salt have also left a brown residue in my buckets that I absolutely dislike... >>>


I have been using Seachem Reef Salt for a long time and have never experienced any noticable brown stuff in my jugs after mixing it up. I did however see a lot of brown stuff the one single time I tried the Red Sea salt and I spoke with the head chemist at Red Sea about it, and it was explained to me that it was just silt or whatever that didn't get extracted via the solar evaporation process in manufacturing their salt and was not harmful.

 

[ezcompany]

hmmm. that dkh is on the low side......maybe i will just stick to my favorite Tropic Marine.....

 

[ezcompany]

hmmm. that dkh is on the low side......maybe i will just stick to my favorite Tropic Marin...but $60 is hard to swallow!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

but when one receives his bucket of salt, he has no way of knowing whether it is part of an old batch or new.


You referring to Seachem salt mix? I think that borate change took place quite a while ago (years).

 

[Trotter]

Thank you!

 

[ezcompany]

ah I see Randy. But for some reason my tank didn't seem to like the salt....

OK here's my latest news:

Just got my first batch of Red Sea Coral Pro and my test results:

1.026 (refractometer)

400 ppm CA (Salifert) supposed to be 480 per manufacturer at 1.025

and get this.....4 DKH (Tetra) i tested my tank water and its at 10 DKH, and tested the new salt mix 3 times to make sure i wasn't seeing things. 4 DKH it was... pretty fed up with trying different salt. I think I'm going to stick to TM regular from now on and not bother.

 

[Billybeau1]

Well, do what you think is right ez.

You have testing issues. I'm sure of that.

Red Sea Coral Pro @ 35 ppt (1.0264) mixes around 490 calcium and 7 dkh @ 35 ppt.

I personally don't care for Tetra test kits for salt water.

I've been following your posts for a little while. At this point, I don't know whether you have bad test kits or your refractometer is off.

It's one or the other as your numbers are not consistent with the standards.

 

[ezcompany]

care to explain how i get consistent numbers every test with Tropic Marin then?
measuring alkalinity is not a big deal, using a salifert, lamotte, red sea, elos, or tetra, it will all come out the similar if not the same.
my refractometer may be off, but if it was i think my 3 tanks would've let me know by now.

 

[Billybeau1]

Please don't get defense ez, I'm trying to shed a little light on your posts. I realize this is frustrating but we'll get to the bottom of it.

One thing I noticed in testing many salts mixes is, they do not all require the same amount of salt to achieve 35 ppt or 1.0264.

I would feel a lot better about your results if I knew your refractometer was properly calibrated.

I use Pinpoints 53 mS calibration fluid and it is extremely accurate from my testing.

A few points off s.g can cause a big difference in cal and mag.

BTW - if your tanks look good they probably are good, and you are worrying for nothing.

Sometimes we tend to get too hung up on testing numbers and forget about how good our tanks look.

 

[ezcompany]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11646382#post11646382 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Please don't get defense ez, I'm trying to shed a little light on your posts. I realize this is frustrating but we'll get to the bottom of it.

One thing I noticed in testing many salts mixes is, they do not all require the same amount of salt to achieve 35 ppt or 1.0264.

I would feel a lot better about your results if I knew your refractometer was properly calibrated.

I use Pinpoints 53 mS calibration fluid and it is extremely accurate from my testing.

A few points off s.g can cause a big difference in cal and mag.

BTW - if your tanks look good they probably are good, and you are worrying for nothing.

Sometimes we tend to get too hung up on testing numbers and forget about how good our tanks look.

oh no worries, sorry if i sounded defensive...
i'm just saying my other salt tests normally with expected results, its just this bucket of red sea coral pro thats testing at 4 dkh which is daunting. i have another bucket so i will test that too. im' hoping it will post better test results. if this is off to then i'll for sure test my refractometer

 

[Billybeau1]

O.K. try giving it a good shake before you do your next batch.

Keep us posted.

 

[ezcompany]

i'm gonna test my next batch from another bucket (i have 2 buckets) so hopefully i'll get better results!
any tips on shaking an entire bucket? lol

 

[ezcompany]

2nd 5 gallon batch mixed tonight from a different bucket of Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. 5.5 DKH, did not bother to test Ca

 

[aastretch64]

I've had 3 buckets of reef crystals mixed to 1.026, and the calcium is only 380, mag is 1200, and alkalinity is 12. Tested with Sailfert. I am fed up with spending extra money to dose my salt mix!

Alex

 

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11655934#post11655934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezcompany
2nd 5 gallon batch mixed tonight from a different bucket of Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. 5.5 DKH, did not bother to test Ca

ez, time to test the refract.

 

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11657194#post11657194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aastretch64
I've had 3 buckets of reef crystals mixed to 1.026, and the calcium is only 380, mag is 1200, and alkalinity is 12. Tested with Sailfert. I am fed up with spending extra money to dose my salt mix!

Alex

Alex, how do you test salinity ?

 

[ezcompany]

k third test, i got the first 175 gallon bucket, emptied half to another bucket, mixed both using a spatula, then combined them again. new results:

1.027 CA: 400 ppm (Salifert) the same
7 DKH (Tetra)

 

[aastretch64]

I test with a with a hydrometer, however I have had it tested against a calibrated refractometer. Beside that I use 9 (half cups) poured into 8 gallons heated and stired with a maxi-jet 1200.

Alex

 

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11657699#post11657699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezcompany
k third test, i got the first 175 gallon bucket, emptied half to another bucket, mixed both using a spatula, then combined them again. new results:

1.027 CA: 400 ppm (Salifert) the same
7 DKH (Tetra)

I still do not think you are at 1.027 really. Did you get the calibration fluid ?