Anyone using Tropic Marin (or Pro Reef) salt

[raynist]

Thinking about switching. My IO/Reef Crystals PH has been low. My batches are only testing at 7.8 PH @1.026 SG. I have to add a ton of buffer to keep it from dipping below 7.9 at night.

What have your experiences been with Tropic Marin, or TM Pro Reef?

What are the differences between TM and TM-PR?

Thanks
Ray Nist

 

[Adam]

Ray,

Tropic Marin's Reef salt is designed for reef systems with calcium reactors. Since calcium reactor users often see a slight rise in alkalinity relative to calcium over time, the Reef formulation has slightly lower alkalinity.

I have used both the reef and marine salts in my tanks with good results and will probably switch on my next salt purchase.

As for your low IO pH... this is odd. IO actually has a reputation for mixing up with a high pH. Have you checked the alkalinity? Have you aerated the newly mixed water and re-checked the pH?

Adam

 

[raynist]

Hi Adam,

My kH is 10, this just started happening with the last 2 buckets of IO that I got from DrFS. I have been areating but it hasn't helped much (0.1 maybe).

Is the Calcium and Mg the same with the Pro Reef?

Thanks
Ray Nist

 

[Adam]

Ray,

The german language comparison table between the two tropic marin salts implies that Pro-Reef has higher calcium and magnesium but lower alkalinity. They don't quantify.

If your alkalinity tends to run on the high side compared to your calcium, I would use the Pro-Reef. If your alkalinity is low to normal compared to calcium, I would use the standard marine salt.

Adam

 

[raynist]

Hi Adam,

I recevied an email from Tropic Marin, pretty much says the same as you just said:

Tropic Marin PRO-REEF hast more calcium and magnesium than Tropic Marin Sea Salt. The calcium concentration is at 430 ppm, the magnesium concentration at 1350 ppm at salinity 35 PSU/specific gravity 1.0264. The KH is at 7Ã"šÃ‚° dKH.

The calcium of Tropic Marin Sea Salt is at 380 ppm, magnesium at 1260 ppm and KH at 9 to 10Ã"šÃ‚° dKH at the same salinity/specific gravity.

--Ray

 

[acroconut]

I have issues with falling PH in my tanks also. Found out a few months ago that the CO2 level in the house is the cause of it. Never happens in the summer when the windows are open, so at least in my case the IO Reef Crystals isn't to blame

 

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6901796#post6901796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acroconut
I have issues with falling PH in my tanks also. Found out a few months ago that the CO2 level in the house is the cause of it. Never happens in the summer when the windows are open, so at least in my case the IO Reef Crystals isn't to blame

I bet that is the case for me also. Have you done anyting to alleviate the CO2 levels? I was thinking I could areate the tank with a airstone and use air from outside to do this. I mixed one gallon of the TM Pro Reef last night and the PH was 7.9......

--Ray

 

[acroconut]

Actually had considered using the skimmer air intake line to bring in outside air. Haven't done that yet.....my sps have been handling the fluctuation pretty well so far, but most of what I have has been grown out from frags....no wild colonies. Also I dose kalk at night which helps. The lowest I've ever seen it was 7.6 in the AM. The past few months it's been around 8.0 in the AM.

 

[raynist]

Yeah, I thought about using the skimmer line also. It would be kind of hard for me to run it though.

This weekend will be a good test if it is as warm as they say it will be. My PH used to be 8.4 pm and 8.2 am.

--Ray

 

[raynist]

I was wondering if putting some plants in the room would help??

 

[acroconut]

I don't think that putting plants in the room would help much. If I remember my Biology correctly......plants take up CO2 during the day and then give off CO2 at night. Which is also why some people run their refugium lighting opposite to their tank lights....as for me I never shut my fuge lights off, and my Chaeto grows like crazy.

 

[Ghumbee]

Ray,
I dug up this tidbit from an Anthony C. Post on skimmer Performance.

"You also mentioning running the air intake outside in the summer. This can be VERY helpful for raising pH in well insulated homes that have accumulated CO2 during such times (closed doors/windows)"

Chuck

 

[raynist]

Thanks Chuck!