Bad batch of Instant Ocean? Alkalinity through the ROOF!!!
- Thread starter Megalodon
- Start date
Is it possible that somehow there was an excess of Montmorillonite in the boxes of salt mix that Megalodon and Thomas712 used?
IF that is a possibility, I think it would account for the extremely high alkalinity readings if my limited knowledge of chemistry is correct.
It is certainly possible that they added moe than usual, if in fact they still add it. They may have also added the wroong thing. But I've used Montmorillonite in other contexts, and it doesn't really dissolve. It swells in water, and you get water between planes of atoms, but it does not normally "dissolve". Would a lot of swollen Montmorillonite show up in an alkalinity test? I don't know, but I'll see if I can find my old bottle and check.
IF that is a possibility, I think it would account for the extremely high alkalinity readings if my limited knowledge of chemistry is correct.
It is certainly possible that they added moe than usual, if in fact they still add it. They may have also added the wroong thing. But I've used Montmorillonite in other contexts, and it doesn't really dissolve. It swells in water, and you get water between planes of atoms, but it does not normally "dissolve". Would a lot of swollen Montmorillonite show up in an alkalinity test? I don't know, but I'll see if I can find my old bottle and check.
Chalky coating
Chalky coating
In Raleigh NC i was talking to some people who do service work on reef tanks and thay said that Instant Ocean was mixing cloudy and that the mixing tanks had a very thick chalky coating all over them.Thay used different buckets Instant Ocean with different code numbers the same thing happen each time. RGibson
Chalky coating
In Raleigh NC i was talking to some people who do service work on reef tanks and thay said that Instant Ocean was mixing cloudy and that the mixing tanks had a very thick chalky coating all over them.Thay used different buckets Instant Ocean with different code numbers the same thing happen each time. RGibson
Megalodon
Clowning Around
I should clarify...
I should clarify...
The pH of my tank during the disaster was 8.2. I'm not 100% confident in this reading like I am with the readings we got on alkalinity. I'm not sure if J&Ls did a pH test.
I could mix up the salt right now and test calcium, copper, and pH since I got new Aquarium Systems kits. I forgot to get magnesium and a new alkalinity. Maybe I'll run back out to J&Ls... It's on the other side of town but they've got the best prices than anywhere. I guess we wonââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t find out for sure until Randy gets my salt early next week anyway.
I think it's best for me to use the same brand of test kits as the salt because: 1. If Aquarium Systems wants to criticize any of our test kits, they'll have to criticize their own brand; and 2. I like Aquarium Systems and I'm confident failure of their products is just as likely with any other brand, if not less.
I should clarify...
The pH of my tank during the disaster was 8.2. I'm not 100% confident in this reading like I am with the readings we got on alkalinity. I'm not sure if J&Ls did a pH test.
I could mix up the salt right now and test calcium, copper, and pH since I got new Aquarium Systems kits. I forgot to get magnesium and a new alkalinity. Maybe I'll run back out to J&Ls... It's on the other side of town but they've got the best prices than anywhere. I guess we wonââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t find out for sure until Randy gets my salt early next week anyway.
I think it's best for me to use the same brand of test kits as the salt because: 1. If Aquarium Systems wants to criticize any of our test kits, they'll have to criticize their own brand; and 2. I like Aquarium Systems and I'm confident failure of their products is just as likely with any other brand, if not less.
Megalodon
Clowning Around
Yikes... I didn't have the $30 to courier the salt to Randy so I had to mail it. They said it could take up to 11 days.
I hope they don't tear it apart thinking it's drugs. I already had to fill out something saying that it might be searched and I had to declare what was inside it: "Aquarium salt for a chemist."
It looks like drugs too.
:crazy1: :hammer:
I hope they don't tear it apart thinking it's drugs. I already had to fill out something saying that it might be searched and I had to declare what was inside it: "Aquarium salt for a chemist."
It looks like drugs too.
:crazy1: :hammer:
HA :lol: Been through this many times already, really confused them when they opend up one of my packages when it reached NY and they just didn't know what to think. I had sent some chitons to a fellow hobbiest. When it reached where he worked the mail room x-rayed the box as well, it was a rought time for those chitons.
I mark on the outside of the box synthetic or IO salt sample and so far no one has bothered it. This is the third mailing of this salt and cost less than 5 bucks, for this one, to try to find some answers.
Thomas
I mark on the outside of the box synthetic or IO salt sample and so far no one has bothered it. This is the third mailing of this salt and cost less than 5 bucks, for this one, to try to find some answers.
Thomas
Megalodon
Clowning Around
This cost $3 US...
This cost $3 US...
I was just thinking someone could accuse the sample as being tampered with if the boarder gorillas get their dirty hands all in it. The same bag and salt J&Ls gave me to send off to Aquarium Systems for testing is exactly what I sent Randy. I made sure it remained sealed from contamination.
You're security down there is sooo tight. Wow. I guess it goes without saying, since Sept. 11...
:fish2: :fish1: :fish2:
This cost $3 US...
I was just thinking someone could accuse the sample as being tampered with if the boarder gorillas get their dirty hands all in it. The same bag and salt J&Ls gave me to send off to Aquarium Systems for testing is exactly what I sent Randy. I made sure it remained sealed from contamination.
You're security down there is sooo tight. Wow. I guess it goes without saying, since Sept. 11...
:fish2: :fish1: :fish2:
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
um, never mind some other B.C. herbal products that are in high demand here
Not me personally, anymore. But yet I'm sure being from that area your salt will be smelled by at least one dog.
Not me personally, anymore. But yet I'm sure being from that area your salt will be smelled by at least one dog.
Megalodon
Clowning Around
LOL!!! :lol: Our pot is just flowing like a green river across your boarders yeah, but it ainââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t me, Mr. Bush. I personally don't know any smugglers but if I ever meet one I'll let them know what Washington really thinks of their medicine of misery and madness.
I felt like I was getting suspicious looks at the Canada Post. (These people are the slowest %$@#s you'll ever see in your life... I almost couldn't take it...)
He looked at me like "Oh they'll catch it don't worry."
I felt like I was getting suspicious looks at the Canada Post. (These people are the slowest %$@#s you'll ever see in your life... I almost couldn't take it...)
He looked at me like "Oh they'll catch it don't worry."
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Megalodon
Clowning Around
I'm feeling much better now
I'm feeling much better now
My feather duster is already well on its way building a new tube for itself. It "wormed" its way back-end first under a piece of LR on the DSB. I had to reposition the live rock and saw the worm's new tube... it's kind of in its preliminary stages but advanced enough that the worm can retract most its "feathers" when it's shocked.
That was much quicker than I thought. Being on its death bed five days ago, to this, is incredible. Also, it seems to be eating and its ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdusterââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ looks healthy. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m glad it didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t loose it during the stress.
So my only loss of life were the two shrimp in the end. They're in my freezer as evidence. Microscopic life, I don't know about, but I do know ammonia didn't appear after this episode. My DSB was very new, fortunately, and didn't have critters in it yet. My LR is bleached-looking but that will grow back.
I'm feeling much better now
My feather duster is already well on its way building a new tube for itself. It "wormed" its way back-end first under a piece of LR on the DSB. I had to reposition the live rock and saw the worm's new tube... it's kind of in its preliminary stages but advanced enough that the worm can retract most its "feathers" when it's shocked.
That was much quicker than I thought. Being on its death bed five days ago, to this, is incredible. Also, it seems to be eating and its ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdusterââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ looks healthy. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m glad it didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t loose it during the stress.
So my only loss of life were the two shrimp in the end. They're in my freezer as evidence. Microscopic life, I don't know about, but I do know ammonia didn't appear after this episode. My DSB was very new, fortunately, and didn't have critters in it yet. My LR is bleached-looking but that will grow back.
flyj3
Premium Member
I did a 20% change last weekend with I/O and lost some crabs. My mixing buckets are white so I didn't notice the chalk, My alk hit 28. The only other level I noticed was orp went over 460 and caused my neptune to alarm. Nothing else seemed effected. I did a second water change today with a new bucket of IO after cleaning the mess from the mixing buckets. It didn't cloud this time. I have been cleaning that residue off the aquarium glass once a day for the last week.
John
John
spham
New member
Came upon this post a week ago. Had bought a new bucket of IO about a 1 1/2 week ago. Was going to do a WC this weekend. Mix up 10g of saltwater with IO, RO/DI, and a ph at a salinity of 1.025. An hour later:
ca = 300-320ppm
KH = ???dKH
Both tested with Salifert's. When I tested the KH, I added 2ml of the KH reagent and it didn't even change color (step 4 of the Salifert Alkalinity test kit).
Thinking this could be the test kit, so I tested my tank water:
ca = 420ppm
KH = 8.6 dKH
Thinking the new salt mix needs time to mix, 24hrs later still the same. 48hrs after the first test, still same.
Randy, do you need anothe sample? I can send you my IO sample if you need it.
ca = 300-320ppm
KH = ???dKH
Both tested with Salifert's. When I tested the KH, I added 2ml of the KH reagent and it didn't even change color (step 4 of the Salifert Alkalinity test kit).
Thinking this could be the test kit, so I tested my tank water:
ca = 420ppm
KH = 8.6 dKH
Thinking the new salt mix needs time to mix, 24hrs later still the same. 48hrs after the first test, still same.
Randy, do you need anothe sample? I can send you my IO sample if you need it.
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