jason2459
Well-known member
That's cool. I do 155 water changes every day.
Need reassurance on IO for SPS
- Thread starter Tuffloud1
- Start date
That's cool. I do 155 water changes every day.
Tuffloud1
New member
And for every anomaly like this, there are 100 people who do constant, weekly and monthly water changes and their tank looks as good or better.
I love it when people point out that a positive outcome happened from an extremely rare practice as proof that everyone should be following that same practice even though the consensus among the overwhelming majority including reef chemists follow the exact opposite practice and have excellent results.
You're right man, I should stop fretting about what kind of salt I use because some guy had good results from never doing water changes.
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Tuffloud1
New member
Lol!!! Totally!
Chris Lakies
Active member
Personally i like mixing 50/50 regular IO with RC.
Tuffloud1
New member
Why not just adjust calcium and alk on regular IO?
moatdaddy
New member
Okay let stick to benefits on IO here please. As OP requested. In 20 years of reefing I have used many types. I almost always go back to IO. I like to feed heavy and sometimes my nutrient export is not enough. Insert extra water change. I did small daily water changes for a month to great success. Anyway IO is affordable and reliable salt that has a proven record in the hobby. Sleep well my friend.
jason2459
Well-known member
Well, he should know of any possible negatives as well. Like the Alkalinity levels are a little higher. The calcium a little lower. It will need more salt then advertised to get to 35ppt/1.0264. With any salt knowing the basics they provide should be known if any adjustments will be needed. If running a fish only or soft coral tank there's a lot more leeway. But as mentioned many times IO has been used in many very beautiful and very demanding coral tanks of all kinds.
To me though most of those are positive. I use Kalk to supplement Alkalinity and calcium. It seems Kalk is slightly more balanced to the calcium side then Alkalinity. So the lower calcium is good for me. If dosing 2 part a slight adjustment would be done. For some the higher Alkalinity is good as they have very high demands or again a quick adjustment to 2 part dosing fixes things if 2 part dosing is done.
The Alkalinity if your demands are low and your nutrient levels are so low (nitrates undetectable via higher resolution test kits and phosphates well under .03) that corals start to have issues at higher Alkalinity levels then that could be an issue too. One could then lower the Alkalinity of the IO mixed in water with something like muriatic acid.
To me though most of those are positive. I use Kalk to supplement Alkalinity and calcium. It seems Kalk is slightly more balanced to the calcium side then Alkalinity. So the lower calcium is good for me. If dosing 2 part a slight adjustment would be done. For some the higher Alkalinity is good as they have very high demands or again a quick adjustment to 2 part dosing fixes things if 2 part dosing is done.
The Alkalinity if your demands are low and your nutrient levels are so low (nitrates undetectable via higher resolution test kits and phosphates well under .03) that corals start to have issues at higher Alkalinity levels then that could be an issue too. One could then lower the Alkalinity of the IO mixed in water with something like muriatic acid.
Chris Lakies
Active member
The reason why i mix the two is for the "extra" elements in the RC. I think i see some benefits (could just be in my head though :lolspin
. I do adjust Cal and Alk every batch.
Tuffloud1
New member
I just mixed up my first batch and the alk is 9.2 dkh and calcium 400.
This is close to perfect for me without having to adjust anything. Is alk usually higher?
swk
New member
Need reassurance on IO for SPS
That's it
All I have are sps and clams. The only zoas I own are pest zoas that showed up on my rock.
That's it
All I have are sps and clams. The only zoas I own are pest zoas that showed up on my rock.
Tuffloud1
New member
That's it
All I have are sps and clams. The only zoas I own are pest zoas that showed up on my rock.
Sweet, what alk are you reading with fresh salt at 1.026?
I did notice that it mixes up slightly hazy. I let mix overnight and it's clear, but not quite as clear as the Neomarine I was using.
The alk tested at 9.2 dkh and calcium at 400.
jason2459
Well-known member
It will vary and ideal Alk will as well from 7-11dKH.
You can generally expect around 400 Ca, 11 Alk, 1300 Mg from IO.
But all salts will vary from bag to bag.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24384967
Tuffloud1
New member
Turns out my Hanna Alk Checker has been broken for months.
New Salifert kits confirmed that my first batch of IO is 11.2 dkh not 9.2.
So my tank is actually running higher alk than I thought.
My Hanna checker started giving me "hi light" and "lo light" messages in addition to the readings being all over the place.
I will never use a Hanna checker again. I realize they are convenient and people love them (so did I) but it is an electronic instrument prone to malfunction. Can't trust it anymore.
Salifert gives rock solid readings that are repeatable.
New Salifert kits confirmed that my first batch of IO is 11.2 dkh not 9.2.
So my tank is actually running higher alk than I thought.
My Hanna checker started giving me "hi light" and "lo light" messages in addition to the readings being all over the place.
I will never use a Hanna checker again. I realize they are convenient and people love them (so did I) but it is an electronic instrument prone to malfunction. Can't trust it anymore.
Salifert gives rock solid readings that are repeatable.
jason2459
Well-known member
If it makes you feel better all test kits are prone to error of various kinds.
Tuffloud1
New member
I hear ya. I just think that the digital aspect of the Hanna checkers are more prone to failure than a careful human being administering drops. Reagents can be defective, yes, but provided you don't get a bad batch, you can assume the entire batch you do have will work properly provided you are meticulous.
On the other hand, you can get a good batch of hanna reagent and then have your digital meter fail on you half way through that reagent which had nothing to do with reagent or human error.
Tuffloud1
New member
I'm hoping someone can give me an equation and calculate this out for me.
15 gallons of fresh batch of Instant Ocean
alk 11.2
calcium 405
I want it at
alk 8
calcium 420
How would I do this and with what? I have 2 part solutions as well as muratic acid from Leslie's Pools - is this safe to use?
Is it possible to just add some calcium from my 2 part and that will lower my alk and raise calcium?
15 gallons of fresh batch of Instant Ocean
alk 11.2
calcium 405
I want it at
alk 8
calcium 420
How would I do this and with what? I have 2 part solutions as well as muratic acid from Leslie's Pools - is this safe to use?
Is it possible to just add some calcium from my 2 part and that will lower my alk and raise calcium?
