Parameters for synthetic seawater

[phljess]

I just made up my water for a water change and decided to test it for necessary additives. I was quite suprised with the results. I will test again when I need to do another water change. The reason I am suprised is because I just use plain ole Instant Ocean and its chemistry params look good.

Here were the results at temp 80 degrees SG 1.026:
Calcium 420 ppm
Alkalinity 5.0 meq/l
Magnesium 1430 ppm

I used two different buckets of salt so these parameters may be quite different next time but I still was suprised how high alk and mag were in just plain IO.

If some others have time, please check your chemistry as you make your new water and lets see what other salts look like. Also please post if you use IO, I would like to see if other batches are consistant.

 

[coralreefer]

Man Phil I've never heard of IO testing that high. It's usually high on alk and low on Ca and Mg. Sounds more like Reef Crystals numbers to me. Maybe they put the wrong salt in your buckets :lol:

Looking back at my logs over about a 3 year period.

IO @ 1.026
6 buckets averaged Ca 360-380 alk 11.6-118 dkh...so around 4.5 meq/l
Don't measure mg but usually IO is reported to average 1100 or less.

RC @1.026, only tested one bucket.
Ca 420 ppm
Alk 12 dkh

Those were random tests I don't measure every new bag or bucket.

 

[phljess]

Yes, that is what I thought and is why I posted. When I checked the alk I thought for sure I had made a mistake so I re-tested with another kit. It also measured the same. I was also amazed at the amount of mag in the water, it tested higher than the TM Pro Reef I bought a few months ago. I buffered the cal up a little to put it into balance with alk. I also buffer my mag to 1500 to keep it stable between WCs. I hope some others will report the chemistry of their make up water. It might just be the batch I have. I have also thought the salt may have settled some in the bucket leaving mor alk at the top. I will test again next time I do a water change and post the results.

I have tested my IO makeup water before in the past and it never was this high in alk and mag.

 

[phljess]

New Bucket IO

SG 1.025
Cal 430 ppm.
Alk 3.75 meq
Mag 1380

 

[coralreefer]

Phil what test kit are you using for Ca? I'll try to remember to check mine out of the bucket again but the calcium still seems too high for IO. You're alk looks more in line and again I don't test mag.

Anybody else want to test their makeup water and chime in?

 

[phljess]

API for Calcium test
Salifert Magnesium test
Aquarium systems Alk test

 

[MattG]

I would but i dont own any kits

i just change a bunch of water and dont worry. Im sure someday ill get a bad batch and change my ways.

 

[918ReefCpl]

Here's a Saltwater Analysis research paper that was just recently completed:

http://reefsaltanalysis.googlepages.com/AWT_Salt_Analysis_0208.pdf

 

[Tazbader]

I got 380 for calcium and 4.0 on alkalinity phil. I don't test for mg but soon will as per your recommends.....