Show Reef Crystals tank

[RockyMtnReef]

I also use Reef Crystals.

 

[buy_baff]

I also use Reef Crystals.

Nice tank man! Love the monster milli. Those star pollyps don't cause any problems with the sps?

 

[RockyMtnReef]

Nice tank man! Love the monster milli. Those star pollyps don't cause any problems with the sps?

The SPS actually outcompete the GSP. Check this out. You can see where the undata and red mille are growing over the GSP

.

 

[buy_baff]

Man that awesome! How come everyone says don't put GSP in a sps tank. I love GSP but ditched mine a long time ago for this reason. Anyway tank looks awesome man keep up the good work!

 

[RockyMtnReef]

I think there are lot of different subtle varieties of GSP. Some are more aggressive and pack a bigger sting than others. In my tank the Pink SP have a bigger sting than the GSP but are not invasive. The GSP will grow where space is available but quickly give up if challenged. They also seem to have a very narrow light tolerance. They wont grow where it is too shaded but don't like a direct beating from a 400W MH either.

 

[twelvejewelz]

Buy baff, no disrespect but how could you be using RC for 10 years? It only came out a few years ago. Nice tank by the way.

Reef crystals has been available to the market since about 1989 regular IO salt has been around since the 1960's. I recently switched to Seachem reef salt after 3.5 years of using reef crystals. The reef crystals has been burning the tips of my sps because of the higher alk with dosing vodka. Does anyone have any proof that states the new reef crystals has a lower alk because after switching to the seachem in just 2 weeks my sps is better.

 

[allsps40]

No the new RC does not have lower alk. I have gotten 2 of the new reformulated buckets and the last one the alk was 13. I just made some water with my new buket and alk is 14. My tank uses a lot of alk so it is fine for me. Ca was at 520 on both buckets. Also this new bucket mixed up with a slight brown tint to it and left a brown ring at the water line on the bucket. This has never happened to me with RC. I know it is common with Red Sea.

 

[buy_baff]

Hmm a few weeks ago I tested some after mixing and it was 8DKH but I use the boxes. Don't think that should matter. Eather way it dosn't affect my tank eather as I have a high demand as well. I Guess I'll do some testing when I do my next water change.

 

[allsps40]

Strange that yours is so low. I tested after mixing for about 10-11 hours. Oh and once I got the bucket of new water into the light of my MH it was nice and clear as always. But it did leave a brown ring in the bucket at the water line. So strange this stuff has always mixed up so clean and clear for me. I wont use a salt that is known to turn the water brown.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

 

[Alex T.]

allsps,

I don't know what batch you got these from, but it seems like your parameters for RC are off. I don't believe anyone has ever tested RC with a 520 Ca reading. That approaches Coralife and Oceanic numbers, both of which have a very low alkalinity reading. It appears skewed to some extent. Check your test kits. I don't know of any salt mix that has such a high reading on both paramaters.

And, if you read the thread that I started a few weeks ago, very reputable long time hobbyist Boomer (whom I would never question on this stuff) confirmed from Instant Ocean representative that YES in fact the formula for Reef Crystals has been changed.

Read here....http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1927577&highlight=reef+crystals+alkalinity

 

[reefsahoy]

Nice tank Ricky!

 

[zoeyo5]

nice tank ricky. do you add any supplements besides for cal and alk?

 

[allsps40]

allsps,

I don't know what batch you got these from, but it seems like your parameters for RC are off. I don't believe anyone has ever tested RC with a 520 Ca reading. That approaches Coralife and Oceanic numbers, both of which have a very low alkalinity reading. It appears skewed to some extent. Check your test kits. I don't know of any salt mix that has such a high reading on both paramaters.

And, if you read the thread that I started a few weeks ago, very reputable long time hobbyist Boomer (whom I would never question on this stuff) confirmed from Instant Ocean representative that YES in fact the formula for Reef Crystals has been changed.

Read here....http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1927577&highlight=reef+crystals+alkalinity

My test kits are new just got them about a month ago. I have had this results confirmed on Elos and Salifert kits. I know this is high for RC, I was shocked at the high alk and ca. I always mix my new buckets of salt by rolling them around on the ground to mix the salt up. If you read the salt mix sticky in the chemistry my alk is right on with bertoni's tests and my ca is a little higher. Oh and I think that both my buckets came from the same batch. I got them both at the same store from the same shipment and the LFS I get it from deals direct with IO for their IO and RC salt. I get RC at the same price as IO, only $45 for a bucket. I know the formula has changed, both these buckets are the new stuff. They raised the alk with the change. The old formula had a lower alk for me, around 8-10.

 

[60Cubed]

Yeah RC has been around more than 2yrs. I remember buying it in 2004 so it has been at least that long. When my tank was going thats all i used. When i set my tank back up thats all i'll use. Unless the new formula is different than what i used before.

 

[twelvejewelz]

I know the formula has changed, both these buckets are the new stuff. They raised the alk with the change. The old formula had a lower alk for me, around 8-10.

I dont understand what your saying? The "newest" RC formula is supposed to have a lower alk around 9 which is only the past few months and they didnt tell us about that change, the one before that had an alk of around 13 which was only a few months ago, and even before that the alk was lower. I think your not understanding the timeframe?

Yeah RC has been around more than 2yrs. I remember buying it in 2004 so it has been at least that long. When my tank was going thats all i used. When i set my tank back up thats all i'll use. Unless the new formula is different than what i used before.

^^ Reef crystals has been available to the market since about 1989 regular IO salt has been around since the 1960's.The formula has changed for the better as of the newest update.


Here is my all RC nano about 3 years old. Dont have updated pics alot of the sps have grown in alitle more.

 

[64Ivy]

Most recent FTS. I really don't dose anything save for kalkwasser and a little magnesium at each water change.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

nice tank ricky. do you add any supplements besides for cal and alk?

Magnesium, I use Randy's DIY 2-PART.

 

[allsps40]

Something is really wrong with the Reef Crystals salt. When I got a new bucket 2 weeks a go as I said alk tested at 14 and ca at 520 and it mixed up brown. The LFS gave me a new bucket from a new shipment. I got the last one the time before. Now this one is nixing up brown. I dont get it nothing has changed but the bucket of salt. I am more concerned about the brown tint that the new water has. I have never had this issue before with Reef Crystals of any other salt I have used. I by use any that are know to mix up brown. Thinking about getting a bucket of plain IO for now, not trusting the new RC mix.

 

[Alex T.]

Your LFS must have gotten a weird pallet of RC that they're probably storing in the searing Arizona heat. This is truly odd that you're having these problems. After having some problems with other salt mixes, I came back to RC. It's been extremely consistent for me.

Not to sound insulting but when was the last time you changed your RO cartridges? Maybe it's even time to replace the RO membrane perhaps?