Testing fresh salt mix before water change

[leetdood]

Hi all,

I've recently been having low magnesium issues.
I went through many different test kits, asked around many different information outlets and no one had a definitive answer.
I then decided to test my salt while it was being mixed ready for a water change.
This is where I found (using 3 different test kits) that the levels of cal/mag/alk were all low. I tried the same on my other bucket of salt only to have the same outcome.
2 different buckets of redsea. A blue bucket and a purple bucket. Both batch numbers tested, and a ticket raised on the redsea website.
I was told to do a stringent test using their own method. I did this, with no change to the readings.

Who tests their salt mix before they do a water change, and what results do you get? As advertised? Or wildly different?

Also, what would you recommend I do?

Tony

 

[kharmaguru]

If all big 3 are low in two different buckets, my first thought would be incorrect salinity. What are you using to measure and adjust your salinity?

 

[leetdood]

Tmc refractometer, calibrated. I love the assumption that that's one of the things I hadn't checked for.. I've been doing this 13yrs.. Never really had an issue that I couldn't figure out .. Apart from this one, which has me stumped.

 

[kharmaguru]

Tmc refractometer, calibrated. I love the assumption that that's one of the things I hadn't checked for.. I've been doing this 13yrs.. Never really had an issue that I couldn't figure out .. Apart from this one, which has me stumped.

If you believe your numbers are correct then your only choice it to change salts or adjust the values before using. If you had a precipitation event to drive everything down you would have noticed I'm sure.

 

[Timfish]

I can't think of the last time I tested new saltwater even for salinity.

 

[SantaMonica]

Maybe there is something extra in this batch of water that is interacting/altering the salinity measurement

 

[griss]

Well, I just went through a situation with Coralife salt (a brand I’ve been using since the 1990s) where the Calcium was extremely high 800+ ppm and alkalinity very low 5.0 dKH. So, it’s possible you got a bad batch of salt.

I would suggest taking a sample to an LFS to get a, “second opinion” on the tests just to be sure.

 

[Genetics]

Tmc refractometer, calibrated. I love the assumption that that's one of the things I hadn't checked for.. I've been doing this 13yrs.. Never really had an issue that I couldn't figure out .. Apart from this one, which has me stumped.

I don’t think that was the intent of the post but a simple possible answer that would explain your observations. I have seen where people found just mixing the buckets at the bottom can correct deficiencies in magnesium.

Do you have what your readings were for all of the buckets? It seems really odd that you have two different batches that were low across the board.

Just double check on the refractometer against a standard. I have one where the lense migrates over time and now use a standard prior to any measurements as my refractometer was off 0.008 after a day.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I can't think of the last time I tested new saltwater even for salinity.

I can’t remember the last time I mixed a batch of saltwater…. 4+ years maybe?

 

[leetdood]

Just a quick update for all those who would like to know....

My refractometer, and the second one I bought, were 5ppt and 2ppt out of calibration. I didn't think it was right, so a guy I know, who has a digital hanna salinity checker, checked it for me and came to the conclusion that both mine were out of whack. He calibrated them and i adjusted the water accordingly. All is now well in my world.

Just goes to show, what you might think and what you actually know.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Did you try to calibrate them with calibration solution (did not scroll back up to read).

 

[Genetics]

We all learn things still in this hobby. It’s why we are all here. If it was easy these forums would be useless. Glad it worked out!