Wanna SPS tank needs major help
- Thread starter Dbondaruk
- Start date
BigJohnny
Active member
First of all, red sea coral pro is supposed to be mixed at room temperature for only 30 mins to 1 hr, then brought up to temp before water change. It will not precipitate this way. People who get precipitation are mixing heated or for too long. Watch red sea coral pro video or speak to a rep. This is due to highly elevated levels of calcium and alkalinity not found in normal salt mix.
As for your question, I use red sea blue bucket (normal) and it does not precipitate. However I mix it at room temp (overnight, but sometimes for only an hour in a pinch). I don't heat my water for water changes because at room temperature it has no effect on my tank temperature with a 10% water change.
red sea blue bucket can be mixed continuously for a long time without precipitation, unlike red sea coral pro.
Red Sea coral pro does not precipitate when mixed properly however.
If you want to store rscp, store it in an air tight container at room temp, then aerate and heat before use.
BigJohnny
Active member
The only problem I see there is that you don't realize the effect of temperature on specific gravity [emoji6] . I recommend measuring salinity to 35 ppt. But if your using SG I recommend measuring it after its heated and adjusting from there.
Heating it to 78 after mixing will not cause precipitation, mixing it at heated 78 or while heating could. Why would you want to recirculate for longer than 4 hours if it mixes and stabilizes in an hour? I don't see how it's a problem if it's unnecessary and easily avoidable.
Think about it, if you dose calcium and alkalinity in high ppm directly to your tank at the same time, it will immediately precipitate out. The same thing happens if you mix a salt with high calcium and alkalinity at tank temperature.
If you dose each component seperately into your tank, at a larger interval, it's less likely to precipitate. The same effect can be achieved by mixing a high calcium/high dkh salt less, at a lower temperature. Your essentially reducing the rate at which the components interact within a given time. Then once you use that mixed water in a water change, the solution is diluted and it negates any precipitation.
It's just science. There is no issue with the salt. You will have the same "problem" with any salt that has the alkalinity and calcium levels that red sea coral pro does. My point is, it's not a problem at all because:
A) you don't need to heat it before mixing
B) you dont need to mix it for longer than 30 mins to 1 hr
I'd also like to make it clear that there is a difference between calcium carbonate precipitation and some "brown crud residue". Although they can occur simultaneously, the brown crud residue is a result of common salt additives like montmorillonite clay, EDTA or anti-caking agents. This brown crud would appear even in salts where heated or over mixing does not cause precipitation of calcium carbonate.
BigJohnny
Active member
Heating it to 78 after mixing will not cause precipitation, mixing it at heated 78 or while heating could. Why would you want to recirculate for longer than 4 hours if it mixes and stabilizes in an hour? I don't see how it's a problem if it's unnecessary and easily avoidable.
Think about it, if you dose calcium and alkalinity in high ppm directly to your tank at the same time, it will immediately precipitate out. The same thing happens if you mix a salt with high calcium and alkalinity at tank temperature.
If you dose each component seperately into your tank, at a larger interval, it's less likely to precipitate. The same effect can be achieved by mixing a high calcium/high dkh salt less, at a lower temperature. Your essentially reducing the rate at which the components interact within a given time. Then once you use that mixed water in a water change, the solution is diluted and it negates any precipitation.
It's just science. There is no issue with the salt. You will have the same "problem" with any salt that has the alkalinity and calcium levels that red sea coral pro does. My point is, it's not a problem at all because:
A) you don't need to heat it before mixing
B) you dont need to mix it for longer than 30 mins to 1 hr
I'd also like to make it clear that there is a difference between calcium carbonate precipitation and some "brown crud residue". Although they can occur simultaneously, the brown crud residue is a result of common salt additives like montmorillonite clay, EDTA or anti-caking agents. This brown crud would appear even in salts where heated or over mixing does not cause precipitation of calcium carbonate, if they contain those ingredients. Not over mixing and mixing at room temperature will help that as well [emoji106] .
It's not a problem, it's just different than a lower Calcium/Alkalinity salt.
That all sounds great, but my experience so far with this salt has been nothing if not a lesson in precip.
First, I'm maintaining three tanks in my house right now. None are large. I don't have a "fish room" and have no way to do automated or low workload water changes on those three tanks. Making up water, mixing it and heating it takes a while, and it's nice to be able to do it ahead of time. I never had a problem doing this until switching to RS salt.
I made up 20 gallons of RODI, probably about 55*. Started a pump in the brute, and added the salt. Let it mix for an hour, then dropped in the heater. Came back two days later, now ready to do three tanks worth of water changes (lugging buckets from my shop to the second story of the house), tested the water and found it around 6.5 Kh and had a thick crust of precip in the brute, on the pump and on the heater.
Two weeks later, I did the same, only I did actually did the water change about two hours after mixing in the salt, in fact the water was still just a couple degrees short of tank temp. This time, the precip happened in the tank over about the next week.
I'm sure it's something I'm doing, but at the same time, this never happened when I was using Kent Reef salt with the same procedures. The Kent also mixes up around 10-11 Kh.
I'm halfway through this bucket of RS, and I've had at least six pump stoppages due to precip during that time (three different pumps, two of them almost brand new). Never had that happen before. I pulled a piece of floss out of my biocube today that felt more like Styrofoam.
All that being said, I admit I'm new to the hobby, and have a lot to learn. Six months from now, I'm sure this situation won't be such a mystery to me, but I'm still pretty sure I won't be using RSCP.
First, I'm maintaining three tanks in my house right now. None are large. I don't have a "fish room" and have no way to do automated or low workload water changes on those three tanks. Making up water, mixing it and heating it takes a while, and it's nice to be able to do it ahead of time. I never had a problem doing this until switching to RS salt.
I made up 20 gallons of RODI, probably about 55*. Started a pump in the brute, and added the salt. Let it mix for an hour, then dropped in the heater. Came back two days later, now ready to do three tanks worth of water changes (lugging buckets from my shop to the second story of the house), tested the water and found it around 6.5 Kh and had a thick crust of precip in the brute, on the pump and on the heater.
Two weeks later, I did the same, only I did actually did the water change about two hours after mixing in the salt, in fact the water was still just a couple degrees short of tank temp. This time, the precip happened in the tank over about the next week.
I'm sure it's something I'm doing, but at the same time, this never happened when I was using Kent Reef salt with the same procedures. The Kent also mixes up around 10-11 Kh.
I'm halfway through this bucket of RS, and I've had at least six pump stoppages due to precip during that time (three different pumps, two of them almost brand new). Never had that happen before. I pulled a piece of floss out of my biocube today that felt more like Styrofoam.
All that being said, I admit I'm new to the hobby, and have a lot to learn. Six months from now, I'm sure this situation won't be such a mystery to me, but I'm still pretty sure I won't be using RSCP.
BigJohnny
Active member
Yea that's fine, it just doesn't suit you and your system. I just wanted people to know why they are having precipitation problems with RCSP and how to avoid them.
markalot
...
Not sure I can be of any help but in my limited experience I have killed more corals with GFO than with any other method, and I found a lot of methods to kill acros. GFO works too fast for me, I continually freaked out when PO4 started to rise and I would replace GFO and strip it too fast. Within a few days I'd have acros losing tissue.
Lately I've been slowly increasing biopellets and dosing nitrates to help the pellets also tackle the PO4. This works slower than GFO, for me anyway, and I haven't lost an acro in months and can now start concentrating on the colors.
I have fish to eat the algae, otherwise I'd probably overrun with it.
Finally I think RSCP is a toy salt not meant for SPS tanks, switch IMO. That's just a personal opinion.
Lately I've been slowly increasing biopellets and dosing nitrates to help the pellets also tackle the PO4. This works slower than GFO, for me anyway, and I haven't lost an acro in months and can now start concentrating on the colors.
I have fish to eat the algae, otherwise I'd probably overrun with it.
Finally I think RSCP is a toy salt not meant for SPS tanks, switch IMO. That's just a personal opinion.
I do use a 6 stage rodi unit and Ty's is always at zero. So here is the newest update... My hair algae is finally gone. Tank starting looking much better but now looks like it's going downhill again. I am running no GFO. I have cheato growing in my sump fairly well. But my colors and the spa that started stn most of them are almost done.i have a 8 bulb 54 wattATI light bulbs are 8 months old.heres the lighting schedule.9:30-9:30 (2)blue+ ..1:00-8:00 all bulbs on.all ATI bulbs. B+B+B+C+P+B+C+C+
Bulb pay. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
My light hangs 6 inches above water line.
I do run a 65 watt UV sterilizer. Protein skimmer is a pov dc2 that was just upgraded with a new pump making it equal to a RO elite 200sss skimmer.
Anyone have a good check back point as in what I should start doing to fix this. Thanks for all the help guys
I was doing more and more research and seems like the low nutrient tanks should have a oh of no higher than 8.i think my tank is low on nutrients as to I have never seen nitrates or phosphates. Also my alkalinity is starting to climb... Tested today and it is at 9.0. I did not change nothing on the Doser.alk was steady 8.6 all throug December. I did a water change 6 days ago that not affect my alk. Sps are not looking the happiest except for the green ones.
How tall is your tank? That light looks really low. I have an 8 bulb ATI and my light is 10 inches from the water line on a tank that is 18" high bare bottom and lower rocks.
Also low nutrient tanks require you to feed your SPS. You dosing any aminos or anything? How much are you feeding your fish?
Also low nutrient tanks require you to feed your SPS. You dosing any aminos or anything? How much are you feeding your fish?
