Why does reef crystals only have 320 Ca?

When I used IO and corrected the levels before water changes, I added salt, then mag, then ca. My thinking on this was the mag would help to make sure I didn't precipitate any of the ca added especially since the pH of new salt mix can run in the upper 8's.
 
I have a new bucket I just mixed last night. Another from DFS that I'll test it out after I get the salinity correct. It will be tomorrow if I can remember to tweak the salinity tonight.
 
When I used IO and corrected the levels before water changes, I added salt, then mag, then ca. My thinking on this was the mag would help to make sure I didn't precipitate any of the ca

That's exactly what I do as well. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11432638#post11432638 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
When I used IO and corrected the levels before water changes, I added salt, then mag, then ca. My thinking on this was the mag would help to make sure I didn't precipitate any of the ca

That's exactly what I do as well. :)
Click to expand...

Ok... so here's my question... According to the dosing calculator (http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html) I'll need to add almost 12 tsp of Seachem Reef Advance Mg to go from 1100 to 1350.

How much water do I need to disolve all that? If I add this disolved Mg to my freshly made salt water my salinity will go down right?

Is there a way to avoid this? If I've got my 5 gallons of RO/DI is there harm in disolving the Mg in there THEN adding the salt? This would make it much easier to hit my SG target...

Ben
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11432670#post11432670 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bdare
Ok... so here's my question... According to the dosing calculator (http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html) I'll need to add almost 12 tsp of Seachem Reef Advance Mg to go from 1100 to 1350.

How much water do I need to disolve all that? If I add this disolved Mg to my freshly made salt water my salinity will go down right?

Is there a way to avoid this? If I've got my 5 gallons of RO/DI is there harm in disolving the Mg in there THEN adding the salt? This would make it much easier to hit my SG target...

Ben
Click to expand...
The good news is that Mg salts need very little water to dissolve.
 
I'm still confused about what is happening here. It is narrowed down to DFS.

Some are complaining of buckets not being sealed properly...is it a bad batch or what?

It would have to be a really big batch to range from Aug. to Dec.
 
I made my claim thanks to the link, and my 2 replacement buckets are on there way. I am hoping it was just a mixup with IO and RC in their buckets and not that they are making false high calcium claims.
 
Ok, I just tested some RC that I got in January. Newly opened bucket and it's showing 350ppm Ca.

Couldn't test Mg because I burned through the last of my Mg tests and the LFS's are out of stock.
 
I mixed up a batch about two weeks ago and it measured 400 ppm for Ca. However, Alk was 14. Used Salifert kits for each measure. From what I have read on RC, appears RC ususally runs high on the Alk. BTW, salt is from DFS.
 
I always get 3.7meq/L or 10.4 dKH.

I made 4 1 gallon samples from new buckets yesterday for testing Ca. I dumped them all together into an empty bucket after I was done.

I justed tested the combined batch with a Salifert kit.

3.7meq/L again.
 
all this talk of low cal had me worried so I tested my new batch that has been mixing in a 35g trash can for a fiew days. API test kit came up with 460. Mixed to 1.026 with a hydrometer. RC came out of bags and transfered into an old IO bucket.
 
Well, here we go again. :(

I consistently get 420 ppm calcium from RC. For many years.

I guess I'll purchase a bucket of RC from the good Drs. and test it myself. I'll post results as soon as they are available.

As most of you know, I recently picked up a bag of RC at an LFS and it was 420 as usual.

BTW - Alk readings at 1.026 should be around 12-13 dkh. Same as Instant Ocean. This is by design.

Also BTW - I do not buy their reply in the other thread that the whole bucket has to be mixed. That was a terrible response IMO. :) I've always gotten 420 or so from RC.

I'll order my bucket tonight.

:)
 
O.K. just placed my order. I also orderd a small box of TM and TM Pro. Been dying to test them as I have tested most others.

You all enjoy the holidays and we'll talk about this next week.

Happy Holidays to all. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11447489#post11447489 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
As most of you know, I recently picked up a bag of RC at an LFS and it was 420 as usual.
Click to expand...

The buckets that I was getting from my LFS prior to the DFS buckets read 420 also.
 
The numbers you get are not important to those with low numbers, Billy. Or high ones for that matter. Yours is not the final word. Whatever you may think.

Obviously with all the people that posted in this thread there is a problem with consistency.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11448212#post11448212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike O'Brien
The numbers you get are not important to those with low numbers, Billy. Or high ones for that matter. Yours is not the final word. Whatever you may think.

Obviously with all the people that posted in this thread there is a problem with consistency.
Click to expand...

Thanks for stating what I didn't have the LR rubble to say.
 
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