Something interesting about Reef Crystals

[Chris Sims]

i would guess the test results are self explanatory, albeit shocking.





first thing i did was call them and ask if there was a bad batch or something, but they got back to me saying this was within their acceptable range.

i would imagine 99% of people don't ever test their salt. nor did i used to, and i even sold this (among others) for almost 10yrs when i had a store. but now that i do maintenance, boy do i pay attention.

anyway thought i'd share this, because to me it was relevatory

[Chris Sims]

[Chris Sims]

ok images not loading. bummer.

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...AtXQcRA5SHODNp

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...ieUiwxC29Mt0Ni

[LobsterOfJustice]

Can’t see the photos can you just tell us?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

That's probably the permissions on the file but I can't tell. I can't see anything.

[sde1500]

Not seeing anything. Not very interesting at all lol

[ReefsandGeeks]

I think you need to have 40 posts, then get moderator approval before being able to post pics? or at least I think it used to be that way.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by devastator007

I think you need to have 40 posts, then get moderator approval before being able to post pics? or at least I think it used to be that way.

Nope, it's OP error. I'm interested to see this.

[Scrubber_steve]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/at...1&d=1543979772

[Chris Sims]

dang sorry all, totally crazy at work.
and yeah probably my error, but not sure how many different ways to put the url for the google image in there.

anyways, tested the following:
rodi water - approx 6ppm (or whatever reading)
premix water - closer to 20ppm (with reef crystals)
tank water - approx 1ppm (running heavy gfo)

[Chris Sims]

you guys are able to see the test results in the links right ?

i guess i adjusted the reader to 15ppm, but it was actually closer to 20, not sure why i only have that picture handy right now ? more op errors lol

[csellers]

No we can't see the results in the links. PPM of which parameter are we talking about?

[bertoni]

The RO/DI might read 6 ppm TDS after some aeration, but if that's phosphate, either the kit or the RO/DI unit is failing.

[Chris Sims]

oh man, so sorry guys, i must be losing my mind - that is probably the case.

this whole thread is about the silicate levels in reef crystals salt.

i really do apologize.

[Scrubber_steve]

Originally Posted by Chris Sims

oh man, so sorry guys, i must be losing my mind - that is probably the case.

this whole thread is about the silicate levels in reef crystals salt.

i really do apologize.

What figures did the icp test give?

[bertoni]

Silicate is hard to remove. If the silicate is a problem, then you might need to get a special silicate buster DI cartridge. Most often, the level is fine.

[Chris Sims]

Originally Posted by bertoni

Silicate is hard to remove. If the silicate is a problem, then you might need to get a special silicate buster DI cartridge. Most often, the level is fine.

i feel like it's the sole cause of diatom outbreaks in all my tanks.
every since i changed to reef crystals (which by the way i returned the rest of the pallet to my wholesaler)
i never ever get green algae whatsoever, but the diatoms are a bit trickier imo

[bertoni]

You might be seeing dinoflagellates. Interestingly, silicate seems to encourage dinoflagellate blooms. A number of snails will eat diatoms, include Trochus. You could consider adding a snail if the tank doesn't have any, but I think I'd double check the silicate test kit (I'm assuming you have one), and work from there. A new DI cartridge might be required.

[Chris Sims]

yeah i'll definitely start with a new di cartridge, but to me that test is on the money.
it makes sense, some Si coming out of filter, loaded after adding reef crystals, and almost gone after 2 weeks in my system running 3 xl kent reactors with high capacity gfo

gonna add snails too though. i thought dino's only showed as snot algae ?
will algae destroyer work on this too then ? or high mag ? sometimes it almost looks like cyano is places, but for the most part it really looks like diatoms (brown dust when wiped off, and pesky to remove in some places)

[bertoni]

Dinoflagellates do tend to form a film, so you might be seeing diatoms. I'd just try one snail, to see what happens. Snails tend to starve to death in our tanks.

[clevername]

i feel like this was one long scheme to get the OP's post count up to 40

[shred5]

I always test new batch of salt. I have had a few bad batches over the years..

I have had almost zero alk, high alk, or very high magnesium levels.

I recently had a batch that read off the chart for magnesium.

[Chris Sims]

Originally Posted by clevername2000

i feel like this was one long scheme to get the OP's post count up to 40

haha, i clearly spend a lot of time on the forums

actually the opposite though, but this to me warranted sharing.
i still can't believe it. and not that i've tested all along the way, but i don't remember having a problem with oceanic or ocean potion in 20yrs (aside slightly lower alk)

[eutimio]

LFS owner lost her personal tanks to reef crystals. I was just talking to her last night.
Not sure what it was in it , levels were way off but basically acros started RTN and she kept doing more and more WC but that didn’t stop the rest of the coral to die.
A week later she did a water change on her smaller tank and those corals started to die as well.
Then the people buying the salt from her store had told her they were losing their tanks as well.
Not sure if it was hyped up or something but I was selling her some of my corals that she used to have in her tank and now restocking.
Pretty sad and what can you really do in case something like that happens?

[kevin21]

This has me worried that I shouldn't be using Reef Crystals anymore