Saltmix Parameters bring on the test results

[beckerjm]

Originally Posted by jason2459

lol

Here's the big 3 breakdown at least to start with.

Hey Jason - do you have a test result of Potassium for HW-Marinemix Reefer salt. I just switched to it at the beginning of the year, and my potassium levels started to go down. I tested the make-up water (using a new Salifert Potassium test kit) and I am getting a reading of only 200ppm. ???? So I'm not sure if I've got a bad batch (although I tested and got same results on 2 different boxes of HW - but yet got a reading of 350ppm on a bag of Reef crystals).

[jason2459]

I have not tested HW-Marinemix yet. Been a little delay as I've been wasting money on upgrading equipment recently plus it's been a bit freezing out I didn't want to send sample out across the world like that. It's starting to warm up now and should be getting started back up in another month or so. I'll be starting back up with a bang across multiple threads doing some tests with nutri seawater, bio bricks, Al, and GFO's capacity to reduce Al.

[bif24701]

As far as I can see from this data the "best" salt for my SPS system is IO. Why? Because of the low cost and availability. I can do twice as many water changes ,or twice as often, or twice as large for the cost of IO. That is a far better attribute than any other. Changing more water more often gives me better stability, cleaner water, helps maintain micro elements much cheaper, and I can find the exact same salt anywhere if I need some quickly. I can not justify using any other salt.


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[bertoni]

I agree that the low cost of IO makes it an attractive choice. I used it for years.

[annieng]

Does this say that we're better off getting a good basic salt like IO, anyone can get a fairly decent mix by compensating with calcium or magnesium, etc, etc using good test kits? Or is this inviting trouble for the average busy person?

[bertoni]

I think IO should be fine for any system. That said, every brand seems to go through troubles from time to time.

[yellojello]

Trying out Fritz RPM bucket for first time. Here is my first batch:

18 gallon RODI
9 level cups of Salt (5 lb 7 oz weighed) Bucket Lot #28166
Mixed clear in 30 minutes. Turned off pump. Tested parameters two days later.
77F Room and Water temperature
Salinity 1.025
Alk 7.7-7.8 (Hanna Checker and Salifert)
Cal 425 (Salifert)
Mag 1350 (Salifert)
Potassium 430 (Salifert, first time using this test)
Strontium 10-16 (Salifert, first time using this test, not sure if accurate)
Iodide .01-.02 (Salifert, first time using this test, not sure if accurate)

Almost perfect parameters for me. I will probably mix to 1.0255 and try again for Alk of 8.

[davered00ss]

Any feedback on Omega Premium Reef Salt? LFS (Wet pets in Vernon CT) suggested it and its what I used to start my Biocube 32. Last water change I used Tropic Marin, because I ran out of Omega and got it free at a reef show this weekend.

Dave

[Mr.Fishtank]

There is no way reefers best salt has an dkh of 11. It was designed for ulns with natural seawater values. Should test close to 7

[jason2459]

I trust the values reported are accurate for what was tested. I have no indication to believe otherwise so far.

[jason2459]

Getting ready to get this started. A new salt mix is on it's way along with some new test kits

[bertoni]

The manufacturer states that Reefer's Best should be something like 8-9 dKH. Given the variations we see from state levels, 11 dKH seems feasible. I guess that's a sad comment, though.

[bif24701]

I started my tank with IO and all my SPS have done well in it. Tried AF and corals turned pale after two water changes. The only reason I wanted to try something else is micro element, is there any reason I shouldn't use IO when it comes to micro elements?


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[jason2459]

IO is perfectly fine for any type of setup.

[Vinny Kreyling]

If IO is good enough for The Georgia Aquarium it's good enough for me.

[jeremevans]

It would be interesting to see the pH that these mix up at as well although there is probably some variation based on CO2 concentration?

[bertoni]

The pH of the tank will be set by the alkalinity and carbon dioxide content of the air. A salt mix that has borate in it might settle to a slightly higher pH, but that comes at the cost of excess borate, which makes testing for carbonate alkalinity an issue. Other than borate, I can't think of any practical way for a salt manufacturer to raise the pH of a tank in equilibrium with the ambient air, given a fixed target alkalinity level.

[bif24701]

Originally Posted by jason2459

IO is perfectly fine for any type of setup.

Then IO it's going to be. I should have stuck to what was working.


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[jeremevans]

Originally Posted by bertoni

The pH of the tank will be set by the alkalinity and carbon dioxide content of the air. A salt mix that has borate in it might settle to a slightly higher pH, but that comes at the cost of excess borate, which makes testing for carbonate alkalinity an issue. Other than borate, I can't think of any practical way for a salt manufacturer to raise the pH of a tank in equilibrium with the ambient air, given a fixed target alkalinity level.

So does that mean for a particular measured alkalinity I could expect a particular range of possible pH? How wide is the differential on pH for CO2 concentration?


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[jason2459]

Originally Posted by jeremevans

So does that mean for a particular measured alkalinity I could expect a particular range of possible pH? How wide is the differential on pH for CO2 concentration?


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To much to be useful IMO. I've had Alk much higher then 11dkh even up past 15dkh and have still had low 7.8-8.0 pH values. I've also been able to achieve the reverse and have been able to drive my alkalinity as low as low 7's and have manipulated pH to range 8.0-8.4.

[jason2459]

If I tested pH of a freshly mixed salt it would be pretty useless to my tank or to anyone else as it will most definitely change by the time I use it or if someone else mixed the same salt in their house unless they were also at the same altitude and CO2 concentration in the air.

If someone would like to play with a little experiment I would be game. Karim would be a good candidate as I know he has a CO2 monitor and the same one I got after he did.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01FY...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then basically pick a saltmix like IO and test alkalinity, pH, and if possible CO2 in the air as just a curiosity. My CO2 seems to be around 800 to 1000 here in the winter. With furnace not running in the spring has come down to around 600-800.

[bertoni]

Originally Posted by jeremevans

So does that mean for a particular measured alkalinity I could expect a particular range of possible pH? How wide is the differential on pH for CO2 concentration?

Yes, you can infer backwards, but the precision is limited, if that's of interest. This article has a chart:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

There's a chart near the top labeled "Carbon Dioxide and pH."

For freshwater systems, there are calculators that will convert from pH and alkalinity to carbon dioxide level, I think, and there might be one for saltwater, but the precision is going to be very low in terms of running a reef tank.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by jason2459

Getting ready to get this started. A new salt mix is on it's way along with some new test kits

Many things coming this way... going to be good for this thread and a few others.

[jason2459]

Sorry for the delay, I've been out of town for a few weeks*the past month (tank automation is awesome!) and playing a ton of catchup with life. I have things coming*in to get something very cool done and spanning multiple threads that I've started. So sorry, will be some cross posting going on at some point.

[jason2459]

Awesome! I have everything I need now. Last components came in today! Thank you Aquaforest for the sample vials. I'll have results in the next couple weeks. Going to be very busy the next few nights.