Salt brand??

[lmm1967]

What's everyone using? I've been using Red Sea Coral Pro.

Seems like my Mg always tests very high. I'm using a Red Sea test kit and I'm sure it's not expired. I've even retested - being sure I follow the directions exactly (on Mg you have to wait 15 seconds between each drop of part A). Every time I test my Mg is literally off the scale. By calculation it comes in around 1800.

I don't use enough salt to be really worried about price - although I do buy it when it's on sale - so price isn't a deciding factor for me. I do mix salt and leave it in my mixing station for weeks at a time (with a pump). I'd prefer to not use Reef Crystals because it did leave a good amount of precipitant in my barrel.

Curious what others are using - and if there is a particular reason for your choice - what is that reason.

 

[Adam]

Is that the Red Sea Pro kit your using?

I've found the Salifert kit to be more accurate and for you to have 1800 without having to add Mg to get it that high seems a little odd. Maybe try a different kit or see if a LFS can test it for you. Another thing to do is get an ICP test done either with Triton or ATI.

 

[lmm1967]

Is that the Red Sea Pro kit your using?

Sure is - I even asked the rep at the club event at Rit's last year. He chalked it up to me not waiting the 15 seconds between drops of part A. 2 kits later and being 100% sure I'm testing correctly and I still come up with Mg off the chart.

Gonna have one of the local shops double check me.

I'm going to try to get my 120 swapped in place of my 60 this weekend. By next weekend for sure. Once that settles in for a week or 2 I"m probably going to spring for one of the ICP tests.

 

[dball711]

I was using Salinity for a while (a few years) but found it to be unstable recently warranting the switch. I went with Seachem's Vibrant Sea, much more stable parameters now. Been fully switched for 5 months and really like it.

 

[lmm1967]

I was using Salinity for a while (a few years) but found it to be unstable recently warranting the switch. I went with Seachem’s Vibrant Sea, much more stable parameters now. Been fully switched for 5 months and really like it.

I was really disappointed that I couldn't make it to the factory tour last year. The last minute date change messed me up. Was hoping to get some cool detailed info on their salt.

 

[Adam]

I have been using Reef Crystals and have been thinking about switching due to high Lithium. I looked Vibrant but their posted numbers are mixed to 30.5ppt/1.023sg. I run my system at 35ppt and at that level and I worried that the Potassium would be over 600 & Cal close to 500.

What salinity do you keep Dave?

Leo, have you tested the Red Sea CP salt after mixing and before adding to to your system to see where the levels of the big 3 are? On a good note, if the Mg is really that high I bet you don't have any GHA growing

 

[lmm1967]

Leo, have you tested the Red Sea CP salt after mixing and before adding to to your system to see where the levels of the big 3 are? On a good note, if the Mg is really that high I bet you don’t have any GHA growing

not for Mg - I'm gonna line up 4 tests tonight or tomorrow - tank water from upstairs, tank water from downstairs, mixed SW (been mixed for a week) & brand new just mixed within the last hour SW.

Depending on those results I'll determine if I will have someone else test, buy a different brand test kit or just sit tight and do an ICP test in a few weeks.

 

[Adam]

Salifert's test has been very accurate for me and it lines up with the ICP tests I've done within 1-2%. The bad part is it only goes up to 1500. The RS tests have always read high for me, but not as high as you're seeing. Maybe 50-80 high.

Oh, and there's no way I'm waiting 15 seconds between drops. That'd take forever on that test.

 

[lmm1967]

You're the second vote for trying a salifert test - guess that's my next step.

 

[wannabeeareefkeeper]

You may want to ask if one of (next year's monthly meetings) can be at the Seachem's plant in Madison. I went to the one some years ago, and the visit made me a "Seachem" fan. They have several tanks (fresh and salt water) setup throughout the offices area that showed me that they really care about the customers and their product lines.

Wannabee

 

[dball711]

I keep my tanks at 1.025.

 

[Adam]

I keep my tanks at 1.025.

Hey Dave, what helped you decide to keep your tanks at 1.025? I've seen a mixed bag of people doing that and at at 1.0264. I think Rit even keeps his coral tanks at 1.25 too.

 

[dball711]

Just a bunch of research on where folks kept it at and mainly my calcium was running over 500. Thought less salt mix would help lower the calcium. I run my tanks at 77F and I have read that 1.025 seems correct for this temperature.  And this article helped me make the choice to lower it (higher just docent seem natural in my opinion).

https://www.theaquariumsolution.com/specific-gravity-salinity-and-its-measurement