Salt mix with Alk closest to NSW

Stlouphil · 04/29/2014, 07:44 PM

I'm carbon dosing with biopellets and read where Carbon dosing with high alk can cause problems with SPS.

I normally use Reef Crystals, but Alk on fresh mix normally runs higher around 12 Dkh.

Any suggestions for a salt mix that comes our with Alk that is closer to NSW?

nazarma · 04/29/2014, 11:54 PM

Tropic Marin Pro Reef-Bucket for Aquarium, 200-Gallon i use this DKH 7.5

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/30/2014, 05:20 AM

Unless you do big individual water changes, the alk in the salt mix won't matter that much. If you are at 7 dKH and do a 5-10% water change with an 11 dKH mix, the alk only rises to 7.2 to 7.4 dKH.

That said, there's certainly nothing wrong with using a lower alk salt mix.

Stlouphil · 04/30/2014, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Holmes-Farley

Unless you do big individual water changes, the alk in the salt mix won't matter that much. If you are at 7 dKH and do a 5-10% water change with an 11 dKH mix, the alk only rises to 7.2 to 7.4 dKH.

I understand, but it u keep doing water changes with 12 Dkh salt it will never go down. At least using lower Dkh salt with time I get closer to NSW numbers.

I currently experiencing what appears to be burnt tips on some new frags and have been told high Alk with carbon dosing could be the culprit.

ganjero · 04/30/2014, 07:21 AM

Whats your current Alk?

Stlouphil · 04/30/2014, 08:59 AM

10 Dkh while running biopellets.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/30/2014, 10:10 AM

I understand, but it u keep doing water changes with 12 Dkh salt it will never go down.

Not to be argumentative on a minor point, but just adding less alk can easily account for the boost from water changes. Presumably you already add more each day than a water change brings in, don't you?.

Stlouphil · 04/30/2014, 11:20 AM

I'm sorry. I discontinued Alk about a month ago because Dkh was creeping up. It has been coming down, but I have been using Reef Crystals for water changes which runs high Alk numbers.

My whole reason for the post was to find a salt that is closer to NSW to help bring Alk down lower. I only have about 15 small sps pieces. So the bioload is low.

Stlouphil · 04/30/2014, 11:22 AM

So if I my thoughts were confusing. I'm not the deepest thinker. Lol

ganjero · 04/30/2014, 11:39 AM

How were you dosing Alk? Did you stop dosing CA too? What is your CA level? You can lower the Alk dosing calcium chloride (most common DIY two part dosing product for CA). Just lower it slowly.

Just trying to save $ since you already have RC.

Steveb · 04/30/2014, 11:40 AM

Here are a few

Fritz Complete Marine Salt Mix
Red Sea blue bucket (not Red Sea Coral Pro)
Tropic Marin Pro Reef Sea Salt
E.S.V. B-Ionic Seawater System Salt Mix

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/30/2014, 11:44 AM

I'm sorry. I discontinued Alk about a month ago because Dkh was creeping up. It has been coming down, but I have been using Reef Crystals for water changes which runs high Alk numbers.

Really? With SPS? They must not be growing much at all. A heavy SPS tank might lose 1-3 dKH or more per day.

Stlouphil · 04/30/2014, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Really? With SPS? They must not be growing much at all. A heavy SPS tank might lose 1-3 dKH or more per day.

This is a NEW sps tank with about 15 1-2 inch frags added over the last 6-8 weeks. Not currently "heavy." So yes the bioload is low. I understand Alk will lower on its own and eventually if all goes well, I will have a difficult time maintaining Alk because of growth.

However, some of my frags seem to be suffering from some sort of "tip issue." In light of carbon dosing, high Alk seemed to be the culprit.

As suggested I will let time remedy this providing frags do not show any more stress and start to improving.

GroktheCube · 04/30/2014, 09:25 PM

ESV B-ionic if you go light on part-B is pretty good, I hear they're coming out with a lower alk version too.

Regular IO and regular Red Sea (blue bucket, not Coral Pro) both have pretty low alk too. If I can't find ESV when it's time for more salt, I usually default to regular Red Sea or regular IO.

Stlouphil · 04/30/2014, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroktheCube

ESV B-ionic if you go light on part-B is pretty good, I hear they're coming out with a lower alk version too.

Regular IO and regular Red Sea (blue bucket, not Coral Pro) both have pretty low alk too. If I can't find ESV when it's time for more salt, I usually default to regular Red Sea or regular IO.

Thanks, I will probably go with regular IO for water changes until Alk gets into 8 range and until my demand picks up. The corals are looking better so overall I may be overreacting. They may vary well look a little funky just because they are getting use to the changes in parameters.

Chrisrush · 05/01/2014, 07:10 AM

Reefers Best and NeoMarine are also good options. Both in the 7-8 range.

jscarlata · 07/26/2014, 02:46 PM

I just bought a 200g bucket of tropic Marin pro reef. I made 1 batch, 25g, and the all was at 11.2.
Used that to change water in a holding tank. I too want alk in the nsw range.
I read some info and learned I have to mix up the bucket before using it. So, I took the bag out, poured 1/3 into another bucket, 1/3 into the tmpr bucket, and kept 1/3 In the bag. I mixed each 1/3 by hand and combined them into 1 bucket mixing the whole time.
Made another 25g batch and alk was 11. All other params were in line. Cal 460, mag 13-1400.
So, what's wrong???
I took the bucket today, poured it into a spare bucket , back and forth several times. Not sure if I got a bad batch or I bugled the mixing step.

04/29/2014, 07:44 PM	#1
Stlouphil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wildwood, MO Posts: 393	Salt mix with Alk closest to NSW I'm carbon dosing with biopellets and read where Carbon dosing with high alk can cause problems with SPS. I normally use Reef Crystals, but Alk on fresh mix normally runs higher around 12 Dkh. Any suggestions for a salt mix that comes our with Alk that is closer to NSW? __________________ Current Tank: 90RR mixed reef, 150gal additional volume, 40gal sump, algae reactor, ASM G-3 skimmer, 3 - modified Marsaqua Led Units 2- 165w 1- 300w, Kalwasser reactor ATO, Auto Dosing 3 part plus tra

04/30/2014, 05:20 AM	#3
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Unless you do big individual water changes, the alk in the salt mix won't matter that much. If you are at 7 dKH and do a 5-10% water change with an 11 dKH mix, the alk only rises to 7.2 to 7.4 dKH. That said, there's certainly nothing wrong with using a lower alk salt mix. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/30/2014, 08:59 AM	#6
Stlouphil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wildwood, MO Posts: 393	10 Dkh while running biopellets. __________________ Current Tank: 90RR mixed reef, 150gal additional volume, 40gal sump, algae reactor, ASM G-3 skimmer, 3 - modified Marsaqua Led Units 2- 165w 1- 300w, Kalwasser reactor ATO, Auto Dosing 3 part plus tra

04/30/2014, 10:10 AM	#7
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	I understand, but it u keep doing water changes with 12 Dkh salt it will never go down. Not to be argumentative on a minor point, but just adding less alk can easily account for the boost from water changes. Presumably you already add more each day than a water change brings in, don't you?. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/30/2014, 11:20 AM	#8
Stlouphil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wildwood, MO Posts: 393	I'm sorry. I discontinued Alk about a month ago because Dkh was creeping up. It has been coming down, but I have been using Reef Crystals for water changes which runs high Alk numbers. My whole reason for the post was to find a salt that is closer to NSW to help bring Alk down lower. I only have about 15 small sps pieces. So the bioload is low. __________________ Current Tank: 90RR mixed reef, 150gal additional volume, 40gal sump, algae reactor, ASM G-3 skimmer, 3 - modified Marsaqua Led Units 2- 165w 1- 300w, Kalwasser reactor ATO, Auto Dosing 3 part plus tra

04/29/2014, 11:54 PM	#2
nazarma Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 39	Tropic Marin Pro Reef-Bucket for Aquarium, 200-Gallon i use this DKH 7.5

04/30/2014, 07:21 AM	#5
ganjero saiperchémibatteilcorazon Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 4,027	Whats your current Alk?

04/30/2014, 11:22 AM	#9
Stlouphil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wildwood, MO Posts: 393	So if I my thoughts were confusing. I'm not the deepest thinker. Lol __________________ Current Tank: 90RR mixed reef, 150gal additional volume, 40gal sump, algae reactor, ASM G-3 skimmer, 3 - modified Marsaqua Led Units 2- 165w 1- 300w, Kalwasser reactor ATO, Auto Dosing 3 part plus tra

04/30/2014, 11:39 AM	#10
ganjero saiperchémibatteilcorazon Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 4,027	How were you dosing Alk? Did you stop dosing CA too? What is your CA level? You can lower the Alk dosing calcium chloride (most common DIY two part dosing product for CA). Just lower it slowly. Just trying to save $ since you already have RC.

04/30/2014, 11:40 AM	#11
Steveb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: TX Posts: 1,090	Here are a few Fritz Complete Marine Salt Mix Red Sea blue bucket (not Red Sea Coral Pro) Tropic Marin Pro Reef Sea Salt E.S.V. B-Ionic Seawater System Salt Mix __________________ Steve My Tanks 50x30 ABS Tub & a 48x24 frag tank at the moment Steve's Reef 265 Build In Progress

04/30/2014, 11:44 AM	#12
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	I'm sorry. I discontinued Alk about a month ago because Dkh was creeping up. It has been coming down, but I have been using Reef Crystals for water changes which runs high Alk numbers. Really? With SPS? They must not be growing much at all. A heavy SPS tank might lose 1-3 dKH or more per day. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/30/2014, 09:25 PM	#14
GroktheCube Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 2,063	ESV B-ionic if you go light on part-B is pretty good, I hear they're coming out with a lower alk version too. Regular IO and regular Red Sea (blue bucket, not Coral Pro) both have pretty low alk too. If I can't find ESV when it's time for more salt, I usually default to regular Red Sea or regular IO.

05/01/2014, 07:10 AM	#16
Chrisrush Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,754	Reefers Best and NeoMarine are also good options. Both in the 7-8 range. __________________ Thanks, Chris Current Tank Info: 2015 Reef Savvy Dream Tank Winner

07/26/2014, 02:46 PM	#17
jscarlata Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Long Island,New York Posts: 875	I just bought a 200g bucket of tropic Marin pro reef. I made 1 batch, 25g, and the all was at 11.2. Used that to change water in a holding tank. I too want alk in the nsw range. I read some info and learned I have to mix up the bucket before using it. So, I took the bag out, poured 1/3 into another bucket, 1/3 into the tmpr bucket, and kept 1/3 In the bag. I mixed each 1/3 by hand and combined them into 1 bucket mixing the whole time. Made another 25g batch and alk was 11. All other params were in line. Cal 460, mag 13-1400. So, what's wrong??? I took the bucket today, poured it into a spare bucket , back and forth several times. Not sure if I got a bad batch or I bugled the mixing step.