instant ocean chart
- Thread starter mujtba
- Start date
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by mujtba
I know 75% of people use IO salt.
How accurate and recent is the chart below?
What elements do you have to manually raise yourselves that the salt is low on?? :thinking:
First off, I noticed they are measuring at 1.026 sg. I keep mine at 1.025, which means that it would be slightly lower in some of those things.
Also, their source water isnt listed...such as what is the pH of the water used to mix up etc...mine is like 7.4 or so...forgot that figure right now, I should test it again.
I have done a lot of testing on IO for a while now, every couple of batches I make. My method for mixing up is 3 cupfulls of IO, mixed into 5 gallons of water. Powerhead for 24 hrs+
Test results are pretty close to:
calcium 380-400
alkalinity 3.0 meq/l
pH 8.2
0 trates, phosphates etc...
magnesium 1260
In any event, the additives I use, are b-ionic 1 and 2( alk and calc), bi-weekly or less often magnesium (sometimes a month can go by-and it is always tested for), top off water, iodine (once in a while if test results, which are iffy, are almost nil) and thats it.
I think a lot of the other stuff listed in comparison to natural seawater isnt as nessecary to the creatures we keep in an aquarium vs the expanse of life in the ocean and reefs. But that is just a guess as it makes the most sense.
I know 75% of people use IO salt.
How accurate and recent is the chart below?
What elements do you have to manually raise yourselves that the salt is low on?? :thinking:
First off, I noticed they are measuring at 1.026 sg. I keep mine at 1.025, which means that it would be slightly lower in some of those things.
Also, their source water isnt listed...such as what is the pH of the water used to mix up etc...mine is like 7.4 or so...forgot that figure right now, I should test it again.
I have done a lot of testing on IO for a while now, every couple of batches I make. My method for mixing up is 3 cupfulls of IO, mixed into 5 gallons of water. Powerhead for 24 hrs+
Test results are pretty close to:
calcium 380-400
alkalinity 3.0 meq/l
pH 8.2
0 trates, phosphates etc...
magnesium 1260
In any event, the additives I use, are b-ionic 1 and 2( alk and calc), bi-weekly or less often magnesium (sometimes a month can go by-and it is always tested for), top off water, iodine (once in a while if test results, which are iffy, are almost nil) and thats it.
I think a lot of the other stuff listed in comparison to natural seawater isnt as nessecary to the creatures we keep in an aquarium vs the expanse of life in the ocean and reefs. But that is just a guess as it makes the most sense.
shrmnator
Member
the worst part about this hobby is a company can make a claim to have whatever value in its product that it wants and there is noone checking to make sure they really have it labeled correctly.
i just noticed there are 2 samples listed in the chart and they both have alot of inconsistency! one says 425 for calcium the other sais 372. a HUGE difference! i am guessing that IO made this chart to "cover their own butts" that way when you get a different reading from what you mix up yourself, nothing can be said. i use reef crystals which is made by IO and it is supposed to have a little more of what reef tanks need then the regular IO. i usually get a calcium reading of around 375 when i mix it at 1.025
i just noticed there are 2 samples listed in the chart and they both have alot of inconsistency! one says 425 for calcium the other sais 372. a HUGE difference! i am guessing that IO made this chart to "cover their own butts" that way when you get a different reading from what you mix up yourself, nothing can be said. i use reef crystals which is made by IO and it is supposed to have a little more of what reef tanks need then the regular IO. i usually get a calcium reading of around 375 when i mix it at 1.025
sleasia
Active Member
ctgretscy...did you test or have the results of any other salt mixes. On another thread I mentioned I was thinking of testing 3 or 4 salt mixes. I guess I shouldn't bother if this info is abailable. I wanted to compare all the parameters for different mixes at the same sp gravity and ph.
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by sleasia
ctgretscy...did you test or have the results of any other salt mixes. On another thread I mentioned I was thinking of testing 3 or 4 salt mixes. I guess I shouldn't bother if this info is abailable. I wanted to compare all the parameters for different mixes at the same sp gravity and ph.
No, I didnt bother. I have always used IO and always will.
Really, I feel all salt mixes are the same. Some have more of one element, or less of another. The key is to know what is in YOUR salt mix by your OWN testing each new batch (and once or twice as you use your salt up) and then making up for the shortcomings, or in some cases the overabundance. An example is oceanic. I belive people always have really high calcium with this salt mix, because the mix HAS high calcium, so hose people should be aware of how they dose b-ionic, for example, whereas IO is low, so those people should be dosing a bit more calcium...etc.....
So eventually you learn your salt mix, compensate, and then you will always get the results you need.
Too many people, I feel, blindly trust that this new bucket of salt will be the same as the last, they mix it, and then add it to the tank.
Big mistake. You should be testing EVERY new batch you buy, and test it again halfway through.
ctgretscy...did you test or have the results of any other salt mixes. On another thread I mentioned I was thinking of testing 3 or 4 salt mixes. I guess I shouldn't bother if this info is abailable. I wanted to compare all the parameters for different mixes at the same sp gravity and ph.
No, I didnt bother. I have always used IO and always will.
Really, I feel all salt mixes are the same. Some have more of one element, or less of another. The key is to know what is in YOUR salt mix by your OWN testing each new batch (and once or twice as you use your salt up) and then making up for the shortcomings, or in some cases the overabundance. An example is oceanic. I belive people always have really high calcium with this salt mix, because the mix HAS high calcium, so hose people should be aware of how they dose b-ionic, for example, whereas IO is low, so those people should be dosing a bit more calcium...etc.....
So eventually you learn your salt mix, compensate, and then you will always get the results you need.
Too many people, I feel, blindly trust that this new bucket of salt will be the same as the last, they mix it, and then add it to the tank.
Big mistake. You should be testing EVERY new batch you buy, and test it again halfway through.
moneyman
Member
The report is not precised to my reading ... for one, my pH NEVER EVER get that high.
My reading ...
pH after 24 hr: 8.3 (pH meter)
SG: 1.026 (refract)
Cal: 350ppm (Salifert)
Mg: 1050 (Salifert)
Alk: 3.0 meq/l (Salifert)
I boost calcium to around 400 w/ SeaChem Calcium liquid. I drop in a bunch of Epsom Salt for the magnesium.
My reading ...
pH after 24 hr: 8.3 (pH meter)
SG: 1.026 (refract)
Cal: 350ppm (Salifert)
Mg: 1050 (Salifert)
Alk: 3.0 meq/l (Salifert)
I boost calcium to around 400 w/ SeaChem Calcium liquid. I drop in a bunch of Epsom Salt for the magnesium.
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by MoneyMan
The report is not precised to my reading ... for one, my pH NEVER EVER get that high.
My reading ...
pH after 24 hr: 8.3 (pH meter)
SG: 1.026 (refract)
Cal: 350ppm (Salifert)
Mg: 1050 (Salifert)
Alk: 3.0 meq/l (Salifert)
I boost calcium to around 400 w/ SeaChem Calcium liquid. I drop in a bunch of Epsom Salt for the magnesium.
That was my point in the first post...they got very high pH readings, but I suggest that they had water already adjusted to a certain pH to reach that final reading after the test.
I want to know more about the source water parameters...but regardless, it is a useless test for the most part. Each person should just always test each new batch of any salt.
The report is not precised to my reading ... for one, my pH NEVER EVER get that high.
My reading ...
pH after 24 hr: 8.3 (pH meter)
SG: 1.026 (refract)
Cal: 350ppm (Salifert)
Mg: 1050 (Salifert)
Alk: 3.0 meq/l (Salifert)
I boost calcium to around 400 w/ SeaChem Calcium liquid. I drop in a bunch of Epsom Salt for the magnesium.
That was my point in the first post...they got very high pH readings, but I suggest that they had water already adjusted to a certain pH to reach that final reading after the test.
I want to know more about the source water parameters...but regardless, it is a useless test for the most part. Each person should just always test each new batch of any salt.
sleasia
Active Member
Ok, I'm just thinking that adding is easier than trying to bring down a level of say calcium. so that if we know instant ocean is low then use that for water changes to bring down high calcium, etc...but probably you and ophiura are right that it really won't help to test each salt because the companies themselves are probably not so exact in making them and the potential is there for each batch of the same salt mix to test out differently...so the rule of thumb is test your water mix before you do a change...always.
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by sleasia
Ok, I'm just thinking that adding is easier than trying to bring down a level of say calcium. so that if we know instant ocean is low then use that for water changes to bring down high calcium, etc...but probably you and ophiura are right that it really won't help to test each salt because the companies themselves are probably not so exact in making them and the potential is there for each batch of the same salt mix to test out differently...so the rule of thumb is test your water mix before you do a change...always.
See, this is part, though, of knowing your own tank. I know people with very heavy coral loads, and they prefer oceanic because of the high calcium. It saves them from having to add calcium all of the time because they have so much draw on it.
You can use any salt on the market, and to me they are the same, it is just the point of knowing what is in your salt, by testing each and every batch once right off the bat first mix up, and then, again halfway through the bucket. I've become a firm believer in this.
Ok, I'm just thinking that adding is easier than trying to bring down a level of say calcium. so that if we know instant ocean is low then use that for water changes to bring down high calcium, etc...but probably you and ophiura are right that it really won't help to test each salt because the companies themselves are probably not so exact in making them and the potential is there for each batch of the same salt mix to test out differently...so the rule of thumb is test your water mix before you do a change...always.
See, this is part, though, of knowing your own tank. I know people with very heavy coral loads, and they prefer oceanic because of the high calcium. It saves them from having to add calcium all of the time because they have so much draw on it.
You can use any salt on the market, and to me they are the same, it is just the point of knowing what is in your salt, by testing each and every batch once right off the bat first mix up, and then, again halfway through the bucket. I've become a firm believer in this.
unleashed
Active Member
Originally Posted by mujtba
I know 75% of people use IO salt.
How accurate and recent is the chart below?
What elements do you have to manually raise yourselves that the salt is low on?? :thinking:
I have to raise PH and calcium/mag and strontium. now that i us Ro water before switching from tap i never added ph buffers
I know 75% of people use IO salt.
How accurate and recent is the chart below?
What elements do you have to manually raise yourselves that the salt is low on?? :thinking:
I have to raise PH and calcium/mag and strontium. now that i us Ro water before switching from tap i never added ph buffers