Red Sea Coral Pro Salt Calcium Problem

[paulidee]

I started using Coral Pro Salt about a month ago around the time I discovered I had low calcium about 340ppm. Over that month I have done several 10-20% water changes and a Kalk drip and my calcium level didn't change. After reading a post last week that described a calcium problem with Red Sea Coral Pro salt, I decided to test the water that I mixed up with it. With a sg of 1.21 temp 68 deg the calcium level was only 350ppm.
I have a new API test kit, but I still thought that something might be wrong with the test. I had some leftover Oceanic salt so I mixed up a batch with that and it tested at 440ppm of calcium.
I know a lot of people on here use Red Sea Coral pro, so I assume it is a good product, but am I doing something wrong or did I get a bad batch or something?
Thanks!
Paul

 

[isistius]

i've never had a problem with it. but i did notice in your posting that your sg is 1.021. that's too low for a reef tank. should be at a bare minimum of 1.023. i keep mine about 1.025, and others even keep theirs higher 1.026 or 1.027. also, the temp of 68 is very low. the higher the temp, the more salt can go into solution, hence, higher calcium.

 

[paulidee]

I didn't have my heater in the mixing tub yet and I usually do bring it up to 1.26, this was more of an experiment so I didnt worry so much about the proper paramters.
But the same approx salinity/temp with the other salt did have enough calcium. I will try warming the batch up and bringing it to 1.26 and testing again, do you think that will make a big difference? That is what I was doing over the last month with my water changes and I always had a low calcium level in the tank. I was testing the water in the tank and not the water that I made up, but all signs seem to be pointing at the water I am mixing up.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by Isistius
i've never had a problem with it. but i did notice in your posting that your sg is 1.021. that's too low for a reef tank. should be at a bare minimum of 1.023. i keep mine about 1.025, and others even keep theirs higher 1.026 or 1.027. also, the temp of 68 is very low. the higher the temp, the more salt can go into solution, hence, higher calcium.
This is likely the problem. On the front of the container of salt you should see the Red Sea recommended SG for the proper calcium level. I haven't had any issue with mine and I keep my SG at 1.026 (salinity of 35).

 

[m0nk]

Oh, and if it helps, I've been using the Coral Pro salt for about 6 months and find that my calcium is a bit more stable than it was with the Oceanic brand.

 

[paulidee]

Thanks for the help guys.
I will put the heater in and bring the salinity up and test again!

 

[sharkbait9]

I bought a bucket of this salt to try since one of the LFS was selling as a new product. They said a lot of people are switching over to this salt and leaving reef crystal (-- is what I use.) since -- is low on Ca, Sr and Mg.
I mixed up a couple of buckets with Ro/Di water and noticed that after mixing for a while I get a residue of silvery flakes at the bottom and white crystal like stuff.
Anyone else see this or is this a bad bucket? Or am I doing something wrong? IDK I never used this salt. I don’t like the residue but i like the levels.
My Ca react has not kicked on since I used it.
Mixing is down with a power head and a heater for maybe a day or two before water change.

 

[mscarpena]

I just switch from instant ocean/reef crystals to Tropic Marin. I know that Tropic Marin mixes up clearer than I have ever seen salt mix up. I have not tested the CA in the plain sea salt mix, but this stuff is supposed to be great for CA/ALK levels. Also you guys should not be relying on just salt for for your critical water parameters. I have a 46 gallon with a few monti, lots of acans/micros, and a bunch of paly's and I have to add calcium and alkalinity 2-3 times per week. My stuff grows like crazy. So while it is important to check to see which will be the best salt, most stable, and enable you to dose less addatives it is important not to rely solely on salt for your levels. Also I have talked with a bunch of people and everyone I talk with says Tropi Marin is the best and enables them to dose less chemicals. I have only done one water change so I will keep you guys posted. Also I agree try a salinity level of 1.025-1.026 and that should raise the calcium to about 400-425.

 

[ibew]

what are the other parameters using this salt just curious at a salinity of 1.025
alk
mag
stro
ph
thanks Jeremy

 

[isistius]

in every bucket i mix up of the red sea coral pro, i get some residual "flakes" that don't go into solution. no biggie. mine mixes up perfectly every time, and i just wait about 10 minutes after mixing before putting in my tank. i also dose 2 part solution daily, due to the sps and lps sucking up calcium and alkalinity.

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by Isistius
in every bucket i mix up of the red sea coral pro, i get some residual "flakes" that don't go into solution. no biggie. mine mixes up perfectly every time, and i just wait about 10 minutes after mixing before putting in my tank. i also dose 2 part solution daily, due to the sps and lps sucking up calcium and alkalinity.
Really? you don't wait for it to aerate and level out?
Like I said with the coralife pro my Ca reactor has not kicked on and my Ca levels are still holding strong around 460-480 with this salt. With -- my Ca reactor would kick on about 7- 9 -days after a water change with -- and i run a lot of lps/sps in my tanks.
I like my water to be clean and free and aerated and leveled out before I go and change it out, maybe its just me.