Salt mix survey

[thomas712]

I would like your help in a survey regarding your salt mix. Please post the results from the new water change water that you mix for a water change. If you are going to post results more than once than do so after opening a new batch of salt for the first time. It would be great if posters would give results from each new box, bag or bucket they open.
We need the following information.
1. Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium (if possible)
2. What brand salt is it
3. What brand test kit are you using to test with
4. Temp and salinity of the water you are testing

 

[monalisa]

Will do Thomas...I just did my first 10% change from Instant Ocean to Oceanic late this afternoon. I'm a little nervous about the change, but my calcium with IO at 320 just isn't acceptable. I'll keep you posted on what I find.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[thomas712]

Thanks appreciate that. I wish you would have tested your water change water first before doing the change and posted those results, maybe next time.

 

[buckeye]

Just did my 10% water change with IO.
1.cal about 340, alk 12 dhk. no test for mag
2. IO
3. Aquarium Pharm for calcium, fasTesT for alk
4. 78deg 1.024 sal
I hope other people send in results. hope to find if there is better salt then IO.
:thinking:

 

[thegrog]

Do you want the readings from the new mix or from the tank both before and after the change? :notsure:
I'm doing one either today or tomorrow so I can do that (except Mg, no kit to test for it)

 

[thomas712]

I'm interested what the new mix comes up as, before anyone adds any additives or before it goes into the tank. Knowing what everyones NEW mix is like will help us track consistancy or inconsistancies right out of the box, bag or bucket.

 

[buzzword]

Hi all. Today is Kent salt 200g bucket. I will do Tropic Marin bucket either tomorrow or Wednesday.
Temp: 79
S.G.: 1.025
Salinity.: 34
Alk: 4.23
dKh: 11.8
Calcium: 420
Sorry no Mag test, ordered it on-line today. All tests per Salifert. S.G. and Salinity per refractometer. Hope this helps get things going.
And yes buckeye there is better salt than IO! Just look at your Calcium to know. And by the way I am going to the OSU MSU game this weekend! Flying out Thursday! Wife is from Columbus and went to OSU. GO MSU! err... I mean Buckeyes! lol

 

[buckeye]

Thanks for the info Buzzword. No wander why i have problems with my CAL beening so low. Hope to get more peoples feedback and chosse another mix. GO BUCKS LOL:help:

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by Thomas712
Thanks appreciate that. I wish you would have tested your water change water first before doing the change and posted those results, maybe next time.

Instant Ocean?
Actually I did, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, ph 8.2, phosphate 0,
calcium 320...
What about alkalinity?
all tests aquarium pharmiceuticals...
SG 1.024-5,
how's that?
Lisa :happyfish

 

[speg]

Crystal Sea - Marinemix
SG - 1.025
Calc - 375
dKH - 12.2
Temp - 77 degrees
Testing kits - Salifert
=-=-=-
I cant believe there is such a high amount of calcium in kents salt.

 

[buzzword]

After reading your comment speg I retested and it came out the same. I like Kent salt, both of the fish stores I go to use it in their tanks at the store and I have used it for 7 months. I read on here that Kent has pretty high silicates (sp), so I am going to try Tropic Marin on my tank on Wednesday. I will post those results when I get them.

 

[glyle41]

Oceanic
Salinity 1.0250 with Refractor
Calcium 480
Been watching my Oceanic Calcium levels had heard they are all over the place guess maybe ive been lucky

 

[buzzword]

Tropic Marin
Temp- 79
S.G.- 1.025
Salinity- 34
pH- 8.2
dKh- 9.9
Alk- 3.54
Calcium- 420
No mag test yet. I use only Kent and Tropic Marin. After these tests, which were done twice, the only real difference between the two is that Tropic Marin has a more midrange Alk than Kent. Kent was kinda high at 11.8. Tropic Marin dissolved quicker as well with no residue. When I get the Mag test I will post those results as well.

 

[sandsifter]

saltmix: Reef Crystals
salinity: 1.024
temp: 78
alk: 4.5meg/L
cal: 350ppm
test kits for alk and cal are seachem tests.
I also use deionized water.

 

[bonermeister]

Does anyone use Red Sea? I have heard really good things about it.

 

[golfish]

I'd kind of like to see PO4's included in this test...
I've come to not trust any of the test kits out there. The Ca and Alk kits seem to match up pretty well, but the PO4 and magnesium kits from La Motte, Salifert and Sea Chem all pretty much give different results...I don't trust a single PO4 kit out there.

 

[ridomart]

just want to keep track of this

 

[escape2thewater]

Originally Posted by Bonermeister
Does anyone use Red Sea? I have heard really good things about it.
I use red sea, I will test it and post results within the next day or two.
Escape

 

[escape2thewater]

Ok as promised heres the results from red sea made w/ RO/DI source water:
temp - 80
sg - 1.022
ph - 8.0
dkh - 7.0
ca - 350
po4 - 0
All tests done with salifert test kits.
I mix it with a little less salt then reccomended due to a higher sg maintained in my tank. I try to lower the sg just slightly by doing this.
Escape

 

[smmcinto]

After going through all of these, I just wanted someones input on a good Test Kit...I've got the basic..amm nit nat ph, but as far as calc alk mag,..and so forth i have nothing. Any info is great.
Thanks