Reef Crystal Salt

[Tbduval]

Hi,
Hope someone can help me out!!! I mixed up a new batch of water for a water change and I am levels that are very high. ALK was at 16dkh and calcium was 500. I tried mag but ran out of solution is was at 1200. I have check the salinity and it is 1.026, which was confirmed by pinpoint solution. Do these levels sound high? Also checked ALK with 2 different test kits and they are right around the same. Thanks for the help!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It does sound a bit high.

Was the water clear?

[Tbduval]

It sure is. It seems strange. I feel I must being doing something wrong. Do you think it is to high to do a WC with?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybe the salinity is higher than you think, or there is some other sort of testing issue. I'd probably still use it for small water changes. I never even measure the water I use. :)

[Tbduval]

I am going to do around a 15% WC. You still think that is OK? Thanks for all your help Randy!

[fishview]

I have ALK at 16dkh and calcium at 500 with Reef Crystal Salt. I thought my refractometer was way off (calibrated with RO), because I only read that Reef Crystal had problem with low cal.

I do small WC daily (2%), and the corals seem to be fine for months.

[Flipper62]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13954838#post13954838 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Maybe the salinity is higher than you think, or there is some other sort of testing issue. I'd probably still use it for small water changes. I never even measure the water I use. :)

Randy, Years ago when I was using a cheap plastic hydrometer I had this happen. The cheap swing arm was reading incorrectley so I was adding more salt. This was also adding to the high readings. Once I bought a good Refractometer, Everything fell right into place.

IMO....get a good Refractometer, like a Sybon FG-100 for $49.95

Be careful of the ones on ebay. There are ones on there that are being sold as a salinity meter, BUT are really made for things like sugar, anti-freeze...etc.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I am going to do around a 15% WC. You still think that is OK?

Yes, probably.

What is the alkalinity in the tank now?

[Tbduval]

Right around 10dkh. Thanks for he help!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

A 15% change will only boost the alkalinity to 10.9 dKH, so that is fine, IMO. :)

[Billybeau1]

Tb, Since all of the numbers are higher, I gotta believe your salinity is higher than you think for some reason.

If you really want to get to the bottom of this, Mix exactly 1/2 cup of RC in 1 gallon of ro/di. Then measure calcium and alkalinity. Make sure the water is clear before you test. You should get around 400-410 calcium and around 10-11 dkh as it takes a little more than 1/2 of RC per gallon to get to 1.0264

At least you'll be able to eliminate some things. :)

[Posidion]

I use RC at an sg of 1.025 and I tested it just for this thread as i have never tested my new water for any thing but salinity before adding it. Here's what i got:

cal 420
dkh 10.9 or 3.8 meq
ph 8.2

Theese are salifert testkits except for calcium which is Seachem Reef status

[plyr58]

You know, I just posted in another forum about forgetting to test my new water before doing a water change last night and my Calcium is sky high today. My alkalinity didn't go crazy high though. Wonder if there are some bad batches going around?

I thought my API Calcium kit was bad... now I'm not so sure.

[Billybeau1]

I suggest you do what I recommended to Tb. :)

[plyr58]

Unfortunately, that batch was a 25 gallon box that I bought while waiting on the bucket to get delivered. I do know that I used a temperature corrected refractometer which I calibrated w/ 35 mS solution to double check.

[Billybeau1]

I highly doubt 1 water change increased your calcium level that much.

[plyr58]

Yeah I'm still leaning towards bad test kit. Just found it interesting. Probably just a coincidence.

[Tbduval]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13964356#post13964356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Tb, Since all of the numbers are higher, I gotta believe your salinity is higher than you think for some reason.


BillyB, I agree with you and Randy. Something is just not right. With my ALK so high, what do you the salinity would be? I will run that test today and see how is works out. I will let you know! Thanks!

[Tbduval]

Billy,
Did what you recommended and still high ALK and Cal. With the half cup the levels were as follows. 1.021, 12.8dhk, & 480 Cal. I am going to test the Mag to see what that is at. Do you think the salt has settled or something along those lines? Thanks!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Settling is a possibility, as some folks have observed.

In general, I think that bad test kits and/or procedures are way, way more common than entire bad batches of salt mixes. :)

[Tbduval]

Thanks Randy. Just more things to make a decision on!!!! Guess I am having the reverse problem that everyone else had with Reef Crystals. I did the water change and everything appears fine. Thanks again for all your help!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy reefing. :)

[Tbduval]

Well Randy.....I just test the MAG and it is at 1400. Looks like I got super salt!!!!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Or super salinity. :D

[Tbduval]

I mixed it up as Billy said. 1/2 cup of salt for one gallon of water. It mixed to 1.021, I used a calibrated refract., which is what the bucket of salt says it should mix to. Do you think there is anything else that could make crazy inflated numbers, beside test kits error. I test with 2 different brand kits and they are close to the same, high!!!! :)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I never make up salt water by measured volume, so I'll have to leave it to Billy to comment, but I have no other apparent ideas that have not already been discussed. :)

[Tbduval]

How do you measure out your salt? Is it by weight?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I make up about 80 gallons at a time, so I pour in roughly half a bucket. Then I measure salinity after dissolution, and adjust the salinity with more water or salt as necessary. Sometimes it is initially well off the mark, but that's not a concern. :)

[Billybeau1]

Tb, my only explanation is then that you got some potent salt mix.

Many wish they had your problem. I would enjoy the benefits.

Make sure you test the next batch you get and do not get comfortable with the results you are seeing now. :)

[plyr58]

I would be interested if anyone else has encoured this w/ Reef Crystals. The calcium level in my last bunch was really high as well. Would be nice for that to continue...

[Billybeau1]

Maybe they added all of the calcium that they missed in the batch from last year. :lol:

I didn't say that............ :p

Honestly, I'll have to see some more posts to suggest their might be a problem here. You may want to send your extra calcium to all of the customers who complained about low calcium awhile back.

:lol:

I didn't say that either. :D

Disclaimer: I am just having a little fun with this. I am, in no way, belittling the fact that you have problems with your salt. I've been there, done that. :)

[adtravels]

I just tested a batch that has arrived here in thailand from france.

I have a refractometer that is 2 point calibrated with randys refractometer standard and r.o.

At 1.025 33ppt salinity
here are the figures.

Alk 12

calc 365

mag 1140

not that good.

Tha alk concerns me the most.

[Tbduval]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13972874#post13972874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1

Disclaimer: I am just having a little fun with this. I am, in no way, belittling the fact that you have problems with your salt. I've been there, done that. :)

I am not really too concerned with the numbers I got from the tests. I take everything from hobby with a grain of salt :) I would be interested if anyone else post silimar number with this salt. Billy, Randy....thanks as always for the great advise. RC would not be the same without you 2 !!!!!!!!!!! Happy Holidays!

[Billybeau1]

Same to you Tb. :)

adt, Both Reef Crystals and Instant Ocean have alkalinity levels between 11-13 dkh. Always have been that way and that way for a reason. I'd say out of all your numbers, that one is the closest to the norm. :)