Reef Crystals - The results are in...

[spleify]

I just mixed up my first batch of salt water from my newest bucket of salt and this is what I got.

CA 355

MAG 1125

ALK 12.2

[rbursek]

What SG and what do you use to measure SG? My replacement buckets were low when I checked them and then found out my refactor meter was out of calibration and reading high, so the test samples were low in SG. When I calibrated it and retested ad 1.026 the levels were okay.

[spleify]

78 degrees
1.025 -calibrated refractometer.
I mix, and have always mixed my salt the same way. 13 cups for 25 gal of water.

Spleify

[rbursek]

What do you use to calibrate it.

[Lightsluvr]

Originally posted by rbursek
What do you use to calibrate it.

I may be doing this wrong, but I just use RO/DI water with a zero TDS reading to calibrate my refractometer...

I would expect a 1.000 reading on the refractometer...



Is there another way?

LL

[rbursek]

That will cause it to read low. you need I believeit is pinpoint 53 solution, or Randy's home made which I do not remember it. Maybe some one will chime in with it. I belive it is a 2ltr coke bottled filled to the rim with RODI, then putit in a larger container, add 1/4 cup plus 2 tsp of iodized table salt. Get it disolved and calibrate to 1.026/35ppt

[spleify]

Here is the link for the formula,

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

I always get confused when reading it, so if someone smarter than me( and that shouldn't be hard) can give us a quick description of how to do it, that would be great.
I have an awesome scale that I used to have at my body shop so measuring in grams is a breeze for me.

Thanks

Spleify

Oh, and by the way I use the solution mentioned above to calibrate it last which was last month. How often do they need to be recalibrated?

[rbursek]

okay, here it is and I was wrong on the 2 tsp it is 1. 2104.4grams RODI water and 79.3grams Mortons iodized table salt.

[spleify]

Originally posted by rbursek
okay, here it is and I was wrong on the 2 tsp it is 1. 2104.4grams RODI water and 79.3grams Mortons iodized table salt.

2104.4 Grams of RODI
79.3 grams Mortons iodized salt
??

Is this correct?
I am confused by the 1. in front of the 2104.

Remember I get confused waaaayy to easy.


Thanks

Spleify

[EvilE]

Originally posted by spleify
2104.4 Grams of RODI
79.3 grams Mortons iodized salt
??

Is this correct?
I am confused by the 1. in front of the 2104.

Remember I get confused waaaayy to easy.


Thanks

Spleify

Just buy a small bottle of Pinpoint solution--so much easier.

[spleify]

Mixing salt and water is pretty easy too..

[b16drag]

Its sometimes easier to just by the dang solution for $5 than to figure out things in 0.XYZ grams!

[Lightsluvr]

Holy SMoke, Batman.

How does the average Joe (in the U.S.) measure 2104.4 grams of anything... ?

I like the PinPoint idea.

Back OT, how is Reef Crystals doing today?

LL

[rbursek]

That was from the previous sentence " I was wrong about the 2tsp it is 1." It was a period not a decimal point.
the recipe is 2104.4 grams RODI water
79.3grams Mortons Iodized salt, not Kosher.

[spleify]

Thanks rbursek. See I told you I get confused easy.

It is not easy for the average guy to measure grams. If you get lucky, find an automotive paint store locally around you and see if they will let you use there scale for a couple of minutes. The scales used for mixing paint are EXTREMELY accurate.

Thanks again for the summary rbursek.

Ok any way I ordered ANOTHER bucket of RC to see to see what I get, I will post results when I get it.

Thanks

Spleify

[b16drag]

Any new developments of this? Anyone else sending in their salt to be tested?

[BigAl2007]

I'm having a TIME with my Calc. I usually test EVERY batch of SW before adding it to my tank but I was running behind last time getting ready to go on vacation. I opened a brand new bucker fro "DF&S" and mixed the Reef Crystals in the bucket top to bottom to help off-set any settling. I mixed the Sw on Sunday, tested the SG on Monday and did a massive water change on Monday. I left for vacation and when I came home mixed up another batch on Sunday. Tested all my tanks and they ALL came in WAY lower. Usually without dosing my Calc will be around 420-440 (3 different tanks). This time they all came in low. Ranging from 360 down to 320. I spased out and test the NSW and right out of the bucket it's coming in at 340. I don't have a Alk test kit of MG test kit but this bucket seems to be LOWWW! This is a brand new bucket too!!

Anyone else gotten a bad batch lately?

Should I go ahead and try to send a sample back to the company even though I've already used over 70 gallons worth of the mix out of a 160 mix?

I'm VERY open to ideas and would love some input!!

Allen

[Billybeau1]

Depending on where you got it from, this may be a brand new old bucket, if you know what I mean.

I would send in a sample if you feel inclined. I doubt a major salt manufacturer would allow the same mistake to happen twice in a year.

But I suppose anything is possible.

[b16drag]

I've tested four different buckets of salt ordered months apart and all tested low in Mg and 2 of the 4 tested borderline low for Ca. I'd send it in.

[BigAl2007]

I'll pull a sample out this afternoon. I know it's GOT to be in here but I'm cross eyed looking and can't find the post where it tells to mail it to. Anyone have a link to it?

I'll let yall know what comes out of it. By the way, it was from DF&S.

[bdare]

It's in the first 2 pages.... Come on dude.

[BigAl2007]

Originally posted by bdare
It's in the first 2 pages.... Come on dude.

I can't believe I missed it. I went so MANY pages in and didn't see it. I even went through a whole other thread and never found it.

Thanks!

Allen

[b16drag]

BigAl, you might just want to email them through the email on the webpage. There has been some recent restructuring...

[Reefer Brian]

Is this the reason it is on sale for so cheap? I just ordered 2 buckets and they seem to be up to par as far as the elements go.

[bdare]

Naw... they just go on sale from time to time.