IO mixes with high alk and CA

[tenurepro]

Just opend up a new bucket of instant ocean. i had rolled it up and down the garage before opening, to mix things up a bit. made 20 gallons of salt water @ 35 ppm yesterday. Today, the batch is testing 11.6 dkh and 550 ppm Ca... at lot more than expected! any one had similar high values of alk and ca with IO...
wondering if they poured RC into the IO buckets ?

[bertoni]

The calcium is very high for IO. Maybe the mix settled badly during shipment? Some people report good results from mixing the dry salt. It's possible that the parameters are a bit off on the batch that you got, too, unfortunately.

[Joche]

Originally Posted by bertoni

The calcium is very high for IO. Maybe the mix settled badly during shipment? Some people report good results from mixing the dry salt. It's possible that the parameters are a bit off on the batch that you got, too, unfortunately.

He "rolled it up and down the garage before opening" so it's possible it's the true numbers of that particular batch? I'm just trying to keep up with the experience of users of this salt.

For what it's worth, I'm almost done with a bucket of IO RC and it never registered alk higher than 9. To be fair, it has been very consistent with high 8-9 alk, 440 Calcium and 1440 magnesium at 35ppm . I've been very happy with it's consistency and I'm about to open a second bucket hoping it's the same.
I just can't afford to switch salts as the rest cost more than double around here.

[Orr2003]

I just bought a new 200g box (4- 50g bags) of IO and I mixed one whole bag to 35ppt (calibrated refractometer) and my levels are Alk 11.1 DKH Hanna Checker and Cal is little over 500ppm Salifert Kit. Mag was around 1260 Salifert Kit

I dont like the extremely high alk and will be looking into a different salt.

[SouthFla]

Originally Posted by Orr2003

I just bought a new 200g box (4- 50g bags) of IO and I mixed one whole bag to 35ppt (calibrated refractometer) and my levels are Alk 11.1 DKH Hanna Checker and Cal is little over 500ppm Salifert Kit. Mag was around 1260 Salifert Kit

I dont like the extremely high alk and will be looking into a different salt.

Maybe consider a bit of muriatic acid from your local pool store? I mix up 10G for weekly water changes, and add 3ml acid to bring dkh down to my tank level of 7.7. Easy peasy, and at $39 for 200G salt a great bargain!

[jason2459]

I've used muratic acid before as well with IO if I wanted to adjust the Alkalinity. Usually though my tank consumes enough that the higher levels in IO is a plus and is basically part of the Alk dosing.


FYI, IO normally has Alkalinity levels around 10-11dkh and Reef Crystals around 12-13dkh. So a result of 11.6dkh isn't surprising.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...2554264&page=8

[Orr2003]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I've used muratic acid before as well with IO if I wanted to adjust the Alkalinity. Usually though my tank consumes enough that the higher levels in IO is a plus and is basically part of the Alk dosing.


FYI, IO normally has Alkalinity levels around 10-11dkh and Reef Crystals around 12-13dkh. So a result of 11.6dkh isn't surprising.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...2554264&page=8

This is completely surprising to me....I have used IO and only IO salt throughout the years starting back in 1999 up until around 2011 when I sold my last system. For the life of me I dont ever remember IO Alk being that high ever. Now I have searched a little and see this is completely normal for IO nowadays but I did not know this until month or so ago when I started setting up a new system again. Very unbalanced salt mix if you ask me and probably will give me fits once tank is stocked and trying to dial in Alk and Cal dosers since I like to do larger monthly water changes.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Orr2003

This is completely surprising to me....I have used IO and only IO salt throughout the years starting back in 1999 up until around 2011 when I sold my last system. For the life of me I dont ever remember IO Alk being that high ever. Now I have searched a little and see this is completely normal for IO nowadays but I did not know this until month or so ago when I started setting up a new system again. Very unbalanced salt mix if you ask me and probably will give me fits once tank is stocked and trying to dial in Alk and Cal dosers since I like to do larger monthly water changes.

They're pretty well established numbers going back to at least 2009. Some time before that IO did have a different formula which had lower Ca and Mg. I don't know what the Alkalinity averaged back then. The new formula occurring some time before 2009 you have been able to expect around 400-410 Ca, 10-11dkh Alk, and 1300ish Mg.

[Skim]

The last time I used IO, Alk was 14-15dKh that was the last I used IO and the same time a friend using RC started getting 16-17 dKh both bought around the same time ( within a couple of weeks of each other ).

[gmlee]

These numbers are all over the place !

[BlackTip]

When I used IO, I've never gotten more than 380 for CA and Mag in the low 1200.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by gmlee

These numbers are all over the place !

Tends to happen with no consistency in testing practices and a lot of variables that can cause interference.

[Joche]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I've used muratic acid before as well with IO if I wanted to adjust the Alkalinity. Usually though my tank consumes enough that the higher levels in IO is a plus and is basically part of the Alk dosing.


FYI, IO normally has Alkalinity levels around 10-11dkh and Reef Crystals around 12-13dkh. So a result of 11.6dkh isn't surprising.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...2554264&page=8

I assume you can use the freshly mixed water soon after adding the muriatic acid(after thoroughly mixed of course)?

BTW, off topic Jason, I just want to confirm you are who I think you are, TPB or OHP? lol

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Joche

I assume you can use the freshly mixed water soon after adding the muriatic acid(after thoroughly mixed of course)?

BTW, off topic Jason, I just want to confirm you are who I think you are, TPB or OHP? lol

I would wait a bit with some mixing to let the pH come back up. Unless you're doing very small water changes at at time.

I might not be that person? Texas Power Bar and Over Head Press?

[Joche]

Forgot to mention, I'll can post whatever numbers I get after I open the new bucket in a few days in case anyone is curious. Though, I'm kinda surprised I got consistently high 8's to 9 alk on the current bucket when everyone gets 10 and above.

[Joche]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I would wait a bit with some mixing to let the pH come back up. Unless you're doing very small water changes at at time.

I might not be that person? Texas Power Bar and Over Head Press?

Oh, yes you are if you know TPB= is Texas Power Bar

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Joche

Oh, yes you are if you know TPB= is Texas Power Bar

FYI, broke my back again and rehabbing. Still training in the basement as I can.

[Joche]

Originally Posted by jason2459

FYI, broke my back again and rehabbing. Still training in the basement as I can.

Ouch, get well soon. I've made many purchases based on your feedback on two hobbies now

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Joche

Ouch, get well soon. I've made many purchases based on your feedback on two hobbies now

That's awesome thanks. Only two hobbies I'm passionate about and have time to do.

[tenurepro]

Thanks guys for all the replies... didn't know there was so much action - forgot to turn on notification.

I am doing another test... this time, I will give the salt a good stir with a wooden spoon before making another 35ppt batch, then test (using salifert).

My other bucket of IO that I finished had 11 dkh alk and 430 ca... I typically maintain tank at 8 to 9 alk and 430-440 Ca... i am a bit annoyed of the high alk and ca of this new bucket... makes large water changes difficult

Will test and post results in a couple of days


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

Originally Posted by Joche

He "rolled it up and down the garage before opening" so it's possible it's the true numbers of that particular batch? I'm just trying to keep up with the experience of users of this salt.

I don't know that rolling the container around will mix it well. It might, but I'm not convinced. Companies tend to use special equipment for that.

[tenurepro]

Originally Posted by bertoni

I don't know that rolling the container around will mix it well. It might, but I'm to convinced. Companies tend to use special equipment for that.

That's why I manually mixed it and making another batch to test...
report back in two days!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joche]

Originally Posted by bertoni

I don't know that rolling the container around will mix it well. It might, but I'm to convinced. Companies tend to use special equipment for that.

It didn't occur to me that there is not enough space inside the bucket to mix the contents entirely, too much salt too little space. lol You are probably right.

So our best bet is to mix the entire contents of whatever bag or bucket size we have on the required volume of water to get the true levels of that particular batch?
I can actually mix 200 gallons at a time and use in small quantities, I just don't want to keep so much unused water for too long.

Originally Posted by tenurepro

That's why I manually mixed it and making another batch to test...
report back in two days!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd appreciate it, thanks! I thought the numbers I was getting were awesome but they seem so out of the ordinary now. Not going to change salts though, too much of a cost difference, just keep track of freshly mixed water.

[bertoni]

Mixing 200 gallons at a time would solve any settling problem. Some sort of dry mixing should be fine, but I don't know what it'd take. A larger container and some rolling might be enough, although I wouldn't guarantee it.

[jason2459]

I use a 50 gallon brute. It has a low switch which shuts down my automatic water change and alerts me its out.

I then have a high level switch that I fill up to. Its setup to fill with enough water each time to be able to mix in an entire 50 gallon bag to 35ppt. Has been pretty consistent when I have tested. I don't test every bag.

Take note of the advertised salinity level is achieved by mixing the entire contents of the bag or bucket. 50 gallon bag of IO mixed into 50 gallons of water I belive mixes to something like 1.020-1.023sg.