Buffering water change water

jallard · 11/16/2018, 07:41 AM

I currently have a 34g AIO tank. I regret purchasing Instant ocean and plan to use a better salt mix when I use all of the salt I currently have. I have been testing for Calcium and Alk and am currently dosing B-ionic 2 part. But i'm considering buffering the water change water and just do more water changes but doubt the IO salt will maintain a higher cal and Alk.

Does this seem like a good plan. When this salt is gone I will be changing over to a better salt. I am not currently keep many SPS coral but would like to in the near future.

mcgyvr · 11/16/2018, 09:03 AM

Whats wrong with IO?
Thousands of people and institutions are using it successfully..

What makes you think a higher cal/alk is needed or beneficial?
The recent trends are moving more towards natural sea levels partly because lower nutrient levels are more often achieved and corals,etc.. do not do well with high alk,etc.. and low nutrients..

Uncle99 · 11/16/2018, 07:26 PM

I run higher in the ranges and use RED SEA PRO. I think it's the highest, one of.....
Salt is salt, just use the mix that's produces your desired range.
Always roll your salt for even distribution before using

I have seen stunning tanks on IO and RC, depends on the application.

bertoni · 11/17/2018, 12:59 AM

You can add alkalinity and calcium to the IO to bring it up to the levels you want to maintain in your tank, but raising the alkalinity eventually will cause precipitation. That'll happen well above 11 dKH, if the calcium is kept in a reasonable zone, but I wouldn't push too far. What are your target parameters for the tank and for the mixed saltwater?

jallard · 11/17/2018, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

You can add alkalinity and calcium to the IO to bring it up to the levels you want to maintain in your tank, but raising the alkalinity eventually will cause precipitation. That'll happen well above 11 dKH, if the calcium is kept in a reasonable zone, but I wouldn't push too far. What are your target parameters for the tank and for the mixed saltwater?

Id like the calcium 450 alk 10

Topic Marin Pro Reef is the salt mix im considering which has similar levels

Uncle99 · 11/17/2018, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jallard

Id like the calcium 450 alk 10

Topic Marin Pro Reef is the salt mix im considering which has similar levels

Nothing wrong with that level, I use it as well.

homer1475 · 11/17/2018, 11:56 AM

IO @ 1.026 should mix up to pretty close to that.

I've been using IO for years now, every 200G box mixes up to 9.5 to 10DKH, and 400 to 420 cal. I have never seen parameters out of this range in regular IO.

jamie1981 · 11/17/2018, 12:04 PM

Test kits have a lot of variables, don't rely on them to be exact or the same every time you use it. Don't chase numbers your more likely to do more harm that good.

RC is a great salt and the most widely used. I run a full blown sps reef on RC and a calcium reactor.

homer1475 · 11/17/2018, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamie1981

Test kits have a lot of variables, don't rely on them to be exact or the same every time you use it. Don't chase numbers your more likely to do more harm that good.

RC is a great salt and the most widely used. I run a full blown sps reef on RC and a calcium reactor.

^^^^ this^^^^

Never chase numbers, as long as your "in range" your levels are fine. It's when you start chasing specific numbers do things usually go bad.

I typically target 8.0 to 9.0 ALK and anywhere 400 to 450 CAL, and 1250 MG(this is what IO mixes up to so I do not supplement MAG). The only time I worry about supplementing is if my numbers are lower then my targets. If I'm within range, I do nothing.

jallard · 11/17/2018, 05:39 PM

great... thanks for the info

bertoni · 11/17/2018, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jallard

Id like the calcium 450 alk 10

Those numbers should be fine.

I agree that the current IO should be close to that.

11/16/2018, 07:41 AM	#1
jallard Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NY Posts: 2,960	Buffering water change water I currently have a 34g AIO tank. I regret purchasing Instant ocean and plan to use a better salt mix when I use all of the salt I currently have. I have been testing for Calcium and Alk and am currently dosing B-ionic 2 part. But i'm considering buffering the water change water and just do more water changes but doubt the IO salt will maintain a higher cal and Alk. Does this seem like a good plan. When this salt is gone I will be changing over to a better salt. I am not currently keep many SPS coral but would like to in the near future. __________________ (\__/) (='.'=)This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny (")_(")into your signature to help him gain world domination. URL removed per User Agreement Current Tank Info: 34g Solana

11/16/2018, 09:03 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Whats wrong with IO? Thousands of people and institutions are using it successfully.. What makes you think a higher cal/alk is needed or beneficial? The recent trends are moving more towards natural sea levels partly because lower nutrient levels are more often achieved and corals,etc.. do not do well with high alk,etc.. and low nutrients.. __________________ Who me?

11/17/2018, 12:59 AM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You can add alkalinity and calcium to the IO to bring it up to the levels you want to maintain in your tank, but raising the alkalinity eventually will cause precipitation. That'll happen well above 11 dKH, if the calcium is kept in a reasonable zone, but I wouldn't push too far. What are your target parameters for the tank and for the mixed saltwater? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/17/2018, 11:56 AM	#7
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	IO @ 1.026 should mix up to pretty close to that. I've been using IO for years now, every 200G box mixes up to 9.5 to 10DKH, and 400 to 420 cal. I have never seen parameters out of this range in regular IO. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

11/17/2018, 05:39 PM	#10
jallard Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NY Posts: 2,960	great... thanks for the info __________________ (\__/) (='.'=)This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny (")_(")into your signature to help him gain world domination. URL removed per User Agreement Current Tank Info: 34g Solana

11/16/2018, 07:26 PM	#3
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I run higher in the ranges and use RED SEA PRO. I think it's the highest, one of..... Salt is salt, just use the mix that's produces your desired range. Always roll your salt for even distribution before using I have seen stunning tanks on IO and RC, depends on the application.

11/17/2018, 12:04 PM	#8
jamie1981 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 308	Test kits have a lot of variables, don't rely on them to be exact or the same every time you use it. Don't chase numbers your more likely to do more harm that good. RC is a great salt and the most widely used. I run a full blown sps reef on RC and a calcium reactor.