Time to get rid of salinity!

Joe5688

Joe5688

Active member
So I've been battling alk issues for a long time. I cant seem to keep them up above 7 no matter how hard I try. I'm currently dosing 85ml of alk a day and my alk stll wont go above 7. I had my alk and calcium dialed in for months before I started having this issue. Only thing I can think of is that with my new bucket of salt the numbers aren't matching what they say on the bucket.

I just tested some mixed SW and found out my alk is coming out of my mixing container at 6.x dkh. I now know why my dosing cant keep up with my alk number I'm trying to achieve lol. I started researching on line and found out I'm not the only one having this issue and that it's actually a common issue with this salt. Apparntly you not suppose to mix this for more then 8 hours even though the bucket says 24hr mixing recommended. My problem is I make 35gs at a time and it last me about 3 weeks. I guess if it mixes for to long the alk starts to precipate out.

I refuse to up my dosing to crazy numbers because of the salt mixing so low. I need to find a more stable salt that can sit mixing and not destroy itself lol. It might not have been just this bucket because I've been fighting the numbers for a while. Anyone have suggestions on salt that they use in mixing containers that seems to be consistant?
 
tinman

tinman

Well-known member
Not sure but one 5 gallon bucket so always mixing and I didn't see much of a drop in alk when I was using Red Sea coral salt ..

Now I am using tropic Marin bio actif and have 5 gallons that's been mixing for the last week or so. I'll update once I go home and check alk of that
 
ultimatemj

ultimatemj

Active member
Strange, the instructions say "we suggest mixing for approximately 24 hours to achieve oxygen/carbon dioxide equilibrium."

I'm using Salinity and happy with it. I always mix it days in advance and the 2 times I've checked ALK measured ~9dkh.

My initial struggle with it was it mixes better in cool water, so you have to target the salinity knowing the temp correction. Now I know how many scoops it takes :)

What is your CAL? This article indicates adding more ALK is not the solution when your Cal is low.

This problem is typically caused by overdosing alkalinity RELATIVE to calcium, but does not necessarily imply that calcium is either too high or too low (though it is almost always too low). To correct problems in this zone, monitoring of calcium and alkalinity values during correction is especially important.

I would advise correcting this problem by adding a calcium chloride supplement until you have moved into the target zone as shown in Figure 4. You CANNOT use limewater or a calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactor to correct this problem.
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You didn't say whay you were dosing to correct, so hopefully this helps.

Good luck!
 
Joe5688

Joe5688

Active member
ultimatemj said:
Strange, the instructions say "we suggest mixing for approximately 24 hours to achieve oxygen/carbon dioxide equilibrium."

I'm using Salinity and happy with it. I always mix it days in advance and the 2 times I've checked ALK measured ~9dkh.

My initial struggle with it was it mixes better in cool water, so you have to target the salinity knowing the temp correction. Now I know how many scoops it takes :)

What is your CAL? This article indicates adding more ALK is not the solution when your Cal is low.



You didn't say whay you were dosing to correct, so hopefully this helps.

Good luck!
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Even with yours mixing at 9dkh that isn't correct. I bet if u look at ur bucket it should be mixing somewhere around 10-11. I Dose BRS 2 part. My alk level I checked in my mixing tank does not get anything dosed to it. It's just straight mixed sw. The next thing I'm going to try before changing salt is adding it a lot more slowly. My mixing tank usually runs at a pretty high temp, like 78 or so since I have an external pump mixing the water it keeps the water warm.
 
ultimatemj

ultimatemj

Active member
Enter your lot number on the first link I posted. If you can prove yours doesn't match they replace it...

Alk tester reagent may also be a consideration...
 
Venom

Venom

Premium member
I had the same problem Joe had to add alkalinity just to keep it to 8 I will not use it again
 
SMACKERS4

SMACKERS4

Member
I also have the same issue. Freshly mixed salinity at 1.025 the alk measures at 12dkh, after 1 day the alk drops to 8dkh and it doesn't seem to want to stay above that, I use kalk in my ATO, and attempted to raise alk using seachem reef buffer following the recommendations in the directions. I gave up after about a month. Oh well, bout 200g to go on this bucket with my 16g Nuvo, lol.
 
mishmaster

mishmaster

Member
Are you using a calcium reactor? Is that what you mean by "dialed in", or do you strictly dose BRS 2 part?

Try buying a new Salifert test kit just to make sure your current test kit is still good.

I've been using Instant Ocean "Reef Crystals" and dosing reef fusion 2-part and everything is fine in my tank. I tested my alk at 8.4 today without having dosed anything for the past day. Oh, and its cheaper.
 
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Joe5688

Joe5688

Active member
mishmaster said:
Are you using a calcium reactor? Is that what you mean by "dialed in", or do you strictly dose BRS 2 part?

Try buying a new Salifert test kit just to make sure your current test kit is still good.

I've been using Instant Ocean "Reef Crystals" and dosing reef fusion 2-part and everything is fine in my tank. I tested my alk at 8.4 today without having dosed anything for the past day. Oh, and its cheaper.
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2 part dosing, and I use hanna checkers for alk.
 
S

sullyman

Member
First thing to get right is Magnesium level, if it's not 12-1300 you need to raise up to that area and keep stable. Unless that's done the alk and calcium will bounce around and drive you crazy, and when the alk isn't stable you can lose coral fast.
 
Joe5688

Joe5688

Active member
Already done
sullyman said:
First thing to get right is Magnesium level, if it's not 12-1300 you need to raise up to that area and keep stable. Unless that's done the alk and calcium will bounce around and drive you crazy, and when the alk isn't stable you can lose coral fast.
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Joe5688

Joe5688

Active member
My issue is clearly with the salt. My freshed mix salt is mixing at 7-8. Its not a tank issue. Read the post people! Lol
 
I

Inocense

New member
Joe, what salt are you going with? I am having the same issue with Salinity and I am only a few water changes away from finishing my 200gal bucket.. I was thinking about going back to Tropic Marin but I am unsure if I want to go Pro reef or Bio-ACTIF.. I don't want to dose.. At all.. I have a 29 gal bio cube and I do 5 gallon water changes once a week. I should NOT have to! So trying to find the right HIGH QUALITY salt.. All I run in the system is a skimmer and Chemi Pure.
 
M

mlott132

New member
Had similar experience with Salinity. Mixed per instructions and could not duplicate element levels stated on label. Switched to Tropic Marin Bio-Actif and could not be happier.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
 
nailbender

nailbender

New member
I use seachem reef. I usually have 150 gallons premixed at a time. I only dose alk to keep it at 8. My calcium stays between 440 and 460.
it's like $55 for a 200 gallon box from drs f & s no shipping charge. I tried it because Menard said that's what he uses.
 
I

Inocense

New member
I was looking into either getting TM Bio-ACTIF or Pro Reef and my LFS said that Bio-ACTIF is no good for smaller tanks. So I think I am going to go with TM Pro Reef..

Anyone have any issues or hear about any issues with Bio-ACTIF in smaller tanks? (I have a 29)
 
M

mlott132

New member
Inocense said:
I was looking into either getting TM Bio-ACTIF or Pro Reef and my LFS said that Bio-ACTIF is no good for smaller tanks. So I think I am going to go with TM Pro Reef..

Anyone have any issues or hear about any issues with Bio-ACTIF in smaller tanks? (I have a 29)
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Had not heard that before. Did he say why?

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
 
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