AF Reef Salt, mg reading 1600+ppm

[kinetic]

AquaForest Reef Salt
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78F
Magnesium: 1600+ppm
RO/DI Water TDS: 0

That's in a newly mixed batch (within 1 hour of mixing).

It's too easy to blame the test kit. But I'm using a Red Sea test kit that came with the reef tests. I know it can read about 20-50ppm higher than other test kits, but this is way off. I consistently use 0.9ml of the titration fluid in both my display tank water and my newly mixed water. Two of my buckets read the same.

I'll get my water tested with other people and the LFS as well, but let's assume it's way higher than advertised, what can I do? I have three full buckets of AF Reef Salt that I can't use. Would AF refund me / replace the buckets?

 

[Ocelaris]

Get a salifert kit for magnesium. My red sea was always wildly off, like same readings as you, and with the salifert it came in at 1350.

 

[niQo]

I have AF Reef Salt as well, my salifert test kit indicates 1500 for magnesium. It kept rising after a water change and I never dosed any Magnesium. So I am not really surprised.

 

[niQo]

Double Post

 

[kinetic]

Get a salifert kit for magnesium. My red sea was always wildly off, like same readings as you, and with the salifert it came in at 1350.

Strangely, everyone near me (there are a lot of people) all use Red Sea test kits. I ordered a salifert kit. It might take awhile to get to me, but I'll test it then. Nothing in the tank is dead, so I'm just hoping my kit is way off.

I have AF Reef Salt as well, my salifert test kit indicates 1500 for magnesium. It kept rising after a water change and I never dosed any Magnesium. So I am not really surprised.

What test kit(s) did you use?

 

[ycnibrc]

There is no side effect for coral with 1600ppm mag. Actuslly it might help with your algae control.

 

[kinetic]

There is no side effect for coral with 1600ppm mag. Actuslly it might help with your algae control.

Interesting. How does it help with algae? I have a bit of film algae throughout my tank.

 

[Tommy's Reef]

My af reef salt is at 1550. I'm not complaining though a little more than a year I got a batch of 1200. Big improvement. But a little highs not gona hurt much

 

[ycnibrc]

Bryopsi treatment is to raise mag level to 1600 - 2000ppm

Interesting. How does it help with algae? I have a bit of film algae throughout my tank.

 

[niQo]

What test kit(s) did you use?

Just Salifert

 

[Perry]

FWIW,
Let's say you maintain 1300 as your preferred level, and let's say you did a 20% water change? Your total mag would only rise to 1360. Depending on corals kept in the tank, this may be close to your weekly consumption, so in this case, you might not need to even dose mag. Cheers

 

[kinetic]

I just tested everything in my tank again. This time I used both Red Sea and a brand new Salifert test kit for magnesium. It's proven. The salt mix is super high in magnesium.

Brand new batch of water

Salinity 1.026
Temp: 78 degrees Fahrenheit (both a coralife digital therm, and a mercury based therm)
Magnesium: 1680ppm. Red Sea shows 0.85 tritation liquid used, so if I look at 0.425 and double it, I'm looking at about 1680ppm. Salifert I used the entire 1ml vial, and it still was purple. The highest it goes is 1500ppm. So I'm guessing my magnesium is sitting right around 1600ppm.

@Aquaforest It can't be true that both my test kits are wrong. What's next? I have 3 buckets of salt left...

 

[Aquaforest]

I just tested everything in my tank again. This time I used both Red Sea and a brand new Salifert test kit for magnesium. It's proven. The salt mix is super high in magnesium.

Brand new batch of water

Salinity 1.026
Temp: 78 degrees Fahrenheit (both a coralife digital therm, and a mercury based therm)
Magnesium: 1680ppm. Red Sea shows 0.85 tritation liquid used, so if I look at 0.425 and double it, I'm looking at about 1680ppm. Salifert I used the entire 1ml vial, and it still was purple. The highest it goes is 1500ppm. So I'm guessing my magnesium is sitting right around 1600ppm.

@Aquaforest It can't be true that both my test kits are wrong. What's next? I have 3 buckets of salt left...

Hello,
To test your salt we need to have this salt in our laboratory. Is this possible to send sample of salt to our distributor in Orlando?
In PM I will send you address details.
We are testing all batches of salt on ICP-OES before packing - 3 separate samples per batch are collected during the production stage for testing.

Best regards,
Aquaforest

 

[kinetic]

Hello,
To test your salt we need to have this salt in our laboratory. Is this possible to send sample of salt to our distributor in Orlando?
In PM I will send you address details.
We are testing all batches of salt on ICP-OES before packing - 3 separate samples per batch are collected during the production stage for testing.

Best regards,
Aquaforest

Yup, send me the details.

I believe you guys when you test the salt before packing. But this bucket is reading 1680ppm on one kit, and over 1500ppm on another. So who knows what happened. Can I send you samples from all 3 of my full buckets?

I also notice that my newest 2 buckets have metal handles instead of plastic ones. Does that indicate anything to you?

 

[Aquaforest]

Yup, send me the details.

I believe you guys when you test the salt before packing. But this bucket is reading 1680ppm on one kit, and over 1500ppm on another. So who knows what happened. Can I send you samples from all 3 of my full buckets?

I also notice that my newest 2 buckets have metal handles instead of plastic ones. Does that indicate anything to you?

PM sent.

 

[Rakie]

There is no side effect for coral with 1600ppm mag. Actuslly it might help with your algae control.

That's an old wives tale, based on old school Kent Tech-M, what killed the bryopsis was elevated levels of Lithium that was in the old Tech-M, that's why the new Tech-M doesn't kill bryopsis.

Interesting. How does it help with algae? I have a bit of film algae throughout my tank.

It doesn't.

Bryopsi treatment is to raise mag level to 1600 - 2000ppm

There's unfortunately been a ton of people who've raised mag to no avail. I used the old tech M a long time ago and it worked, then tried another mag and it had no impact. Total bummer.

 

[kinetic]

More findings:

I made two new batches of water, with two different buckets of AquaForest Reef Salt. These were purchased pretty recently (they have the new lid and metal handles). Again, 1680ppm on my Red Sea test kit, and off the charts completely with my Salifert test kit.

I made sure my refractometer was calibrated with two different calibration solutions.

At least it's consistent. But it doesn't seem like this is isolated to one bucket. All three buckets I currently have, purchased over a 5 month period (give or take), all have 1680ppm magnesium in a newly mixed batch. I find it to be a pretty insane coincidence.

Anyone else use Aquaforest Reef Salt? Can you test your Mg with your next batch of salt?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW,
Let's say you maintain 1300 as your preferred level, and let's say you did a 20% water change? Your total mag would only rise to 1360. Depending on corals kept in the tank, this may be close to your weekly consumption, so in this case, you might not need to even dose mag. Cheers

Weekly consumption of magnesium is only going to be a few ppm. At most, it is about 1/10th of the calcium depletion rate.
A measured depletion rate of 60 ppm magnesium per week is test error.

 

[shred5]

There are several problem and the first is it is hard to mix salt to consistency. Refractometer calibration solutions are so widely off lately. I have several bottles all measuring different. So even if you get the salt exactly right now you have the test kits and hobby test kits have a margin of error, I mean they are hobby kits. But I have had several Salifert test kits test way of from each other. But again 1/2 a drop different can make a difference in the reading. Even after several test they are off from each other and by allot, question is what one is right. If you find a odd reading you have to try another kit or even better another brand.


That said magnesium kits are hard to use because of the slight color change and amount of stuff added gives more room for error. I find Red sea kits best for most but not for magnesium. Again most things only need to be close and not exact, more important is stability. Just lately can not believe the difference in calibration solutions for refractometers.

I have bought some AF salt and it has always tested rather well for me.

 

[kinetic]

There are several problem and the first is it is hard to mix salt to consistency. Refractometer calibration solutions are so widely off lately. I have several bottles all measuring different. So even if you get the salt exactly right now you have the test kits and hobby test kits have a margin of error, I mean they are hobby kits. But I have had several Salifert test kits test way of from each other. But again 1/2 a drop different can make a difference in the reading. Even after several test they are off from each other and by allot, question is what one is right. If you find a odd reading you have to try another kit or even better another brand.


That said magnesium kits are hard to use because of the slight color change and amount of stuff added gives more room for error. I find Red sea kits best for most but not for magnesium. Again most things only need to be close and not exact, more important is stability. Just lately can not believe the difference in calibration solutions for refractometers.

I have bought some AF salt and it has always tested rather well for me.

Everything you say is true, and what others have confirmed. You may have missed it, but I recently tested multiple times, with multiple tests from both Red Sea and Salifert. I also calibrated my refractometer with two totally different calibration solutions. They are at least ballpark, because I weigh my salt and water to the specifications of AF's directions, and it's pretty much spot on.