Aquaforest Reef Salt Experience

[Donsreef]

Let me start by saying, I'm not Aquaforest is a bad product. I've been following and see some good results with it.
However, I recently had a bad experience with the reef salt.
I recently switched from Red Sea product to Aquaforest. I started with the reef salt, did my first water change, and my mistake was I didn't test the freshly mixed salt water. I just did a 10-gallon water change and my corals responded negatively didn't know what was wrong. as I started testing my water the dkh was really low, so I started dosing Alkalinity to raise it, got it up to 7.45 dkh, then I did my usual water change and test dkh and my tank dkh had dropped down to 5.71 dkh. I'm using the eXact idip tester.
So I researching the two salts. I found that the Alkalinity was a lot different in the to salts.
Red Sea Reef Pro Salt Alkalinity mix at 11.8-12.2
Aquaforest Reef Salt Alkalinity mix at 7.4-8.2
WOW what a difference.
So I mixed a 5-gallon bucket of Aquaforest reef salt according to the instructions and the dkh tested at 5.10 dkh.
What should I do?????

 

[Potatohead]

You can add some baking soda to bring up the alkalinity in the freshly mixed salt if you want. The two salts you are using are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of parameters.

 

[nukinfuts72]

Go back to Red Sea? Why did you switch?

 

[domination2580]

It's recommended to stir the salt or mix the salt together before using it.

 

[domination2580]

I would try shaking the bag or mixing the salt then make another 5 gallons or however much and test

 

[Donsreef]

It's recommended to stir the salt or mix the salt together before using it.

DID THAT

 

[Donsreef]

I would try shaking the bag or mixing the salt then make another 5 gallons or however much and test

Did that, that's how I got the results of the Aquaforest isn't testing at the manufacturer parameters

 

[hybridazn]

I did this exact thing a while back. I was using rscp with great results, switched to reef salt because I wanted a slightly lower alk because I was running zeovit. But the alk always tested well below the advertised rating for alk.

The reef salt isn't a terribly expensive salt by any means, but I always felt that these readings need to be addressed. This is the main reason why I went back to rscp and have no regrets

 

[Donsreef]

I did this exact thing a while back. I was using rscp with great results, switched to reef salt because I wanted a slightly lower alk because I was running zeovit. But the alk always tested well below the advertised rating for alk.

The reef salt isn't a terribly expensive salt by any means, but I always felt that these readings need to be addressed. This is the main reason why I went back to rscp and have no regrets

what's rscp

 

[Donsreef]

what's rscp

Red Sea Coral Pro going back

 

[Anirban]

Let me start by saying, I'm not Aquaforest is a bad product. I've been following and see some good results with it.
However, I recently had a bad experience with the reef salt.
I recently switched from Red Sea product to Aquaforest. I started with the reef salt, did my first water change, and my mistake was I didn't test the freshly mixed salt water. I just did a 10-gallon water change and my corals responded negatively didn't know what was wrong. as I started testing my water the dkh was really low, so I started dosing Alkalinity to raise it, got it up to 7.45 dkh, then I did my usual water change and test dkh and my tank dkh had dropped down to 5.71 dkh. I'm using the eXact idip tester.
So I researching the two salts. I found that the Alkalinity was a lot different in the to salts.
Red Sea Reef Pro Salt Alkalinity mix at 11.8-12.2
Aquaforest Reef Salt Alkalinity mix at 7.4-8.2
WOW what a difference.
So I mixed a 5-gallon bucket of Aquaforest reef salt according to the instructions and the dkh tested at 5.10 dkh.
What should I do?????

If I am reading this right your new AF reef salt at 34ppt/35ppt reads 5.1 dkH? When you say according to the instruction what does that mean?

 

[domination2580]

I have the probiotic salt and my dkh level was at 7.3

 

[jhatfield]

Not too surprised; the AF Reef Salt has been pretty inconsistent. A year or two ago it was a few batches with sky-high Mg levels. Bought two boxes from two different lot #s with the same problem. Fortunately BRS refunded both.

Red Sea Reef Salt (blue bucket) with the AF additives and Component 1,2,3 works great for me.

 

[jsker]

I have been running Aquaforest reef salt for over two years. I also dose 1+2+3+ and my tank parameters have been very consistent. All salts have inconsistencies from the label to mix. I use Aquaforest test kits to check my Hanna checker is my number is off. I run my alk at around 8.5. periodically I dose KH buffer when my alk lower because of consumption.
I like the lower alk so that I can adjust up. I have run many different salts.

 

[Donsreef]

If I am reading this right your new AF reef salt at 34ppt/35ppt reads 5.1 dkH? When you say according to the instruction what does that mean?

I mixed it according to the instruction and came up low DKH

 

[ReeferBean]

I mixed it according to the instruction and came up low DKH

Do you have a calibrated refractometer?

 

[Donsreef]

Do you have a calibrated refractometer?

yep sure do.

 

[Perry]

Reference testing instruments first, not sure that I have ever had a batch test that low, and have been using since in US. Cheers

 

[Anirban]

I mixed it according to the instruction and came up low DKH

Can you please share which instruction? Also, you should mix the salt based on calibrated refractometer reading. Mix it for 35ppt or 34ppt and let us know what the dkH is.

 

[Broadfield]

If anything I would question the eXact iDip... that thing is all over the place for me. I have multiple test kits of most of the parameters I test for... Nyos, Red Sea, Hanna Checker and the iDip. The iDip is by far the most inconsistent... sometimes unusable.