Instant ocean salt for reef tanks?

[TheOne]

I've been using it for 20+ years with good results. Only thing I do is lower the alkalinity.

What do you use to lower the alkalinity? I may just go back to IO for 1/3 the price.

 

[Jeeperz]

It seems io and reef crystals mix about the same except RC has a tad higher calcium. My RC comes in around 10dkh, 440 calcium, 1500+ mag. I cut it 50/50 with salinity and my mag is low 1300, 420-430 calcium, 8.5 dkh.

 

[homer1475]

What do you use to lower the alkalinity? I may just go back to IO for 1/3 the price.

Some simple math and a jug of muriatic acid.

Water volume x DKH drop x .123 = ML of acid to add. Just keep in mind that it needs to mix for roughly 24 hours to reset the PH as the acid has a massive lower effect until it gasses off.

 

[madweazl]

What do you use to lower the alkalinity? I may just go back to IO for 1/3 the price.

Some simple math and a jug of muriatic acid.

Water volume x DKH drop x .123 = ML of acid to add. Just keep in mind that it needs to mix for roughly 24 hours to reset the PH as the acid has a massive lower effect until it gasses off.

This

 

[Bpb]

Where do you guys source your muriatic acid from. Anyone care to show a picture of their bottle. I know that it’s typically not a very high purity product and I always worried about something potentially harmful in it

 

[Dom]

IF you like Instant Ocean product and are keeping a reef tank, why not use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals?

Been using it myself for years, have nice results and blend it with Red Sea Pro (90% IO / 10% Red Sea).

 

[madweazl]

I grab it from the local hardward store (think this one came from Lowe's). They only had the low fume version which requires more than the formula above gives (usually takes 4.5ml of the low fume to bring five gallons of IO down to about 7.2 dKh).

 

[madweazl]

IF you like Instant Ocean product and are keeping a reef tank, why not use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals?

Been using it myself for years, have nice results and blend it with Red Sea Pro (90% IO / 10% Red Sea).

I like keeping the tank closer to natural parameters and RC has highly elevated levels. With the exception of alkalinity, IO mixes up right where I want it in regard to calcium and magnesium.

 

[JCOLE]

I use IO Reef Crystal's and have been for years. I rarely even use it within 24 hours after mixing. I have a mixing station that keeps it mixing for weeks until I am ready for a water change. When I test my Alk after a week it is usually around the 7.5DKH range. After about 3-4 weeks it drops down to 5DKH. I find myself adding ALK to the mix to get it up to 8DKH.

 

[homer1475]

Where do you guys source your muriatic acid from. Anyone care to show a picture of their bottle. I know that it’s typically not a very high purity product and I always worried about something potentially harmful in it

Local Ace hardware store.

Ace Hardware Muriatic Acid

 

[homer1475]

I use IO Reef Crystal's and have been for years. I rarely even use it within 24 hours after mixing. I have a mixing station that keeps it mixing for weeks until I am ready for a water change. When I test my Alk after a week it is usually around the 7.5DKH range. After about 3-4 weeks it drops down to 5DKH. I find myself adding ALK to the mix to get it up to 8DKH.

Interesting observation. I do the same, but add acid the next day to bring it down to around 8 DKH. I then use some several days later, and the rest up to a month later. I have never had it drop DKH that significant. @Bulk Reef Supply's testing didn't show that much of a decrease either.

Do you continue to mix or heat while keeping it stored?

 

[Jeeperz]

Bulk reef also didn't show reef crystals dropping but it definitely does in my bucket, within a week or so it's half of what it was when freshly mixed

 

[JCOLE]

Interesting observation. I do the same, but add acid the next day to bring it down to around 8 DKH. I then use some several days later, and the rest up to a month later. I have never had it drop DKH that significant. @Bulk Reef Supply's testing didn't show that much of a decrease either.

Do you continue to mix or heat while keeping it stored?

My DC pump is controlled by an apex. It runs 24hrs straight at 100% to mix it up. Then it runs every other hour at 30% to keep it agitated. I also have a heater that keeps it at 78° constantly.

 

[Fiesty]

My DC pump is controlled by an apex. It runs 24hrs straight at 100% to mix it up. Then it runs every other hour at 30% to keep it agitated. I also have a heater that keeps it at 78° constantly.

It's time to get a DOS for auto water changes then u wont have to worry bout the heater in mixing container! Running the pump from apex sounds like a great idea and think i may copy / try this.

 

[ca1ore]

IO is just fine for reef tanks, though the cynic in me supposes that the folks that sell ‘premium’ mixes might have you think otherwise. There are countless nice reef tanks that have been grown in IO, including my own. Dosing/CaRx will become nevesssry on almost all coral tanks, so the initial measurements are mostly moot. Ok, you do get a grey residue left in the mixing tub - thinking about all the $ saved helps to make the 15 minutes every few months to clean it out more passable.

 

[Jeeperz]

When I need more salt I may go io regular. If I need to bump say calcium and alk in the bucket, do I treat that just like dosing in the tank? What about mixing reef crystals and io 50/50? They are both cheaper salts and would last me a long time.

 

[Jason Miller]

Been using IO for years and my buddy talked me into using RC coral pro. Tank looked the same but the. It’s was double. Went back to regular IO and my tank is Happy Happy Happy. Mixes clean , very little residue. I have 3 tanks and do about 80 gals WC every 2 weeks. IO is very consistent from Box to Box.

 

[wranodj]

I use IO with a 10-20% weekly water change. Salt mix itself has no effect to a healthy reef tank.