Instant ocean salt question....

Gwitness · Dec 27, 2016

I recently set up my system....about 250 gallons total and I used all instant ocean salt for the set up.....the cycle is finished and has been running for about 2 months now. I test my water with brand new salifert kits and my parameters are very low....

Alk-7.0
Calcium-350
Magnesium-950

I have all Dry rock in my tank just in case that matters or not....and I'm just curious if this is normal readings for instant ocean salt?

Joeganja · Dec 28, 2016

Instant ocean salt itself is made for fish only aquariums. They make a salt called reef crystals that has a higher content of what you need to maintain stable levels. Dry rock should not have anything to do with the levels. I would suggest next time you do a water change and from then on to use reef crystals or a salt mix specifically made for reef tanks.

ksc · Dec 28, 2016

Instant ocean is a great salt for reef tanks. The parameters are very close to NSW levels. The Alk level of IO is about 9-10 dkh so you must be using some. If you want to keep your levels artificially high then you could switch to reef crystals, but most reefers don't like the elevated Alk.

You should be getting levels similar to these. Try testing some newly mixed IO.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/saltmix-parameters-bring-on-the-test-results.233233/

Tahoe61 · Dec 28, 2016

Instant Ocean is a great product that I have been using in mixed reef and sps dominated reefs for decades.
What test method are you using?
What SG is the tank running at?

See link below:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/instant-ocean-sea-salt.204589/

Personally I like RC very much but prefer IO which for me has provided more consistent values.

Ewilson · Dec 28, 2016

I use IO because of the closer to NSW levels and if they get low I can always dose to bring them up

Cment · Dec 28, 2016

I've been using IO for 10+ years now and it's been great for my mixed reef. One thing I have come to find out is that it's very inconsistent regarding its parameters. I've had buckets with alk that vary from 7-11, Ca 350-450 and Mg from 1000-1700. So for the most part it's an acceptable range. I always test each water change with salifert test kits and just adjust it accordingly to what I like. im not surprised with the the numbers you got. Raise you Mg up before adjusting you Alk but most importantly make sure these are your actual numbers and use a friends test kits or your LFS to confirm.

Gwitness · Dec 28, 2016

Thanks for the responses!!!!! I have tried other salts in the past on my other reef tanks and I also like to keep my parameters close to NSW levels for my mixed reef......in years passed I used, Red Sea salt, reef crystals, and aqua vitro salinity, but I have never used instant ocean before and I was kinda thrown off by the parameters since i have no corals in the tank.....

I'm happy to see my readings can be normal for instant ocean and I'll just set up my dosing stuff and get my numbers where they need to be.....

As for salinity level, I keep it at 1.025-1.026

aaron23 · Dec 28, 2016

Joeganja said:
Instant ocean salt itself is made for fish only aquariums. They make a salt called reef crystals that has a higher content of what you need to maintain stable levels. Dry rock should not have anything to do with the levels. I would suggest next time you do a water change and from then on to use reef crystals or a salt mix specifically made for reef tanks.

I use IO and I don't agree it is a salt for fish only. Any salt will work for any aquarium it's what you keep your parameters at that defines what salt you choose

Gwitness · Dec 28, 2016

I guess my goal is to have have as close to NSW as possible....any suggestions on that or is IO pretty close to that?

MaiReef · Dec 28, 2016

Your tank is pretty low so you may want to supplement or go to Reef Crystals.

Randy on here did a nice article on NSW

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

tankstudy · Dec 28, 2016

Gwitness said:
I guess my goal is to have have as close to NSW as possible....any suggestions on that or is IO pretty close to that?

IO is pretty close. Just like every other salt though, you'll need to make one big vat of salt with an entire bag at once to see really consistent/correct parameters. If your making 10 gallons worth of salt from a 50 lb bag of salt at a time, your going to see variances in the parameters.

Gwitness · Dec 28, 2016

tankstudy said:
IO is pretty close. Just like every other salt though, you'll need to make one big vat of salt with an entire bag at once to see really consistent/correct parameters. If your making 10 gallons worth of salt from a 50 lb bag of salt at a time, your going to see variances in the parameters.

Well I guess that definitely makes sense.....never thought about making the entire bag.....i do 15 gallon water changes every weekend....is there a time limit on how long the mixed salt water can stay in a brute can? Obviously I'll have a heater and a power head going in the brute can.

MaiReef · Dec 28, 2016

I have had mixed saltwater a month in a brute can. It will form deposits on the inside of the can. Completely normal.

tankstudy · Dec 28, 2016

Gwitness said:
Well I guess that definitely makes sense.....never thought about making the entire bag.....i do 15 gallon water changes every weekend....is there a time limit on how long the mixed salt water can stay in a brute can? Obviously I'll have a heater and a power head going in the brute can.

If you have a heater and power head, you can leave it in there for a very long time. Just remember to replace the evaporated water =)

Gwitness · Dec 28, 2016

tankstudy said:
If you have a heater and power head, you can leave it in there for a very long time. Just remember to replace the evaporated water =)

Oh yeah!! I would have definitely not thought about that haha...thanks!

Waterjockey · Dec 28, 2016

Gwitness said:
Well I guess that definitely makes sense.....never thought about making the entire bag.....i do 15 gallon water changes every weekend....is there a time limit on how long the mixed salt water can stay in a brute can? Obviously I'll have a heater and a power head going in the brute can.

I have an automatic water change change system (~1% day), and mix up 3 months worth of instant ocean at a time. No heater, no power head, lid on tight, no evaporation. No issues so far.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 28, 2016

FWIW, I think it unlikely that the 900 ppm magnesium is accurate unless the salinity is very low.

Gwitness · Dec 28, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
FWIW, I think it unlikely that the 900 ppm magnesium is accurate unless the salinity is very low.

I am going to get a new kit tomorrow just to see if mine is bad or not ....and my salifert read 941 if that makes a difference or not

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 28, 2016

Gwitness said:
I am going to get a new kit tomorrow just to see if mine is bad or not ....and my salifert read 941 if that makes a difference or not

How are you measuring salinity and what do you think it is?

DereksReef77 · Dec 28, 2016

I have been using Instant Ocean on my reef tanks with no issues regarding coral health. I buy the 200 gallon boxes and parameters were usually always in the same ball park but I have the box I have been using now and parameters are way different compared to previous boxes. I have been getting at salinity of 1.025 with 2 different refractometers and milwaukee ma887 refractometer

Magnesium 1500+ (Salifert)
Alk 9.3 (Salifert)
Cal 460 (Salifert)

I'm not complaining tho since I haven't had to dose the mix to match my tank parameters. I keep parameters at

Mag 1400
Alk 9.0
Cal 440

I do the water changes when dosing pumps are about to cycle but I turn them off for that cycle cause I don't want excessive alk and cal. I just turn the dosing pumps on after the wc so they will run on the next programed cycle. I have them set to dose 4 times a day every 6 hours.