Low alkalinity on Tropic Marin Pro-Reef

[Philly Reefer]

@aior0s, have you rechecked you alkalinity since recalibrating your refractometer? I use the Hanna salinity and temp checker and my salinity stays at 1.026. I started testing Alk yesterday for the first time and it came back at 6.1 Dkh too using the Hanna Alk checker.

Hey Kingston, I checked my new fresh made SW bucket and getting 7.0 @ 1.026 salinity.

I am going to check my DT after this. I change 10% of water yesterday

 

[Kingston]

Sounds good...will standby. I also posted a question to @Lou Ekus from TM on another thread

 

[Philly Reefer]

Sounds good...will standby. I also posted a question to @Lou Ekus from TM on another thread

My DT alkalinity is 6.4. (114ppm using hanna checker, I have the ppm one not dKh one.)

 

[Potatohead]

Someone may have mentioned it, didn't read the whole thread... Measure the calcium, if it is also about 15-20% low (mid 300's) you can be sure your salinity is low.

 

[Philly Reefer]

Someone may have mentioned it, didn't read the whole thread... Measure the calcium, if it is also about 15-20% low (mid 300's) you can be sure your salinity is low.

My only calcium checker is hanna. And I don't have any distilled water. Let me pick it up and test it again

 

[Kingston]

My calcium was 432ppm with Hanna and 465 with salifert, and Alk was 6.1DKH with hanna. I am planning on retesting on Wednesday and in the mean time reading up on options to dose and ideal target range for a mixed tank.

 

[Mppp]

what are you using to test salinity? I believe TMP should mix in the low 7's

That's what I get w/ my Tropic Marin Pro low 7's...have to dose All to bring it in mid 8's

 

[Reef.]

Just to be sure your salinity reading is correct, i use 1025 grams of salt for 25 litres of water.
Measure out 8.5 cups of salt and weigh it, it should weigh about 820 grams taking into account the 5 litres less that you mix compared to me.

wow I was convinced it wasn’t my refractometer, now it’s looking like it definitely is, as I mix 38g per litre and get exactly 35ppt which for 25 litres means I’m 75g short!

 

[anth]

wow I was convinced it wasn’t my refractometer, now it’s looking like it definitely is, as I mix 38g per litre and get exactly 35ppt which for 25 litres means I’m 75g short!

I would callibrate it. Using 35ppt solution.
I have since done mine and found it to be 0.002 out so my measurements are probably a little out. I was using the stock calibration fluid i got with my refractometer which obviously wasnt very acurate.

 

[Jlueders]

I am struggling with this as well. I just mixed a fresh bucket of water with tropic marine pro reef. Tested at 24 hours after mixing and my Alk is at 6.5… I just got off the phone with where I ordered it and they are thinking that tropic marine is just going down hill in quality control… I just ordered a box of a different brand…

 

[Reef.]

I am struggling with this as well. I just mixed a fresh bucket of water with tropic marine pro reef. Tested at 24 hours after mixing and my Alk is at 6.5… I just got off the phone with where I ordered it and they are thinking that tropic marine is just going down hill in quality control… I just ordered a box of a different brand…

I agree it seems to be but to be fair 6.5 is not that far out, factor in test kit error margins etc no other salt I know has exact alk lvls from bucket to bucket.

I’m changing because of cost and their original contention that the turkey factory wasn’t because of cost, even without the issues at the turkey factory it would have been hard to believe a factory there wasn’t at least in some part due to cost savings.

 

[Duffer]

I am struggling with this as well. I just mixed a fresh bucket of water with tropic marine pro reef. Tested at 24 hours after mixing and my Alk is at 6.5… I just got off the phone with where I ordered it and they are thinking that tropic marine is just going down hill in quality control… I just ordered a box of a different brand…

That is totally normal for a new mixed batch of TMP...You will get that range up to 7 something. Been using it for 3 years and thats in the range i get...i just dose the new batch to my tank parameter...never had a problem.