Red Sea Coral Pro salt causing Hair Algae problem
- Thread starter bkoppes
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Jlobes
5000 Club Member
my question wasnt how to mix a specific salt(i used those as examples),
The question is: how do LFS keep the water they sell, stored/mixed? But, perhaps thats a thought for another thread. Just wondering.
The question is: how do LFS keep the water they sell, stored/mixed? But, perhaps thats a thought for another thread. Just wondering.
fragmatic
retired reefer
well this...
The fact that, that Red Sea mix has a "critical" mix time and such before it precipts, putting it in my tank, .... well... it just bothers me... it feels like maybe I could be getting handed a political sidestep... or something... maybe not.. but it hits a nerve. I'm going to stick with traditional salt mixing with the traditional mixes for a while and let you other folk sort that out for a few months.
The fact that, that Red Sea mix has a "critical" mix time and such before it precipts, putting it in my tank, .... well... it just bothers me... it feels like maybe I could be getting handed a political sidestep... or something... maybe not.. but it hits a nerve. I'm going to stick with traditional salt mixing with the traditional mixes for a while and let you other folk sort that out for a few months.
CoryC
Valuable Member
from observing the process at my LFS, once it's mixed it's left alone. i think the instructions on this salt maybe have more to do with aeration and viogorous mixing. which can cause precipitation. the residue you notice that all other reef salts leave on containers and equipment is precipitated elements. I would venture a guess that longterm mixing in a saturated or supersaturated container like a mixing bucket is bad with all reef salts, and not just one. When you add it to a less sterile environment you have somewhere for those elements to go like the sand bed, and the elements disperse evenly in the water volume, where they have been depleted since the previous water change. You're adding a saturated solution from the bucket to an unsaturated solution of your aquarium where it no longer is saturated. Just my thoughts, im by no means an expert.
fragmatic
retired reefer
I can support that statement.... and my support likely adds almost enough value to it to buy a stick of gum.
swissgaurd
Well-Known Member
ive mixed my salt the way redsea wants it mixed and also the way other salts are mixed.
ive gone the 24hr way
i make up 16 gallons of water at a time
when mixing i do not heat the water about an hour before i use it i heat the water to aquarium temp.
if i mix for 24 hrs the water goes cloudy ,i still use it with no harm to the tank inhabitants
when i mix as per redsea instructions i mix for 3 hrs then heat up the water when temp reaches i use the water,so it will mix for sometimes 6 hrs,theres no cloudiness,no effects to tank inhabitants.
i have checked parrameters on both methods of mixing and there is no difference.
what i have noticed is if i mix for 48 hrs the water has gone clear again.
if mixing up to 6 hrs there is no residue on mixing container walls,24 hrs the salt leaves a residue and needs to be wiped down.
if im not able to do a waterchange after mixing for 6 hrs i stop mixing and use the water when ready.
ive been using redsea coral pro since before they changed to a black bucket with no issues at all.i have no algae and parametrs are always within range.
i find it to be very stable.
if you do have algae problem check your RO/DI for nitrates and phosphates.
you may want to change your resin and filters to get a fresh start,if you havent changed anything over 6 months.
give the redsea salt a chance .
on another note ive been battling very high nitrates for over a year and installed bio cubes into system and my nitrates have dropped
from 30 ppm to 3pm in 3 months,i clean my glass once a week and can probably go 2 weeks,im algae free,water is crystal clear ,ive kept reef tanks for approx 25 yrs
and never had a tank so free of algae and water as clear as i have now,the biocubes are an amazing breakthrough so far.
if your haveing algae issues you may want to give it a try
just remembered when i mix my 16 gallons of water,
i weigh my salt on a digital scale this giving me the exact amount of salt to mix,i find it much easier this way theres no guessing
i add my salt 4 times for 16 gallons,
i add my first cup stirr wait 10 mins to clear add salt again stirr wait to clear,i do this 4 times then turn on circulation.
basically thats the way redea wants it done add your salt slowly to the water.
vic
ive gone the 24hr way
i make up 16 gallons of water at a time
when mixing i do not heat the water about an hour before i use it i heat the water to aquarium temp.
if i mix for 24 hrs the water goes cloudy ,i still use it with no harm to the tank inhabitants
when i mix as per redsea instructions i mix for 3 hrs then heat up the water when temp reaches i use the water,so it will mix for sometimes 6 hrs,theres no cloudiness,no effects to tank inhabitants.
i have checked parrameters on both methods of mixing and there is no difference.
what i have noticed is if i mix for 48 hrs the water has gone clear again.
if mixing up to 6 hrs there is no residue on mixing container walls,24 hrs the salt leaves a residue and needs to be wiped down.
if im not able to do a waterchange after mixing for 6 hrs i stop mixing and use the water when ready.
ive been using redsea coral pro since before they changed to a black bucket with no issues at all.i have no algae and parametrs are always within range.
i find it to be very stable.
if you do have algae problem check your RO/DI for nitrates and phosphates.
you may want to change your resin and filters to get a fresh start,if you havent changed anything over 6 months.
give the redsea salt a chance .
on another note ive been battling very high nitrates for over a year and installed bio cubes into system and my nitrates have dropped
from 30 ppm to 3pm in 3 months,i clean my glass once a week and can probably go 2 weeks,im algae free,water is crystal clear ,ive kept reef tanks for approx 25 yrs
and never had a tank so free of algae and water as clear as i have now,the biocubes are an amazing breakthrough so far.
if your haveing algae issues you may want to give it a try
just remembered when i mix my 16 gallons of water,
i weigh my salt on a digital scale this giving me the exact amount of salt to mix,i find it much easier this way theres no guessing
i add my salt 4 times for 16 gallons,
i add my first cup stirr wait 10 mins to clear add salt again stirr wait to clear,i do this 4 times then turn on circulation.
basically thats the way redea wants it done add your salt slowly to the water.
vic
I agree I've had the cleanest water I have ever had while using red sea coral pro salt, my water is in fact too clean at the moment.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
Connie
Valuable Member
I used this salt almost 48 hours ago and thought I test my water and see how it looked. Here are the results:
SG 1.25
Calcium 480
Alk 8.7
Mag 1300
Phosphates 0.002
Nitrates .10
Temp 78
I believe earlier, someone said it caused an alk spike on them, but as you can see, my reading is darn good. I would like to mention too that I had just a little cyano growing on my cheato in the fuge....it's brown now...should be gone soon.
SG 1.25
Calcium 480
Alk 8.7
Mag 1300
Phosphates 0.002
Nitrates .10
Temp 78
I believe earlier, someone said it caused an alk spike on them, but as you can see, my reading is darn good. I would like to mention too that I had just a little cyano growing on my cheato in the fuge....it's brown now...should be gone soon.
46gReef
Well-Known Member
If I've learned 1 thing in this hobby it's that you can ask 10 different people the same question and get ten different answers...I totally understand everyone has their brands of salt/supplements or whatever & I get it because I'm the same way. When you find something that works & that you like nothing wrong with sticking with it. But as far as this whole critical mix time I 100% agree with fragmatics statement above......kinda feel like it's a little bit of b.s.....IMO I should be able to buy a salt mix, mix it up toss a powerhead in there and use it when I need it, even a week later & not have to worry about a critical mix time. And while there is no doubt in my mind that Red Sea does whatever they can to make a quality product(as someone stated earlier) there is also no doubt in my mind that s**t happens! & by that I mean is it possible that there was a bad lot or batch that got out there, most definately. I manufacture pharmaceuticals for a living so I know 1st hand that no matter how hard you try contaminations happen. I know it's kind of comparing apples to oranges but all I'm saying is you can't rule out the possibility that it was a bad bag of salt....my $.02
Connie
Valuable Member
Very well said 46g. This was my first time using RSCP and just wanted to put my numbers out there. Every tank is different as well as every bucket of salt....too many variables to say what's the best and what isn't.
Jlobes
5000 Club Member
So...It is not just RSCP that has this issue.
I did a bit if poking around and found a few posts/article by Farley, that implied salts with organic compounds have this issue. This includes RC(as stated by Farley)
Synthetic salts without organics(think IO) do not face this issue. I'm at work and in the phone...but google storing mixed saltwater and you might find it.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
I did a bit if poking around and found a few posts/article by Farley, that implied salts with organic compounds have this issue. This includes RC(as stated by Farley)
Synthetic salts without organics(think IO) do not face this issue. I'm at work and in the phone...but google storing mixed saltwater and you might find it.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
The bad batch thing may be right(but I think the algae issues described are most likely due to the added organics assisting in an already ongoing hair algae problem, just maybe not known to the aquarist yet), but the mixing thing isn't bs and you can run into similar issues with reef crystals too (residue on mixing container and mixing pump). If you have any technical knowledge in your field you should have a basuc understanding saturation limits, and how dissolved solids can fall out of solution if near saturation limits. Once totally dissolved the RSCP is near saturation limits which is why RSCP reccomends no longer mixing or aerating. You can do whatever you want with the salt, and mix as long and hard as you want...it is simply a fact that you MAY not get the full benefit of using RSCP if you don't follow their mixing guidelines. That is why they set the guidelines, your tank is not going to explode if you chose not to follow the guidelines...you just may be (in generalities) wasting your money if you choose to not mix properly. These statements are not opinion, they are facts based on physics, thermodynamics, and the red sea coral pro lab results. If you need further explaining read my previous posts in this thread.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
Last edited:
46gReef
Well-Known Member
Just stating my opinion, I am allowed to do that on here right? Thought this was a forum for discussions not lectures, thanks. BTW, I do have technical knowledge in my field, been doing it awhile now, & although thermodynamics is a big word I'm not sure what that has to do with MIXING a solution. I'm done.
skinz78
10K Club member
Four hour mixing limit??? Just another reason for me not to use this salt mix ever again or recommend it to anyone.
Did you look at the pic's of my tank before using this salt mix? I don't remember ANY ongoing algae issues or problems with nitrates and phosphates..... And now that I've stopped using it and started with a new salt mix my algae problems are going away.
I wouldn't recommend this salt mix to anyone based on my experiences.
Did you look at the pic's of my tank before using this salt mix? I don't remember ANY ongoing algae issues or problems with nitrates and phosphates..... And now that I've stopped using it and started with a new salt mix my algae problems are going away.
I wouldn't recommend this salt mix to anyone based on my experiences.
Planedoc
Active Member
I took the behind scene tour of the Newport aquarium. Since I was the only one taking the tour I saw a lot of extra things. I was taken into the basement to see the ro system. They have over a million Gallons of tank water with the biggest tank over 200 ,000 gallons. I asked what salt they used and was told that because they have so much at stake they mix their own. He showed me the tank where they store a super concentrated slurry of mixed saltwater. When needed they dilute the concentration with more ro water to get the salinity down to the desired level. That's the only way they can store enough premixed water in case a massive water change was required. I think it was a 10x strong concentrate. So water can hold a lot of salt and minerals in suspension. The video clearly explains the red sea salt mixes very quickly in cold water. He explains that if mixed longer than 4 hours especially at a warmer temperature the high levels of calcium and carbonate will bond together, (participate) and make the water cloudy. It is still safe to use the water and will clear up rather quickly when added to the tank. He is just clearing up the fact that you don't need to mix and aerate the water for hours and hours.
I've been using coral pro salt for a year with no problems. I mix mine for about 2 hours. That's how long it takes the heater to warm it up. I've never had it get cloudy. I never rolled a bucket of salt in my life and I've never noticed different levels of anything from the top to the bottom of the bucket. I've only used red sea and IO products. I've had algae but I have never blamed it on anything other than over feeding and/or lack of maintenance, either not changing filter socks or doing enough water changes.
Sent from my galaxy s3
I've been using coral pro salt for a year with no problems. I mix mine for about 2 hours. That's how long it takes the heater to warm it up. I've never had it get cloudy. I never rolled a bucket of salt in my life and I've never noticed different levels of anything from the top to the bottom of the bucket. I've only used red sea and IO products. I've had algae but I have never blamed it on anything other than over feeding and/or lack of maintenance, either not changing filter socks or doing enough water changes.
Sent from my galaxy s3
RotterTubeReef
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2017
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 1
- What state or country do you live in
- Illinois
Hey everybody, I just started searching for red sea coral pro salt. This is Steve from Rotter Tube Reef. I have never had any green hair algae EVER in my 125 gallon tank. I switched to red sea coral pro and guess what? MASS GREEN HAIR ALGAE! my tank looks like a seaweed swamp. i'm done with this garbage. back to instant ocean for me. always worked great.
RotterTubeReef
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2017
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 1
- What state or country do you live in
- Illinois
this sounds ridiculous. sounds like a back door for them to me.....OH, YOU MIXED FOR 6 HOURS? WELL THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM THEN!
wattson
Valuable Member
I use RSCP salt,200 gallon bag of salt,, all the the time,,mix it up for 30-45 minutes and done..never had a bad results in the 2 years of using it..
IO/RC were nothing but headaches using it, IO/RC never mixed up with the same params from barrel to barrel from the same box ,Yes i mixed the bags prior to putting into water every time,,once I switched to RSCP my system was way better,very obvious changes for the better and no storage barrel anymore ...I would look at other issues with your problems than RSCP salt..
As they always say,,what works for one doesnt for another..
I have all paly/zoas and keep my water on the "Dirty" side and my tanks are good,,almost to the point of snails not having much to eat but they are still alive,but no algae issues..especially with my No3 at 35...knock on wood
IO/RC were nothing but headaches using it, IO/RC never mixed up with the same params from barrel to barrel from the same box ,Yes i mixed the bags prior to putting into water every time,,once I switched to RSCP my system was way better,very obvious changes for the better and no storage barrel anymore ...I would look at other issues with your problems than RSCP salt..
As they always say,,what works for one doesnt for another..
I have all paly/zoas and keep my water on the "Dirty" side and my tanks are good,,almost to the point of snails not having much to eat but they are still alive,but no algae issues..especially with my No3 at 35...knock on wood
