Red Sea Coral Pro Salt

[sternicus]

So I've been using the RSCP salt for about 3 months now on my 90g tank and my sps don't have crazy growth, but they do have some. 12.3 is where my salifert kit tested right around twice. Should I switch to the blue bucket of RS salt? Is this possibly what caused some sps to stn from the base up? Other than the stn I've seen 0 ill effects from the salt and I'm wondering if it's too many nutrients for my tank with only 20 corals with a mix of LPS and SPS

 

[Waters]

As long as you have the nutrients available, the higher ALK is fine. I actually switched to the blue bucket because I run a lower nutrient system....the lower ALK makes more sense for me. Where do your Phosphates and Nitrates test at?

 

[sternicus]

Bear in mind I'm using api and salifert to double check it all, nitrates about 5-10ppm and phosphates .10 maybe? That might be incorrect I always get the chart mixed up. I just don't wanna ruin sps, and I wanna do ULNS

 

[Waters]

Bear in mind I'm using api and salifert to double check it all, nitrates about 5-10ppm and phosphates .10 maybe? That might be incorrect I always get the chart mixed up. I just don't wanna ruin sps, and I wanna do ULNS

If your plans are to do a ULNS, then you definitely want to switch to a lower ALK salt. I learned my lesson using Reef Crystals and running a low nutrient system......nothing but problems with my SPS. Where your numbers sit now though probably is fine with the higher ALK.

 

[sternicus]

So the alk levels yesterday after a water change were around 12-12.3 dkh, tested this morning and got 8.9-9.3 when tested twice with my salifert kit. Could it be then that my corals do have enough power to use that alk, or should I still switch? My goal is to eventually keep a lot of sps. Also, how long did it take your alk to lower when you switched salts?

 

[sternicus]

I would still rather go lower than that then fluctuate with it and always struggle to keep sps. Any luck with the blue bucket?

 

[Blitzie]

You mention above that you might switch to the Blue Bucket of Red Sea.
If you do that make sure to do it slowly as there is a pretty large difference between the two in regards to Alk.

If I were switching I would mix small batches (3 gallons or so) and do small water changes every other day until the Alk got down to where the regular Red Sea is normally running.
Just my opinion though

 

[sternicus]

@Blitzie , yes I appreciate the advice. I was planning on doing 5 or so Gallons per day as to offset the huge swing of it really would be that much

 

[AdamNC]

If you like using the Pro check out this and click on their recommendations for a Mixed Reef. I've been using this for their SPS Dominant recipe with nice growth and color.

http://www.redseafish.com/reef-care-recipes/

 

[Oldreefer44]

Agree with AdamNC, Use same recipe and have experienced good growth in SPS dominate system. This is after utilizing both the Triton and Aquaforest systems with mixed results.

 

[AdamNC]

I forgot to list, the only thing I use differently in the recipe is I use Reef Roids and Polyp Booster instead of Reef Energy. I just felt the Reef Energy is lacking something that the Polyp Labs additives have.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So the alk levels yesterday after a water change were around 12-12.3 dkh, tested this morning and got 8.9-9.3 when tested twice with my salifert kit. Could it be then that my corals do have enough power to use that alk, or should I still switch? My goal is to eventually keep a lot of sps. Also, how long did it take your alk to lower when you switched salts?

I think you have plenty of nutrients available if the tests are accurate.

 

[Waters]

I agree with Randy......the numbers you tested at are fine with that amount of ALK. When I switched to Blue, I was testing at 0 nitrates and phosphates. Now I fortunately have upped those numbers slightly, but I dose ALK/Ca to match the slight increase in nutrients.

 

[sternicus]

I just want to go with the reccomend deed levels for alk. So everyone advises against the blue bucket? I think it's gonna be a good idea as I'll be adding a refugium soon as well so I might as well go with the theory of ULNS

 

[sternicus]

Idk just confused because I see everyone with acros striving for 8.0-8.3 alk and I wanna grow my acros big and strong!!!!!

 

[sternicus]

My goal is ULNS to grow our acros specifically. I just need help with what plan would be needed to achieve a low alk level around the 7.7-8.3 area and if I should switch off for right now since I have few sps

 

[AdamNC]

If you do decide to go ulns you will need to target feed your lps.

 

[Potatohead]

http://www.redseafish.com/reef-care-recipes/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just want to go with the reccomend deed levels for alk. So everyone advises against the blue bucket? I think it's gonna be a good idea as I'll be adding a refugium soon as well so I might as well go with the theory of ULNS

A refugium alone won't necessarily get you to ULNS. Mine didn't (and I didn't want it to).

 

[sternicus]

Randy, did it get you close at least? From what I've read on here it at least will provide readings of 0 to phosphates with a quality light. Nitrates are okay these days even if they are alittle higher even in ULNS, just in my opinion that is