Red Sea Salt Blue Bucket Levels

[sharkdiver]

So mixed my first batch of Red Sea Blue Buck salt tonight and unfortunately got some results I did not care for.

Alk was 12 (should be 7 or 8 according to bucket)

PH was 8.6 (yikes)

Other parameters were good but the PH has me scared. Mixed for 1.5 hours to a specific gravity of 1.025. Will mixing it overnight lower ph?

 

[cmcoker]

So mixed my first batch of Red Sea Blue Buck salt tonight and unfortunately got some results I did not care for.

Alk was 12 (should be 7 or 8 according to bucket)

PH was 8.6 (yikes)

Other parameters were good but the PH has me scared. Mixed for 1.5 hours to a specific gravity of 1.025. Will mixing it overnight lower ph?

I just mixed a batch myself yesterday, didn't get to test until today but at 1.026 i got alk 7.8 and pH of 8.1.

I would be concerned about that alk reading, how much did you mix?

 

[sharkdiver]

I just mixed a batch myself yesterday, didn't get to test until today but at 1.026 i got alk 7.8 and pH of 8.1.

I would be concerned about that alk reading, how much did you mix?

Around 2 cups for a 5 gallon bucket of salt water. SG was 1.025

 

[cmcoker]

Using rodi, I assume. I wonder if your bucket had some stratification.. I would recommend to contact red sea about the high alkalinity.
With the pH I would let a pump run overnight and see if it drops, are you using a pH meter or liquid kit?

 

[sharkdiver]

Liquid kit. Will contact Red Sea. Salt seemed plenty dry though.

 

[sharkdiver]

And yes RO/DI water

 

[kazikage42]

I use red sea blue bucket and I love it. Parameters always on point. I get alkalinity at 8 @1.026. I don't bother to check ph. I do have to supplement magnesium since it a bit low for me. Have you tried shaking the bag to let loose of the clumps??

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So mixed my first batch of Red Sea Blue Buck salt tonight and unfortunately got some results I did not care for.

Alk was 12 (should be 7 or 8 according to bucket)

PH was 8.6 (yikes)

Other parameters were good but the PH has me scared. Mixed for 1.5 hours to a specific gravity of 1.025. Will mixing it overnight lower ph?

The pH (if accurate) will decline with aeration. But I don't think it is a problem at that level.

 

[sharkdiver]

Okay thanks. Although the Alk reading was disappointing since that was the main reason I was switching from Reef Crystals the PH was my main concern. Gonna test this morning before re work to see if the PH went down.

 

[rc1626]

For me over the last 2 buckets alk has been around 7.8 - 8.0. Don't measure ph on new salt water. As said Mag is usually low testing at around 1150. Calcium is typically around 420.

 

[sharkdiver]

I use red sea blue bucket and I love it. Parameters always on point. I get alkalinity at 8 @1.026. I don't bother to check ph. I do have to supplement magnesium since it a bit low for me. Have you tried shaking the bag to let loose of the clumps??

Didn’t see any clumps. Brand new bucket. Was trying it for the first time and switching from Reef Crystals so did a decent amount of testing.

Alk = 11 (yeah it was 11 and not 12 as I mistyped before)
PH = 8.6
Calc = 440
Mag = 1320
Nitrate = 0
Potassium =400

 

[sharkdiver]

The pH (if accurate) will decline with aeration. But I don't think it is a problem at that level.

PH did drop to 8.4 after leaving it mixing overnight so happy about that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

PH did drop to 8.4 after leaving it mixing overnight so happy about that.

That would be the expected pH for an alk of 12 aerated with outside air.

 

[Zagreus]

Around 2 cups for a 5 gallon bucket of salt water. SG was 1.025

I mix 1/2 cup per gallon RODI and get perfect balance almost every time. By my readings you used 1/2 cup too much.

 

[sharkdiver]

I mix 1/2 cup per gallon rock and get perfect balance almost every time. My my readings you used 1/2 cup too much.

Well I am mixing to the specific gravity of 1.025 as that is what my tank is. According to the website at 35 ppm which is close to SG 1.025 I should expect 7.5-8.5 dkh and I am not getting that. I am getting 11.

 

[Potatohead]

Well I am mixing to the specific gravity of 1.025 as that is what my tank is. According to the website at 35 ppm which is close to SG 1.025 I should expect 7.5-8.5 dkh and I am not getting that. I am getting 11.

What are you testing with? I have never heard of blue bucket being even close to that high.

 

[tgionet]

What does the mybatch come back with?

 

[sharkdiver]

API KH test kit. Maybe 2 months old kit at most.

 

[Potatohead]

API KH test kit. Maybe 2 months old kit at most.

I would probably get a second opinion regardless of what kit I was using. Take a sample to the LFS and maybe they can verify it for you.

 

[kazikage42]

API KH test kit. Maybe 2 months old kit at most.

You need a much better test kit for alkalinity. Salifert is a good brand test kits. But I recommend getting a Hanna checker.