Reef crystals, confusing parameters and starting 2 part dosing

[jpark457]

Thank you! I will try a run of equal dosing by volume of the BRS 2 part so 6ml of the alk and 6 ml of the Ca per day. My plan for now is to run through this batch from their starter kit and either continue with that or go with the “Randy’s Recipe #1” as my pH tends towards low to normal. The tank volume is 34g without rock etc so I was guessing 28g water using the calculators and that seemed to get me pretty spot for my goal on for the adjustment doses using the calculator.

 

[Tankkeepers]

There are no published specifications for IO. What specs are you referring to?

Back of the box has what it should be when mixed to a specific gravity how's that not a posted spec

and you are correct

they

DO NOT TEST EACH BATCH BEFORE RELESE LIKE RED SEA DOES EXACTLY THEIR PROBLEM

You just proved my point thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Back of the box has what it should be when mixed to a specific gravity how's that not a posted spec

and you are correct

they

DO NOT TEST EACH BATCH BEFORE RELESE LIKE RED SEA DOES EXACTLY THEIR PROBLEM

You just proved my point thanks

RC gives average values for calcium and magnesium. Nothing else.
what did you observe for calcium or magnesium and at what salinity?

 

[Tankkeepers]

Usually alot higher then what the box says at the spec gravity it says but about 1 in 10 batches were way to low

It never mixed consistently in 10 years

And I only found out that clay is bad from a friend who is a lab tech and found io to have high levels of clay

I sent mine to 3 difrent labs to verify

Which negatively effect the filter feeders and bacterial colonys in the tank

The brown crud you see is calcium and clay

Same with the brown foam that is in some batches

Again do as you wish but I'm out and not going to be part of your hate

 

[Tankkeepers]

All none lab created salt mixes have some clay in them period

This includes red sea coral pro

Io just has alot more in some batch and very little in others

Again not consistent

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All none lab created salt mixes have some clay in them period

This includes red sea coral pro

Io just has alot more in some batch and very little in others

Again not consistent

Since yours appears to be the only analysis that I have ever seen that reported clay detected, how exactly did you test for clay?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have a different theory for the brown crud in RC that is absent in normal IO, and it relates to the primary difference between these two mixes: vitamins.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All none lab created salt mixes have some clay in them period

Can you clarify what that means?

Is normal IO lab created? Reef crystals? Brightwell Neomix? Tropic Marin’s salt mixes?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All none lab created salt mixes have some clay in them period

This includes red sea coral pro

Io just has alot more in some batch and very little in others

Again not consistent

Ok, I went back to an old discussion with a high level technical person at the company that makes IO and RC, and he told me in January of 2009 that neither normal IO nor Reef Crystals contained ANY anticaking agents, and posted that as part of a discussion at Reef central. RC does contain vitamins and metal chelators that are not present in normal IO.