Stable parameters salt mix???

Joker79 · Oct 30, 2015

Which salt mix has to most stable parameters?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 30, 2015

What do you mean?
Stable in a mixing barrel? Stable in the tank?

Which parameters?

Joker79 · Oct 30, 2015

Guess I'm referring the fact that I mixed up a batch of red sea coral pro and the results were as follows:
1.025
Alk 11.5
Cal 380
Mag 1200

How in the heck???
Needing a salt mix that is more consistent when mixed.

joeyhatch11 · Oct 30, 2015

Try the red sea non-pro. Ive switched to that. All i do with each batch is add a little magnesium. I like to keep mine around 1400 and that salt mixes at 1280ish.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 30, 2015

Joker79 said:
Guess I'm referring the fact that I mixed up a batch of red sea coral pro and the results were as follows:
1.025
Alk 11.5
Cal 380
Mag 1200

How in the heck???
Needing a salt mix that is more consistent when mixed.

How are you measuring salinity? Maybe it is lower than you think.

How much did you make up out of the salt bucket? The solid ingredients can settle during shipping so some bits rise and some go to the bottom. So a small batch can be off of what the whole bucket would give.

joeyhatch11 · Oct 30, 2015

I always find it a good practice too, to shake/roll the bucket of salt mix before scooping some out.

Joker79 · Oct 30, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
How are you measuring salinity? Maybe it is lower than you think.

How much did you make up out of the salt bucket? The solid ingredients can settle during shipping so some bits rise and some go to the bottom. So a small batch can be off of what the whole bucket would give.

Mixed up 5 gallons at 1.025 with a refractometer. I even questioned myself lol. I calibrated my meter just to be sure and it's dead on.
I didn't however think about the particles rising or falling....

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 31, 2015

How did you calibrate the refractometer?

Joker79 · Oct 31, 2015

Calibration solution

GainesvilleReef · Oct 31, 2015

Did you use a heater? That stuff needs to mixed at room temp or it will precipitate. It will also precipitate if you mix it too long with a pump initially. I believe their instructions say not longer than 4 hours. Then you need to let is sit over night. After that it is pretty stable. I personally recommend using the non reef salts like the regular red sea or the regular IO. I personally find them much easier to mix and use.