Test salt mix befor water change or els

[King Turkey]

Recently I did a water change blindly like most only testing for salinity. But somthing seemed off when my corals reacted poorly. I test my peramiters on my tank but never rely thought I would on my newly mixed salt water.
I never would have guessed after one water change my calcium jumped from 400 to 500 and my mg from 1320 to 2000.
Learn from my mistake test your mix. Cuz red sea idk what's up with my salt but red sea pro salt I recived is not quit what I expected this batch or somthing.

 

[madweazl]

Recently I did a water change blindly like most only testing for salinity. But somthing seemed off when my corals reacted poorly. I test my peramiters on my tank but never rely thought I would on my newly mixed salt water.
I never would have guessed after one water change my calcium jumped from 400 to 500 and my mg from 1320 to 2000.
Learn from my mistake test your mix. Cuz red sea idk what's up with my salt but red sea pro salt I recived is not quit what I expected this batch or somthing.

With multiple elements being elevated, I'd bet your salinity was off.

 

[King Turkey]

With multiple elements being elevated, I'd bet your salinity was off.

Nope. Using hanna refractomiter. Tripple checked its zero and cross check with tank water. At 1.024 been doing this for a wail now and know when somthing is not right. Checked tank water salinity and mix. Both being 1.024 and the mg and ca jumping that high is not a salinity issue 40g tank with a 5g water change. The salinity would be noticeable that it was not right.

 

[King Turkey]

Note mix was heated and mixed for 6 hours

 

[W1ngz]

Bad batches of salt happen. I typically test the first bucket of water I mix from a new box of salt.
I'd bet you had some clumps of each that never got mixed.

 

[King Turkey]

Bad batches of salt happen. I typically test the first bucket of water I mix from a new box of salt.
I'd bet you had some clumps of each that never got mixed.

Could be. Hard to say. Just a little frustrating. It's a new 97 doller bucket of salt you would think they would at lest test batches that are mixed

 

[SPR1968]

The Red Sea coral pro mixes to levels not far of the parameters you have at 35ppt so if you haven’t done a water change for a while, or you used different salts before for example it will bump the parameters up.

Also 2000 magnesium looks a little like possible test error, I didn’t know obviously for sure, but not many kits go that high.

You did say your calcium went from 400 to 500 (coral pro easily goes to 480) but you didn’t mention your alkalinity level. Coral Pro mixes to potentially 12.5dKH so if your tank was a lot less, this could be the reason for the coral reactions.

Ive never tested any Red Sea salt and I’ve used coral pro and now the standard salt, other than checking the salinity (I'm not recommending this, it’s just what I do or not)

Also the instructions say ’DO NOT mix for more than 4 hours’, with the recommeration being 0.5-2 hours, not the 6 you mention. I believe you can get precipitation issues if you do

They also have a batch code on the buckets so you can check on their web site the parameters. It might be worth checking just for piece of mind for the next water change

 

[MTBake]

I always test the first batch of water made from a new bucket/box of salt. Just to make sure it's within stated parameters.

 

[Devaji]

I guess I should start testing new box/buckets too. never have but totally makes since now we talk about it, its a good idea I guess..

 

[King Turkey]

The Red Sea coral pro mixes to levels not far of the parameters you have at 35ppt so if you haven’t done a water change for a while, or you used different salts before for example it will bump the parameters up.

Also 2000 magnesium looks a little like possible test error, I didn’t know obviously for sure, but not many kits go that high.

You did say your calcium went from 400 to 500 (coral pro easily goes to 480) but you didn’t mention your alkalinity level. Coral Pro mixes to potentially 12.5dKH so if your tank was a lot less, this could be the reason for the coral reactions.

Ive never tested any Red Sea salt and I’ve used coral pro and now the standard salt, other than checking the salinity (I'm not recommending this, it’s just what I do or not)

Also the instructions say ‘do not mix for more than 4 hours’, with the recommeration being 0.5-2 hours, not the 6 you mention

They also have a batch code on the buckets so you can check on their web site the parameters. It might be worth checking just for piece of mind for the next water change

Alk was normal acualy befor test it was 10dkh ( I dose to keep it up) went to 11.5 after water change. I will check the batch code did not know of this befor. But you have to remember this was a 5 gallon water change for a 40 gallon tank. I double tested befor I did the water change and did multipl test since I was perplexed as to why the jump.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Red sea should have a batch number on the bucket that can link to what it tested at when left the plant.

At least if remember correctly, i dont use its alks a bit high for my taste.

 

[dieselkeeper]

Have you tested nitrates with that high alk?

 

[watchguy123]

Am I reading your post correctly, you changed 5 gallons of a 40 gallon tank

 

[King Turkey]

Am I reading your post correctly, you changed 5 gallons of a 40 gallon tank

Yes 5 gallon water change on a 40 gallon tank. As far as nitrates I keep about 5 nitrate .02 phosphate

 

[watchguy123]

Yes 5 gallon water change on a 40 gallon tank. As far as nitrates I keep about 5 nitrate .02 phosphate

My math might but be off a bit but I believe your 5 gallons would need to have a calcium level of approximately 1400-1500 ppm to move your 35 gallons from 400 to 500 ppm. That just seems extraordinary

 

[Duncan Tse]

Recently I did a water change blindly like most only testing for salinity. But somthing seemed off when my corals reacted poorly. I test my peramiters on my tank but never rely thought I would on my newly mixed salt water.
I never would have guessed after one water change my calcium jumped from 400 to 500 and my mg from 1320 to 2000.
Learn from my mistake test your mix. Cuz red sea idk what's up with my salt but red sea pro salt I recived is not quit what I expected this batch or somthing.

Do you still have that bucket of salt? Why don't you mix up another bucket of 5 gallons and test the water to double check if it actually was the water change.

Seems very unlikely that a 10% water change can cause that big of a difference in parameters but I could be wrong

 

[Potatohead]

My math might but be off a bit but I believe your 5 gallons would need to have a calcium level of approximately 1400-1500 ppm to move your 35 gallons from 400 to 500 ppm. That just seems extraordinary

You're correct. Also for the mag to go from 1350 to 2000 with a 12% water change the mag in the salt mix would have to be about 5400 ppm. Not very likely.

 

[King Turkey]

You're correct. Also for the mag to go from 1350 to 2000 with a 12% water change the mag in the salt mix would have to be about 5400 ppm. Not very likely.

Yeah I tested it it's a bunk batch of salt I ended up getting a new bucket today took a water sample and salt scoop to a LPs to comfirm

 

[homer1475]

I would call Red Sea and report your finding with the lot number off the bucket. They would proabably issue a recall if it's the entire lot, and send you a replacement.

 

[madweazl]

Yeah I tested it it's a bunk batch of salt I ended up getting a new bucket today took a water sample and salt scoop to a LPs to comfirm

Sorry, I just don't believe you could get those kinds of concentrations to mix up.