That does it,...I am changing salts!!!

[BlueDevil]

Been same for 90 gallons now EVERY time
At 1.025SG
8.5 Alk
440 Calcium
1420 Mag
Mixes really easy too.

Thanks!! I'm pretty new at making my own SW and have been using HW Marinemix, which I am still testing out. If I don't end up being super happy with it, I might give Fritz a shot as it tests out pretty close to what I keep my tank at.

 

[slayerhellfire]

I am a life long Reef Crystals user so this is a difficult decision but I can't deal with the high Alk.

Here is my situation and maybe you guys have a better solution, I would rather stick with Reef Crystals.

I want to run my tank at an alkalinity of 9. I know RC mixes up much higher, around 11.5 so my plan was to let my tank drop alk slowly to 9 and then maintain it there. In the last few months my tank has started consuming alk faster than I would like, about 1 dkh ever 2 days so I started adding kalk to my top off water( I am a big fan of kalk and would like to use it until demand over comes it). The combination of using RC for my weekly 10% water change and the addition of kalk to my top off water will not let my alk drop, it is 10.4 as of 5 minutes ago.

I have tried cutting back on how much lime I am adding to my top off water but doesn't seem to make any difference.

I can either stop adding kalk and let my alk drop all week and then bounce back on water change day or use a salt with lower alk,...did I mention I am a big fan of Reef Crystals!?!? [emoji12]

reef crystals should not mix that high, are you sure your kits are accurate or not expired. red sea pro yes but no way rc mixes that high

 

[Mark75]

reef crystals should not mix that high, are you sure your kits are accurate or not expired. red sea pro yes but no way rc mixes that high

@slayerhellfire

Here is a chart showing individual and average parameters for Reef Crystals

 

[Chriscrna]

Been same for 90 gallons now EVERY time
At 1.025SG
8.5 Alk
440 Calcium
1420 Mag
Mixes really easy too.

Is that mix at room temp?

 

[Robink]

I use RC and have to add 2 part to keep my alk at 8.5 ish. I am overstocked with corals though...
Have to add 60 ml daily in a 75 to keep my alk there. Even after a wc it only goes up maybe a few ppm.
How big a wc are you doing? I do 10% weekly.

 

[slayerhellfire]

@slayerhellfire

Here is a chart showing individual and average parameters for Reef Crystals

thats crazyness, where did that chart come from? My buddy has had his system up for over 10 years and have been using rc and never had his alk over 8...strange. When I used it before mine never mixed over 8.5 9 max.

 

[North Borders]

Blue Bucket Red Sea mixes right around 8 and mixes very quickly. I wait longer for my heater to warm the water up to my tank temp than I wait for the salt to fully mix.

 

[Brian Mountain]

Is that mix at room temp?

yes