Does anybody know or know of where to find the magnesium as well as other helpful information on Instant Ocean's Sea Salt? I'm trying to determine if the reason for my tanks inability to increase calcium could have something to do with this. My lfs does not have a Mg tester so I can't find any way to test this level!
Magnesium levels of Instant Ocean Sea Salt
- Thread starter Bg3489
- Start date
prow
Well-Known Member
1200-1300 in all batches i have tested. here is a link for ya. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/seasaltmixes/l/aa090503b.htm click on the test results of each to give you levels of each salt brand.
Hm alright thanks a lot! I wonder what my problem is then? I have been testing both my calcium and alkalnity each day for about a week now. My results and subsequent dosings are as follows: 1/29 (Ca 320 ppm , Dkh 10-11, Dosed 1 tsp turbo calcium), 1/30 (Ca 400 ppm, Dkh 10-11), 2/1 (Ca 340 ppm, Dkh 9-10), 2/2 (Ca 280 ppm, 8 dkh, Dosed 1 tsp turbo calcium and 1 tsp kent superbuffer), 2/3 (Ca 300 ppm, 8 dkh) 2/4 (Ca 380 ppm, Dkh 8-9, Dosed 1/2 tsp turbo calcium and 1/4 tsp superbuffer), 2/5 (Ca 320 ppm, Dkh 9-10, Dosed 1/2 tsp turbo calcium) 2/6 (Ca 320 ppm, Dkh slightly over 10)... These results don't make much sense to me at least! Any suggestions on what my problem could be?
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
Here are some links to good articles about the chemistry in our reefs.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm
and the reef chemistry calculator which may be helpful as well.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
Hope this helps.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm
and the reef chemistry calculator which may be helpful as well.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
Hope this helps.
saltyfishtanks
Member
:bluenod: 
agreed!!!!!
dripping kalk is ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sooooooooooooooooooooo sweet!!!!!!!!
agreed!!!!!
dripping kalk is ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sooooooooooooooooooooo sweet!!!!!!!!
prow
Well-Known Member
you mean is it safe to replace all your evaporated water with "lime" water(kalk saturated water). if that is what you meant then, like so many things in this hobby, it depends on your tank. if your Ca/alk demand is high enough then yeah. i do kalk for all my evaporated water and still have to use a Ca reactor to keep up with demand. for others they dont need that much and only replace the evaporated water with kalk at night for X amount of hours.(night to offset the ph aswell as add alk/Ca). also different areas have different climates so the amount of topoff water will vary and thus the amount of alk/Ca being added will vary.
Craig Lambert
Member
IO Salt always tests low for Magnesium. I have used it for years and found that when freshly mixed it usually tests around 1170. I use b-ionic magnesium to raise the level to 1300-1350. The low magnesium is absolutely the cause for your difficulty in raising calcium. Kalk is an excellent product for maintaining your calcium once the desired level is reached, but it is the wrong product to use to raise Calcium innitially to your desired level.
Raise your magnesium first, and then dose a calcium chloride product. (Kent's turbo calcium works well). Use this to adjust the level up to your target, and then dose Kalk, or a 2 part solution like b-ionic on a daily basis to maintain it.
Here is a calculator to help you:
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
I would also suggest you pick up spme Salifert test kits for Alk, Mag, and Calcium.
Last edited:
burning2nd
Well-Known Member
Tm pro,
mag 1370 every time, right outta the box, no waiting for buffering
mag 1370 every time, right outta the box, no waiting for buffering