Adjusting IO salt

[Reef.]

It's the blue scale. I mix anywhere from a couple hours to overnight. Even a week. If I don't get to it that day I unplug the big pump and just leave the small powerhead in the bottom to keep water movement. The alk only drops maybe 1 dkh to 7 ish if I use it the following weekend.

I only heat to 60-70, then the heaters are unplugged, then salt added. My garage is cold in the winter, just above freezing

I will try dumping salt in faster next batch. I was doing it slowly so it dissolves and doesn't just clump in the bottom but I never tried just dumping it in.

To be fair, doesn’t sound you are doing much wrong, if not the salinity which in many cases it is, then it could be you are getting the correct reading.
some on here have said their IO is around 9 not 11? mixing in with RC ,which is even lower you may not be far off.

Just to be clear, I wasn’t suggesting you dump the salt in, just a little faster, all in over 1min should be fine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey guys. I adding muriatic acid and my calcium (Red Sea) is saying my ca is over 500ppm. Does muriatic acid make calcium test kits not work? My test kit was working fine yesterday, my calcium showed 400ppm in my reef tank.

I used a new batch of salt, did I get a faulty batch? This is so strange.

Wait until the pH is back to normal, but then testing should be normal.

 

[Jeeperz]

To be fair, doesn’t sound you are doing much wrong, if not the salinity which in many cases it is, then it could be you are getting the correct reading.
some on here have said their IO is around 9 not 11? mixing in with RC ,which is even lower you may not be far off.

Just to be clear, I wasn’t suggesting you dump the salt in, just a little faster, all in over 1min should be fine.

I thought reef crystals was higher dkh, like 12 or something. I've never used just reef crystals as far as I recall. Maybe early on after switching from aquavitro salinity but don't recall what it tested at. I'll try to mix a new batch up tonight with getting all the salt in faster.

 

[Miami Reef]

Wait until the pH is back to normal, but then testing should be normal.

Does that include the ALK testing as well, or will those results be instantaneous?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Does that include the ALK testing as well, or will those results be instantaneous?

Should be fine right away, I think, except perhaps with a test like the Hanna which is not an actual titration, but they did tell someone it will work for CaCO3/Co2 effluent where the pH is also low.

Calcium may be Ok too. My only thought in the calcium kit is that the first step is some kits is to raise pH and precipitate magnesium hydroxide. if that is the type being used, and the pH raising is inadequate due to excessively low pH, then it may read false high by detecting some magnesium.

 

[Miami Reef]

Should be fine right away, I think, except perhaps with a test like the Hanna which is not an actual titration, but they did tell someone it will work for CaCO3/Co2 effluent where the pH is also low.

Calcium may be Ok too. My only thought in the calcium kit is that the first step is some kits is to raise pH and precipitate magnesium hydroxide. if that is the type being used, and the pH raising is inadequate due to excessively low pH, then it may read false high by detecting some magnesium.

My calcium test kit first requires 5 drops that turns the vial a cloudy white color. Then I scoop some pink powder and pour it into the vial which turns the solution reddish.

I think your hypothesis about the calcium makes total sense. The low PH from the muriatic seems to make the result higher than what it is.

I use titration for all my test kits (my favorite style as it’s most accurate) so my ALK titration just has me titrate without adding a ph altering solution. That’s why it appears alk works while calcium doesn’t.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My calcium test kit first requires 5 drops that turns the vial a cloudy white color. Then I scoop some pink powder and pour it into the vial which turns the solution reddish.

I think your hypothesis about the calcium makes total sense. The low PH from the muriatic seems to make the result higher than what it is.

I use titration for all my test kits (my favorite style as it’s most accurate) so my ALK titration just has me titrate without adding a ph altering solution. That’s why it appears alk works while calcium doesn’t.

Yes, that cloudiness is the magnesium precipitation stage. Let us knw if it is different after the pH rises.

" so my ALK titration just has me titrate without adding a ph altering solution.'

A normal alk test adds acid until it gets to about pH 4.3, which is indicated by the color change of a pH indicating dye. The measured amount of acid needed exactly corresponds to the alkalinity.

Hanna is a little different, adding a fixed amount of acid and looking at the final pH (by color).

 

[ApoIsland]

Hello chemists,

I use about a bag a week of IO for my water changes. The alk is too high, calcium is a bit too low, and magnesium could be higher.

How consistent is IO salt? Could I find out my adjustment needs and use the same amount of muriatic, Ca, and Mg to the water without testing the individual salt batches prior every week?

If I am expected to test each IO batch weekly before calculating how much muriatic acid, calcium, and magnesium each and every week: the cost would not be worth the effort.

Summary: Can I figure out a set amount of chemicals to fix the parameters of my salt mix, or is IO salt too inconsistent?

I have been using IO for years without any issues. For me, the ALK mixes in the range of 8-9dkh. That is definitely not too high.

 

[Miami Reef]

I have been using IO for years without any issues. For me, the ALK mixes in the range of 8-9dkh. That is definitely not too high.

I’m fine with 8-9

But I’m getting 9-11 which is too high. I’m keeping acros and I actually want to keep 6-7 because I hear that the higher you go the more likely bleaching may occur. Especially if you have lower nutrients.

 

[Reef.]

I thought reef crystals was higher dkh, like 12 or something. I've never used just reef crystals as far as I recall. Maybe early on after switching from aquavitro salinity but don't recall what it tested at. I'll try to mix a new batch up tonight with getting all the salt in faster.

Very hard to find the parameters for this salt, even their own site doesn’t list them.

Did a quick search and it seems they are both around 10-12dkh.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Very hard to find the parameters for this salt, even their own site doesn’t list them.

Did a quick search and it seems they are both around 10-12dkh.

The IO target manufacturing levels are not public.

 

[Miami Reef]

edit… ignore this

 

[Miami Reef]

Alright. I just tested (ph 8.0) calcium reading 370ppm.

I also would like to admit that I realized I made a mistake earlier today. I added 10ml of water instead of 5ml. That’s why the reading was messed up and showing 500+. I don’t usually make these careless mistakes, I was testing my alk many times today and I just got confused and assumed that all the tests needed 10ml.

lol.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Glad it all worked out.

 

[Midrats]

How are you guys getting 8-9? I have NEVER seen anything below 10 and it's usually over 11. LONG time user.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How are you guys getting 8-9? I have NEVER seen anything below 10 and it's usually over 11. LONG time user.

Might be some folks have more calcium carbonate precipitation than others. In part it may depend on whether the barrel already has seed crystals for more precipitation, as mine always did, and how long you store it:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Figure 1. The residue on the bottom of the plastic trash can that I use to mix Instant Ocean. I rarely clean it out. The solid is most likely calcium carbonate.

 

[Midrats]

My mixing container looks like Chief's coffee mug, not quite as impressive as yours though @Randy Holmes-Farley!

 

[Jeeperz]

Just made a fresh batch of just io using the dump a 1/2 cup in at a time and all in over a minute or two. At 77*f and 1.026 I got 9.8 alk and 400 Cal. I am questioning my red Sea alk test and my Hanna checker is out of date as I never use it so I can't double check. They used to read close. But I have been mixing io and reef crystals 50/50 and getting the same alk number but Cal was 50-75 higher than just the io. So I think I'm going to order all new red Sea test kit refills.

 

[Reef.]

Just made a fresh batch of just io using the dump a 1/2 cup in at a time and all in over a minute or two. At 77*f and 1.026 I got 9.8 alk and 400 Cal. I am questioning my red Sea alk test and my Hanna checker is out of date as I never use it so I can't double check. They used to read close. But I have been mixing io and reef crystals 50/50 and getting the same alk number but Cal was 50-75 higher than just the io. So I think I'm going to order all new red Sea test kit refills.

Salifert or Aqua Forest are very easy, cheap and accurate, if going for the salifert stop at the lavender colour not the hot pink, the AF which is just as good also comes with a reference solution so you can see the actual colour to look for.

 

[homer1475]

Salifert or Aqua Fores are very easy, cheap and accurate, if going for the salifert stop at the lavender colour not the hot pink, the AF which is just as good also comes with a reference solution so you can see actual see the colour to look for.

I've always stopped at the hot pink color, it's what the directions say the endpoint color is.

Going to the hot pink(usually one drop difference between purple and pink) color, it match's the hanna pretty closely.

Just curious why you say to stop at the lavender color?