Another IO salt question/issue

[bishoptf]

I am contemplating moving over to IO, I've tried some of the more pricey options but kind of like the availability of IO purple since you can get it about everywhere. I was prepared to add CA or MG to bring things inline where I run my tank but the last couple of batches testing new mix and they are actually much higher than where I thought the "normally" were. The latest bucket (first bucket for me) I have tried to mix up the bucket by separating into other buckets then re-combing but Alk is 11, Ca is 450 but Mg is off the scale which for salifert is 1500, I kept going and it appears its prolly close to 1600 for Mg. I am going to try to mix another batch and see if it changes the number much, and I guess higher Mg is not going to cause any issues but my goal has always been around 1350. My last batch was from the smaller bag and Mg was right at 1500. Using Hanna for Alk and Salifert for CA and Mg, taken multiple samples and all in the same range, this is at 1.025SG.

Just thought I would see if I just have an odd batch but was close to what I was seeing from the bags also....

Thanks

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Personally I moved away from IO as I was having the same issues as you.
No concistacy from bag to bag. Luckily I was able to return the product and the 3rd time I said heck with it and moved on. IO was always my goto years ago but not so much anymore.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I am contemplating moving over to IO, I've tried some of the more pricey options but kind of like the availability of IO purple since you can get it about everywhere. I was prepared to add CA or MG to bring things inline where I run my tank but the last couple of batches testing new mix and they are actually much higher than where I thought the "normally" were. The latest bucket (first bucket for me) I have tried to mix up the bucket by separating into other buckets then re-combing but Alk is 11, Ca is 450 but Mg is off the scale which for salifert is 1500, I kept going and it appears its prolly close to 1600 for Mg. I am going to try to mix another batch and see if it changes the number much, and I guess higher Mg is not going to cause any issues but my goal has always been around 1350. My last batch was from the smaller bag and Mg was right at 1500. Using Hanna for Alk and Salifert for CA and Mg, taken multiple samples and all in the same range, this is at 1.025SG.

Just thought I would see if I just have an odd batch but was close to what I was seeing from the bags also....

Thanks

If accurate and reflective of the whole bag, that magnesium is pretty high. You can't remove it, but you could blend it with another salt mix.

How are you measuring salinity?

 

[bishoptf]

Personally I moved away from IO as I was having the same issues as you.
No concistacy from bag to bag. Luckily I was able to return the product and the 3rd time I said heck with it and moved on. IO was always my goto years ago but not so much anymore.

Yeah I like the availability and price, really like the price...but I was ok with adding Mg or Ca to bring things up, but I can't remove Mg like dropping alk with Muratic acid etc...Maybe it deosnt matter if Mg is 1600 etc...but I wish they could just be in a range, I'm fine with 1400 etc but 1600 seems to be pushing it somewhat...for me anyways...

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Yeah I like the availability and price, really like the price...but I was ok with adding Mg or Ca to bring things up, but I can't remove Mg like dropping alk with Muratic acid etc...Maybe it deosnt matter if Mg is 1600 etc...but I wish they could just be in a range, I'm fine with 1400 etc but 1600 seems to be pushing it somewhat...for me anyways...

Thats fair, to each there own when it comes to Mag. Some like it high and some like it low

And yes you cant beat the price for sure! your using the regular IO or RC?

 

[bishoptf]

If accurate and reflective of the whole bag, that magnesium is pretty high. You can't remove it, but you could blend it with another salt mix.

How are you measuring salinity?

My handy dandy refractor...and I thought about that and calibrated since it had been awhile and it was off...but in this case it was high so made my numbers even worse...

 

[bishoptf]

Thats fair, to each there own when it comes to Mag. Some like it high and some like it low

And yes you cant beat the price for sure! your using the regular IO or RC?

regular IO the purple stuff not reef crystals...

 

[rtparty]

Consistency and IO don't go together. Sorry, but they are the cheapest for a reason. They have to cut costs somewhere and it is definitely in quality control.

 

[leepink23]

Consistency and IO don't go together. Sorry, but they are the cheapest for a reason. They have to cut costs somewhere and it is definitely in quality control.

Despite that I have no issues with my acro 180 or acro frag tanks. Same for my friend that runs about 400 gallons. We have 0 issues running regular IO. Icp tests sent out are always great. Been using it for years.

 

[rtparty]

Despite that I have no issues with my acro 180 or acro frag tanks. Same for my friend that runs about 400 gallons. We have 0 issues running regular IO. Icp tests sent out are always great. Been using it for years.

Plenty of people have great tanks with it. I never said otherwise. I simply stated it isn't consistent batch to batch.

 

[bishoptf]

Despite that I have no issues with my acro 180 or acro frag tanks. Same for my friend that runs about 400 gallons. We have 0 issues running regular IO. Icp tests sent out are always great. Been using it for years.

Yeah thats what I hear alot, and Im sps dominant and why I was looking at going but I have nano tanks, so swings can have more of an impact. There is no perfect salt and maybe higher Mg is not an issue so maybe I shouldnt be concerned, it was just higher than it has been in the past, lol.

 

[leepink23]

Plenty of people have great tanks with it. I never said otherwise. I simply stated it isn't consistent batch to batch.

Yeap I know you didn’t, didn’t say you stated otherwise. Wanted to reply to yours to point out that their inconsistency likely doesn’t matter.

 

[leepink23]

Yeah thats what I hear alot, and Im sps dominant and why I was looking at going but I have nano tanks, so swings can have more of an impact. There is no perfect salt and maybe higher Mg is not an issue so maybe I shouldnt be concerned, it was just higher than it has been in the past, lol.

War Eagle by the way!

 

[bishoptf]

War Eagle by the way!

War Eagle...now back to the normal programming...lol

 

[leepink23]

War Eagle...now back to the normal programming...lol

I mix mine to 1.025 tested by Milwaukee and pinpoint, my trident mag never budges with my water changes, 30 gallon water change with 180-200 gallons total. I will try to remember to use my trident next time on the actual IO water to see what it reads.

 

[bishoptf]

I mix mine to 1.025 tested by Milwaukee and pinpoint, my trident mag never budges with my water changes, 30 gallon water change with 180-200 gallons total. I will try to remember to use my trident next time on the actual IO water to see what it reads.

Yeah I'm not sure if I just have some bad batches, really I have no issue with Mag being high its just how high and does it matter. Right now my other salt was running higher than normal so it's around 1400 but I've not seen any issues but 1600 seemed a little high to me...

 

[leepink23]

Yeah I'm not sure if I just have some bad batches, really I have no issue with Mag being high its just how high and does it matter. Right now my other salt was running higher than normal so it's around 1400 but I've not seen any issues but 1600 seemed a little high to me...

Gotcha. There was a time when I dosed to keep mine that high, to see if I could suppress algae growth. Saw no benefit or harm.

 

[exnisstech]

I've been using IO for 8 years except for the last year or so I have been mixing IO and RC 50/50. Only reason for that is becuase I was able to stock up on both when on sale. I've never tested mag on a fresh batch so I can't comment on that. Reason I never tested is because I never even tested mag on my tanks until recently and it was about 1400. Alk was 11 and calcium 450 on my last fresh batch. I run alk 8ish but do smaller more frequent water changes vs the 10% or so that many people do and it doesn't climb but I dose a little 2 part in all tanks and drip kalk in one tank. To be honest I've never even thought of changing. It just works for me and corals grow and look decent so I stay with it. It does mix a little dirty but I run mine through a sock when doing changes