Instant ocean reef crystals

[tjohns1801]

Does anyone else seem to get high alkalinity with reef crystal salt sone reason every time i use it i get about 14 dkh...idk how bad this will affect my tank but what is the best way to keep it in the safety zone? Thanks in advance!

 

[marinelife]

One reason I use only Instant Ocean. Reef Crystals always seemed to be high in Alk. Instant Ocean and a calcium reactor handle it all for me. I would say you could just use Instant Ocean to have lower ALK in your new water.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Reef Crystals mixes out high, they are basically used for full blow reefs that will eat the elements up pretty quickly.

 

[glb]

Reef Crystals mixes out high, they are basically used for full blow reefs that will eat the elements up pretty quickly.

I can never get Reef Crystals to totally dissolve.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Really? In a bucket with a powerhead going?

 

[glb]

Yep. Pouring it in slowly. Drives me crazy. I think some humidity got to the mix at the LFS because I had to break it up when I first opened it. Does that cause a problem? Most of it dissolves but there's always some left over.

 

[marinelife]

I never had an issue with it mixing up. It was just more than my SPS tank needed.

 

[glb]

I think I may switch bag to regular IO. I only plan to have LPS and softies for now and the IO seemed to always dissolve.

 

[Reefing Madness]

No, shouldn't be an issue with it not dissolving all the way, but yea, it got damp thats why its clumped up. Maybe a bad batch.

 

[tjohns1801]

Thanks all...never had issue with it dissolving but just high dkh guess I'll go to regular instant ocean

 

[glb]

Do I need to keep the higher Alk because I have a gha reactor.

 

[Reefing Madness]

No, not that Im aware of.

 

[glb]

Interestingly enough, today I mixed a batch Reef Crystal water using distilled water instead of the RO water that has phosphates and a TDS of 7-10. The salt dissolved completely in the distilled water. Hmmmm.....

 

[saltyphish]

Most salt mixes are designed to be mixed with 000 tds ro/di water. My guess is the 7-10 tds ro water has something (never know what that 7-10 is) in it that is not mixing well with the salt. The distilled water is probably more pure so it would mix much better.

Interestingly enough, today I mixed a batch Reef Crystal water using distilled water instead of the RO water that has phosphates and a TDS of 7-10. The salt dissolved completely in the distilled water. Hmmmm.....