Red Sea blue bucket salt to IO

[RRsNano]

Tank: 25g
LPS (Zoas and acans)

I’m about to switch from Red Sea blue bucket salt to Instant Ocean. All levels are about the same except for ALK; Red Sea is 8 and IO is 11.

I have a 25g tank and do a 5g water change every two weeks. How can I safely switch over to IO? Should I do 1/2 Red Sea (2.5g) to 1/2 IO (2.5g) for 2 water changes then 3/4 IO to 1/4 Red Sea for another 2 water changes, then just full IO water change?

OR just do a weekly 1g water change with IO until the tanks parameters are equal to the IO?

 

[Biglew11]

just start doing your regular water changes with the new salt.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree, there's nothing special about any salt mix that requires a slow changeover from any other mix, as long as you are understanding how that change impact alkalinity, and reacting if necessary, to adjust dosing.

 

[homer1475]

Just switch over. Nothing special in any salt mix that we can't just switch it up from time to time. During the pandemic when stuff was hard to find, I used several different brands of salt. WC as usual and nothing was effected.

Just keep in mind, IO mixes up to different parameters then what your used to. One note is the higher ALK. Just dose some muriatic acid(my preferred method as it's super cheap in the hardware store and a gallon will last a really long time), or seachems acid buffer(have no experience with this, but have read it works just as well), and mix for a good 24 hours to bring the PH back up(lowering alk increases CO2, and airteing after drives off the CO2 bringing the PH back up to normal levels).

 

[bsr2430]

As everyone has stated, it’s a simple swap.
Off the wall, I’m on the reef crystal kick. Just bought two 5G buckets for literally $26 each. No more paying stupid prices for salt.

 

[homer1475]

FWIW the calc to lower alk using muriatic acid.....

Alk drop x water volume x .123 = ML of acid to add

EG:
10ALK down to 7.5
25G water volume

2.5 x 25 x .123 = 7.687ML of acid - I would add 7.5 and call it good.

 

[RRsNano]

Maybe a silly question but cant I just use the salt without lowering the alk and over several water changes my corals adapt to the higher alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybe a silly question but cant I just use the salt without lowering the alk and over several water changes my corals adapt to the higher alk?

Sure. Or just dose less (if you do so).

Do you need to dose anything now?

If there is no demand, the alk of IO is fairly high. Be sure you have adequate nutrients (nitrate and phosphate).

 

[RRsNano]

Sure. Or just dose less (if you do so).

Do you need to dose anything now?

If there is no demand, the alk of IO is fairly high. Be sure you have adequate nutrients (nitrate and phosphate).

no I don’t dose now.

nitrAte is above 5 under 10ppm
Phosphate is .027

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

no I don’t dose now.

nitrAte is above 5 under 10ppm
Phosphate is .027

OK, that should be fine.