Red Sea Pro Salt- What do you do about high Alk?

FDAWG · Aug 20, 2016

Hey reefers,
I recently switched from io salt to Red Sea Pro Salt and it's no secret that RSPS has alk at 12-13 dKH.

I like running my tank around 8-9 dKH and I'm just wondering how you guys manage using RSPS with such high Alk. Buffers?

Bob Escher · Aug 20, 2016

Thanks for asking only caused I have the coral pro and my all is a little high

Bob Escher · Aug 20, 2016

Thanks for asking only caused I have the coral pro and my all is a little high

FDAWG · Aug 20, 2016

@Diesel

The Rook · Aug 20, 2016

Would like mine lower as well. I'm around 11 with the Red Sea

Kungpaoshizi · Aug 20, 2016

I just use a 7:1 ratio of blue bucket to pro. Alk ends up about 8.5-9 with a bit more elevation of compounds than just the blue.

Otherwise you can also use a couple very slow dosing pumps, or if that's not an option and you don't keep your alk within 1-2 dkh of the 12, just do smaller water changes to avoid the jump. Then just split the water change you want, into a few every other day, water changes.

Though it might be a good question for customer service. But if you're not following the growth plan that would dictate your alk needs to be 12, they'll probably just tell ya to use blue bucket instead..

Rob Lion · Aug 20, 2016

i stopped using Red Sea Coral pro after 12 months, i found the alkalinity way too high, and had constant equipment failures (pumps/skimmer/heater) due to the increased precipitation, and occasional burnt tips on hard corals.

like @Kungpaoshizi i moved to "diluting" the coral pro with standard blue salt (5 Blue: 1 Pro) to get a stable 8.9 dKh each time, which i will continue until I finish the coral pro bucket, then i'll stick with the blue and dose a bit of Alk to bump the blue up from 8 to 8.9

I've found that everything is much happier and is growing faster at a stable 8.9 than 12.5/12.6 dkH, and no equipment failures :)

lion king · Aug 20, 2016

When i first started keeping corals and was just doing weekly water changes and not dosing, I used coral pro. If you dose and maintain a constant level of ca, alk, and mg; it's best to find a salt that fits into the parameters you maintain.