Should I change from my current Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to a better salt mix for my nano reef tank?

[Kokofish_2022]

I am thinking about switching from Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. A freshly mixed Reef Crystal at 1.026 sg tested at 8.2 pH / 9 KH / 370 ppm calcium / 1280 ppm magnesium with API Reef master kit and Red Sea magnesium tester (the ones using liquids and bottles). I'm not sure if it is my test kit or the Reef Crystals I got suck, but I'm not too happy with how it is lower than advertised.

Would this be good enough for LPS corals, coralline algae, and clean-up-crew inverts with hard shells? Should I stay or change? Which do you recommend?

 

[DIFish]

I am thinking about switching from Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. A freshly mixed Reef Crystal at 1.026 sg tested at 8.2 pH / 9 KH / 370 ppm calcium / 1280 ppm magnesium with API Reef master kit and Red Sea magnesium tester (the ones using liquids and bottles). I'm not sure if it is my test kit or the Reef Crystals I got suck, but I'm not too happy with how it is lower than advertised.

Would this be good enough for LPS corals, coralline algae, and clean-up-crew inverts with hard shells? Should I stay or change? Which do you recommend?

Better is relative to the parameters you are aiming for in your tank. Many here use reef Crystals on LPS and SPS systems with great results. If you are planning on keeping your tank close to those parameters I see no reason to change unless you are unhappy with the results.

 

[Kokofish_2022]

Better is relative to the parameters you are aiming for in your tank. Many here use reef Crystals on LPS and SPS systems with great results. If you are planning on keeping your tank close to those parameters I see no reason to change unless you are unhappy with the results.

I've been reading and watching around the net about how I would need a higher Ca and Mg in general. I don't plan on keeping SPS corals but would like to make sure my coralline algae on my live rocks are looking healthy and nice. And I guess LPS corals don't need as high of Ca and Mg? I plan on getting a frogspawn coral frag.

 

[Sly Element]

I've been reading and watching around the net about how I would need a higher Ca and Mg in general. I don't plan on keeping SPS corals but would like to make sure my coralline algae on my live rocks are looking healthy and nice. And I guess LPS corals don't need as high of Ca and Mg? I plan on getting a frogspawn coral frag.

I am curious to what other reefers have to say about his.

Cause i try to keep CA at 480 and MG at 1500.
That does mean dosing.

Also LPS benefit on higer MG as far as i know. Correct me if i am wrong.

 

[sfin52]

Every salt has fantastic results. I switched to IO from RC. I will be going back. I prefer the higher elements. It's all a preference.

For me it's price and availability. I can find rc and io. The others I have to order.

 

[DIFish]

I've been reading and watching around the net about how I would need a higher Ca and Mg in general. I don't plan on keeping SPS corals but would like to make sure my coralline algae on my live rocks are looking healthy and nice. And I guess LPS corals don't need as high of Ca and Mg? I plan on getting a frogspawn coral frag.

There are generally accepted ranges for each number, and then there are massive debates about the absolute most optimal amount which usually boils down to personal preference and reefing style. Imo the base reef crystals, as with any salt mix, can and will grow most any type of coral just fine. Stability, lighting, flow are usually more important than your salt mix, and I have not heard of a common salt mix that cannot sustain corals. Here is a link to a good resource for recommended parameters. If your tank is stable sitting around these you will not have any salt mix related issues. http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/wp-c..._Saltwater_Tank_Test_Kit_Recommended_list.pdf

 

[jimfish98]

First question is did you mix up the bag of salt prior to use? If not, give it a try and make another dose and see what you get rest results wise. If you are not happy with the numbers, then start the change to what ever you want to try. I tried one mix when setting up my new tank and didn't make it through 10lbs of salt before I decided to change salts. I mixed 4 5g buckets based on instructions and got salinity readings from 32-37ppt, no two buckets were the same. When it was all in the tank, the calcium and such didn't match specs either. I went out and got a salt I used to use and replaced most of the water before cycling. I can measure the same amount of salt per 5g bucket of water and get no more than a .5ppt difference between buckets and my calcium, etc matches the packaging. I don't ask for miracles out of my salt, but I do ask for consistency and the desired levels of nutrients I paid for.

 

[Kokofish_2022]

There are generally accepted ranges for each number, and then there are massive debates about the absolute most optimal amount which usually boils down to personal preference and reefing style. Imo the base reef crystals, as with any salt mix, can and will grow most any type of coral just fine. Stability, lighting, flow are usually more important than your salt mix, and I have not heard of a common salt mix that cannot sustain corals. Here is a link to a good resource for recommended parameters. If your tank is stable sitting around these you will not have any salt mix related issues. http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/wp-c..._Saltwater_Tank_Test_Kit_Recommended_list.pdf

I see. Guess I'm just feeling anxious and stressing out over making sure my first reef tank is a good place for my inhabitants to grow and live in. I just don't want to see them die due to my negligence and ignorance!

 

[Kokofish_2022]

First question is did you mix up the bag of salt prior to use? If not, give it a try and make another dose and see what you get rest results wise. If you are not happy with the numbers, then start the change to what ever you want to try. I tried one mix when setting up my new tank and didn't make it through 10lbs of salt before I decided to change salts. I mixed 4 5g buckets based on instructions and got salinity readings from 32-37ppt, no two buckets were the same. When it was all in the tank, the calcium and such didn't match specs either. I went out and got a salt I used to use and replaced most of the water before cycling. I can measure the same amount of salt per 5g bucket of water and get no more than a .5ppt difference between buckets and my calcium, etc matches the packaging. I don't ask for miracles out of my salt, but I do ask for consistency and the desired levels of nutrients I paid for.

Yes, I mixed it up beforehand and made sure it is clear before doing the tests right after.

 

[sfin52]

Api alk test is a hard to read becuase of the color and its only in 1pt range. You could be closer to 10 than 9. I would use a different test for alkalinity. I like salifert but there's a bunch of good tests out there that will preform better than api.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, I prefer normal IO to RC since I do not want organics such as vitamins and metal chelators in the salt mix.

 

[codenfx]

I went from RC to IO and dose all for reef in a mix reef tank, parameter has been stable.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I am thinking about switching from Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. A freshly mixed Reef Crystal at 1.026 sg tested at 8.2 pH / 9 KH / 370 ppm calcium / 1280 ppm magnesium with API Reef master kit and Red Sea magnesium tester (the ones using liquids and bottles). I'm not sure if it is my test kit or the Reef Crystals I got suck, but I'm not too happy with how it is lower than advertised.

Would this be good enough for LPS corals, coralline algae, and clean-up-crew inverts with hard shells? Should I stay or change? Which do you recommend?

That's strange, I am on bucket 2 of reef crystals and my mag is always 1500 at 1.026