Kent salt users

[PoonTang]

Christy, double check your SG calibration. If it is high it will cause all of your other numbers to be high. Do you have any of your old salt left? or you could try some salt or water or SG tester from someone else.

[albert_dao]

[Rippin]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

What am I missing something here?

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by ron101

If that is indeed those are their testing parameters, then that is pretty sad. They should be standardizing to one specific gravity value.

Salinity is a pretty linear relationship, 480ppm Ca at 1.020 should yield about 480ppm x 23/20 = 552 ppm at 1.023 and 480 x 26/20 = 624 at 1.026. On the other hand, if 480ppm is at 1.023 then it should yield 480 x 26/23 = 542 at 1.026. Higher salinities will yield higher Ca, Mg, and CO3 concentrations because are you are adding more of it to the same volume of water.

So I see three possibilities:

1) Your hydrometer/refractometer is out of calibration and you are actually making water to a higher SG than you think you are (and your tank will be running at a higher SG than what you measure).
2) Salt mix is out of whack
3) Your freshwater used to make up marine water is high in Ca, MG, and CO3.

If you are using RO/DI then #3 is unlikely (could test the freshwater anyway). If you have tried a second bucket then the possibility of #2 is lower. I would start with #1...

HTH

1)I'll check my refractometer.

2) Not so sure about this anymore. I took some premixed water down to Island Pet Zone and he tested Ca and Alk with Aquarium Pharmeceuticals test kits and both samples (from both buckets) came out at about 420 ppm Ca and 8-9 dkH Alk. Now I'm starting to wonder about my test kits.

3) I do use RODI water.

I ended up switching my bucket of Kent for a bucket of Seachem. Hopefully problem solved. Or at least avoided for now.

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

I know what you mean, who cares about kent salt when you have one of those. Send me a frag

[Johnny Reefer]

I'm still using it . Just bought another bucket the other day actually. So far, demand for the levels is keeping up with supply and I'm liking how I don't have to dose lately. I am concerned about Iodide (Iodine?), however. Was dosing Iodine a good long while back. Then my colt coral virtually disintegrated. Tested tankwater Iodide. High. Did lots of water changes. No change. Tested changewater Iodide. High. This was well before I noticed higher than usual tank water Ca readings, however, so I'm not sure if it's related. An old Salifert Iodine test kit too. Getting a new one next week. Will test changewater for Iodide then. For shame, I know, continuing to use this salt without knowing for sure , but other than that Colt, everything is relatively happy.

Cheers,

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

I'm still using it . Just bought another bucket the other day actually. So far, demand for the levels is keeping up with supply and I'm liking how I don't have to dose lately. I am concerned about Iodide (Iodine?), however. Was dosing Iodine a good long while back. Then my colt coral virtually disintegrated. Tested tankwater Iodide. High. Did lots of water changes. No change. Tested changewater Iodide. High. This was well before I noticed higher than usual tank water Ca readings, however, so I'm not sure if it's related. An old Salifert Iodine test kit too. Getting a new one next week. Will test changewater for Iodide then. For shame, I know, continuing to use this salt without knowing for sure , but other than that Colt, everything is relatively happy.

Cheers,

Well FWIW, I would have kept on using mine as well if I hadn't noticed issues with my sps. I mean who doesn't want a salt that has kick *** Ca, Alk and Mg levels? (granted that second bucket was pretty high at 15dkH).

[Johnny Reefer]

FWIW, update re: my last post.....

1). Iodide/Iodine wasn't a problem after all. My test kit had gone bad.
2). Supply levels began to overtake demand. Still using Kent, but I also use IO now too, to help level things off.
3). Have introduced another Colt. Thumbs up.

Cheers,