Reefers Best Salt

[digital-audiophile]

The zeoheads seem to love it, and I'm just not happy with ocean pure pro (the only reason I switched from IO was that when I ran out Golds only had the OPP instock)

I'm just blown away by the $99 price tag for RBS though... I guess only doing ~5Gallon water changes every week now with zeo it should last 6 months so maybe it's not so bad after all?

[michika]

I hear the same. I used to pay $79-85 for a pail of Red Sea Coral Pro in Edmonton, so I don't see it as quite the big jump as you do.

[digital-audiophile]

Under 7DKH? hmm I'll have to do a little more reserch on that. My tank water tested at 5DKH last night (using two different brand test kits) and I started to panic a bit.

When you mix up your first batch I would be interested to see how your tests come out.

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

Under 7DKH? hmm I'll have to do a little more reserch on that. My tank water tested at 5DKH last night (using two different brand test kits) and I started to panic a bit.

5dKH might be a little low. Guide says to have it 6.5-7.5 and that any higher "shows no advantage" (which I take to mean, "not detrimental"). Coming from a few years ago when the recommendation for alk was to be 1/10th the Ca in meq/l (ie., 400Ca, 4.0meq/l -> ~11-12dKH), it's hard for me to wrap my head around low Alk numbers.

Nevertheless my alk tests at 8dKH, and unless someone comes out and tells me that it's bad, I'm leaving it there. It's such a pain to dial in different target numbers from my calcium reactor and kalk reactor that I would prefer to leave things the way they are. Plus, rapid changes in Alk I have found to be bad (worse than say low Alk, or high Alk, all on its own .. it's like the change or swing from one value to another is worse than whatever the old value was). So adjust your Alk slowly would be my recommendation.

[digital-audiophile]

Any advice on how to raise my alk level.. without resorting to even more equipment in my fish room

[Snappy]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

Any advice on how to raise my alk level.. without resorting to even more equipment in my fish room

Greg,
I suggest spreading a box of baking soda on to a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350 for an hour. This changes it from bi-carbonate to carbonate. I then mix it with "unbaked" baking soda and now have a great ALK buffer. You can call me for more details or questions.
Greg

[Brent F]

I tested a new batch yesterday and it came out the same as Jason's (CA 400, ALK 7.0 Dkh, MG 1500). Should the calcium be suplemented to get it up to 425 from the 400? I've been leaving my alkalinity at 7 based on recommendations at the zeovit site.

[Delphinus]

Seachem Reef Advantage or other alkalinity type buffer. Do you run a reactor right now at all? Ie., kalk or Calcium reactor.. if so, just throttle up slightly.

[digital-audiophile]

I'm not using a reactor for Calcium at present. I am dosing manually with liquid when required ( I seem to maintin a Ca of 380-400 whisn is fine for me)

I'm thinking I may just throw some baking soda in the over tonight and start dosing that way, cheaper than store bought additives perhaps.

[BC564]

RBS is what I am using now .....it was more money but it dissolves way better...with in a few minutes its completely gone and looks super clear......and Ive noticed my water in the tank is clearer......and I thought I needed glasses.....lol