Does Instant Ocean have a new formula?

[whatcaneyedo]

I was only refering to regular Instant Ocean (not Reef Crystals) in the first post. I just thought that with the new branding that maybe they changed something about the product. I had checked their website too and saw nothing. I even did a Reef Central search but all I found was one thread that was a few months old with someone asking the same question as me.

Oh well I guess I'll just carry on supplementing like before.

[mike31154]

I may have gotten the nomenclature wrong but it was something along the 'reef' line and the bucket had a different colour as mentioned above. There were two pails stacked on top of each other, unmistakeably IO and the 'new' one had the additional information on it regarding being more suitable for reef tanks with the elevated ca, mag levels.

[Aleks]

pic of the pail?

[whatcaneyedo]

Dont worry only 9 of those were full... I try to buy all of my salt for the year all at once. The new Instant Ocean are the stack of three behind the old style buckets and beside the Seachem.

[whatcaneyedo]

I just tested another freshly mixed 27gal trash can of new IO and RO/DI today.

1.026 (refractometer)
Ca 460ppm (elos)
KH 4.5 meq/l (seachem)
Mg 1200ppm (elos)

Either Instant Ocean has really increased the calcium in their salt or my test kit is faulty. The expireation date on it says 12 - 10 so I guess its good until December of this year. I also tested twice because I didnt believe it the first time.

[rayjay]

RC has had threads for a while about the better number of the standard I.O. now.
In fact there is a sticky with the figures posted that I.O. mixed to 1.026 generally produced calcium level of around 400, with magnesium level around 1350 and an alkalinity of about 11.
(The sticky is on the Reef Chemistry Forum of RC that lists tested results of many salts, including the new I.O.. See "Synthetic Salt Mixes" sticky)

[kien]

Originally Posted by rayjay

RC has had threads for a while about the better number of the standard I.O. now.
In fact there is a sticky with the figures posted that I.O. mixed to 1.026 generally produced calcium level of around 400, with magnesium level around 1350 and an alkalinity of about 11.
(The sticky is on the Reef Chemistry Forum of RC that lists tested results of many salts, including the new I.O.. See "Synthetic Salt Mixes" sticky)

These are the exact same readings that I got with my last 3 batches of salt. Only difference is that I bought the huge IO boxes instead of the buckets.

[banditpowdercoat]

I really can't see a 5g bucket of salt "settling out" It will compact a bit, but will not stratify and separate the elements and minerals.

And I have heard the new salt is higher too. I have a bucket but havn't tested it

[mark]

all my pails test low, even the ones bought recently, did I just pick up old stock?

How does one know buying latest. Do pails look the same, lot/batch numbers?