Salt: Reef Crystals vs H2Ocean

[daniella3d]

solution, change less of the water but more often.. I now change 15% every 2 weeks instead of changing 30% once a month. just 15% does not change the alkalinity too much and I stop dosing for a day since I don't need to for a day or 2, then I resume my dosing pumps.

The more I got in alkalinity raise was 8.5 and I keep mine at 7.5

Originally Posted by lastlight

This is the one issue I have with RC... the Calcium spike because as you said it tests at 450 (tests even higher for me). My 400 tested at Ca 480 and I've yet to begin dosing Ca due to this as levels are dropping much slower in 4x the volume.

[imisky]

Originally Posted by Myka

You shouldn't need to add sodium bicarbonate to IO, but you will need to add magnesium and calcium! IO usually tests at 11 dKH for me, only 1150 ppm magnesium, and only 360-380 ppm calcium. My only real complaint about IO is the alkalinity is too high for my liking. I keep alkalinity in my reef 7-8 dKH, so if I do a big water change I get a big alkalinity swing. That was one of my main reasons for switching to H2Ocean. Even though the numbers of the H2Ocean are nicer I didn't notice any benefit in my reef after using it for 14 months. My reef is back on IO. I have tried most of the salts on the market, and I have never found my inhabitants to care which salt I used. That's the ultimate factor I think.

Thanks Myka for pointing out my mistake, ya I meant Mag not sodium bicarb lol..I have find IO to be fine as water change water. My Kh is at 8 and I have been using IO for the last 3 years. My issue is that the magnesium is constantly too low. I too have tried a few salts on the market from seachem to coralife and even a box of reefers best and IMO all my corals reacted the same so back to IO I went after you buffer everything of course. I find when you buffer IO with MgCl first followed by the calcium chloride the alk usually falls back down to 8-9kh range due to bi carb ppting out the calcium.

aftering buffering IO with mag chloride and calcium chloride with measured amounts in grams my weekly water changes come out to

Ca:440
alk: 8.5-9
mg: 1350

and thats for a salt that is less then $45 for a bucket

[Myka]

Doug, that's what drew me to H2Ocean as well, the fact that it is a natural salt and has lower alkalinity than IO. You're nuts for not dosing and testing...I think you're looking for V3, but for your sake I sure hope not!

Originally Posted by imisky

Thanks Myka for pointing out my mistake, ya I meant Mag not sodium bicarb lol..I have find IO to be fine as water change water. [...] I find when you buffer IO with MgCl first followed by the calcium chloride the alk usually falls back down to 8-9kh range due to bi carb ppting out the calcium.

I figured you meant Mg. That's an interesting observation with the magnesium. I have never tested the alkalinity afte adding the calcium and magnesium chlorides. I do use a bit of magnesium sulphate as well.

Originally Posted by daniella3d

yes of course if you have nutrient problem it's not ideal but if you don't then it is more stable that way. According to this though, it would be better to do one big water chance 40% per month??

Well, waterchanges export more than just nutrients, and import more than just clean water. You have to find the happy medium. You will get cleaner water with more minerals and such if you do bigger waterchanges, but you have to think about minimizing the changes to the tank as well as cost. As I already stated, for me this happy medium is 20% bi-weekly. A couple times a year I will do a 50% waterchange and I find my tank responds to this big change in a positive way rather than a negative way, so I don't think it is getting "shocked" by the changes.