Has Instant Ocean's magnesium level changed?

[steve fedyk]

my IO has high Mg reading too about 1500pm. I mixed the bucket by rolling it around on the ground, My kh Is about 11 to 12. = less dosing

[Nano]

I have a problem with instant ocean too.. They say there is more calcium, but I still struggle to get mine above 320-340 at best! I think my next batch of salt I buy will be a different type.

[Bblinks]

Originally Posted by steve fedyk

my IO has high Mg reading too about 1500pm. I mixed the bucket by rolling it around on the ground, My kh Is about 11 to 12. = less dosing

Where did you get your io from, JL?

[Bblinks]

I have some io mixing in the container, I'll give a quick test when I get home and see what the readings are at.

[Lampshade]

From my experience, IO settles terribly. Water changes at the top half of the bucket were 1100ppm, and I was topping up to 1500. DId this a couple times, was the same, So I kept the same MgCl amount every other water change, then tested my tank awhile ago and it was 1650? didn't make sense, so I tested the IO mix next water change, and it was back at 1500ppm. seems the bottom half of the bucket had higher Mg than the top. Mg tests are sketchy at best though, I use what I measure as a ballpark at best.

[fishytime]

thats why you should always roll your bucket of salt before you use it, no matter what salt you use..... there is probably only one salt on the market that you can actually trust the values on the back of the bucket and that is "Aqua Vittro" made by seachem....its the only salt I am aware of that individually tests each batch of salt and posts the values on the back

[Myka]

Nanomano, you should be adding some calcium to the freshly mixed saltwater to get it up to 400-420 ppm before you use it. Technically, you should do the same with Mg. Alkalinity is fine in IO.

If a person is trying to keep parameters within reason without dosing then IO is not the best choice as the parameters are low to begin with so waterchanges won't fix anything. You're better off using Reef Crystals or H2Ocean or many of the other higher priced salts.

Originally Posted by fishytime

"Aqua Vittro" made by seachem....its the only salt I am aware of that individually tests each batch of salt and posts the values on the back

Really? I didn't know that, that's cool. Isn't it like $95 a bucket though?

[fishytime]

Originally Posted by Myka

Really? I didn't know that, that's cool. Isn't it like $95 a bucket though?

yup, they print a sticker for each batch.....and yes it is a fairly pricey salt

[Bblinks]

I checked the params with salinity at 1.026, temp at 26'C, using red sea and salifert kits and came up with 420ca, 10dkh, and 1350 mag. I know it sounds too good but that's what I got from both kits, well close enough. Last batch I checked was a few months ago and it was low in calcium, it was around 380 and the only thing I changed was instead of buying buckets I started to buy 200 gallon boxes. Weird?! I guess I better start to testing every batch again.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by fishytime

yup, they print a sticker for each batch.....and yes it is a fairly pricey salt

I have used all the major brands of salt over the years and this is by far my favorite (Aqua Vittro).