Salt mix readings

[miskairal]

Hi again all,

I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.

I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca is
900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.
Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!

I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will need
to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of Aquariums
one sounds a bit dodgy.

Then there is this
http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61

and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Any help appreciated.

[Mark]

That's some calcium content!

A good all round salt is Instant Ocean, has a good balance of elements
and is used by thousands of reef keepers all over the world. Red sea
salt has had some bad reviews and is not regarded as one of the best.

cheers,

Mark


miskairal wrote:
> Hi again all,
>
> I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
> BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.
>
> I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca is
> 900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.
> Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!
>
> I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will need
> to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
> http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
> but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of Aquariums
> one sounds a bit dodgy.
>
> Then there is this
> http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61
>
> and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
> http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
>
>
> Any help appreciated.

[miskairal]

Thanks Mark. I spoke to my aquarium guy today and he thinks the Ca test
kit is faulty. I only bought it off him a couple of months ago. I've got
to find someone with a test kit round here or drive 2 1/2 hours to his
shop with a water sample.

Mark wrote:
> That's some calcium content!
>
> A good all round salt is Instant Ocean, has a good balance of elements
> and is used by thousands of reef keepers all over the world. Red sea
> salt has had some bad reviews and is not regarded as one of the best.
>
> cheers,
>
> Mark
>
>
> miskairal wrote:
>
>> Hi again all,
>>
>> I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
>> BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.
>>
>> I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca
>> is 900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and
>> 600. Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!
>>
>> I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will
>> need to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
>> http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
>> but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of Aquariums
>> one sounds a bit dodgy.
>>
>> Then there is this
>> http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61
>>
>> and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
>> http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

>>
>>
>> Any help appreciated.

[Pszemol]

"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message u...
> I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca is
> 900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.

900mg/l sounds not real. Calcium usually precipitate at around 550-600...
Double check your calcium kit or the way you use it.

[Roy]

I routinely get cal readings of 400 or so and alk of 9 with Instant
Ocean. When I used oceanic salt mix the calcium would be 450> and ALK
11>.......both are good salt mixes....

I have no vested interests in the company but for ALK and CAL the best
error proof kits are made by Salifert. A bit more $$ than others but
they leave little room for error and the results are dead on without
any second guessing. For other tests like ammonia, PH and
nitrate/nitrite tests I like the Seatest or Fastest kits......Just the
other day I was doing some CA/ALK/PH tests on various PICO tanks I
have, and decided to use up my Seatest CAL kit.......I bumped the
results of this kit against the Salifert kit and while the results of
the Seatest were within parameters, the Salifert gave a much more
precise reading.....It may be me and not the kit, but to me counting
drops added and swirling etc its not hard to get sidetracked or loose
count and second guess......with Seatest and other kits, but the
Salifert kits all yo have to do is drip it in drop by drop, do what
you want when dripping it, and just look for a color change and then
read the syringe and get the levels..no counting etc......Yea I know
the "drop" is considered an given form of measurement, and there is so
many drops to a ml etc etc, but all things do not form the same
exact drops from what I can tell. Heavier SG fluids make different
sized drops than lighter fluids do, and being able to read a scale on
a hypodermic syringe is 100 times more accurate and takes out any
human error on counting. I wholeheartedly recomend#1 Instant Ocean or
#2 Oceanic salt and Salifert test kits for CAL/ALK testing...followed
by Sea/Fastest for all other testing.

.. Just my take on test kits.


On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 08:52:36 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>><>Hi again all,
>><>
>><>I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
>><>BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.
>><>
>><>I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca is
>><>900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.
>><>Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!
>><>
>><>I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will need
>><>to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
>><>http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
>><>but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of Aquariums
>><>one sounds a bit dodgy.
>><>
>><>Then there is this
>><>http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61
>><>
>><>and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
>><>http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
>><>
>><>Any help appreciated.

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Wayne Sallee]

It's probably your salt.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 1/20/2006 1:47 AM:
> Thanks Mark. I spoke to my aquarium guy today and he thinks the Ca test
> kit is faulty. I only bought it off him a couple of months ago. I've got
> to find someone with a test kit round here or drive 2 1/2 hours to his
> shop with a water sample.
>
> Mark wrote:
>
>> That's some calcium content!
>>
>> A good all round salt is Instant Ocean, has a good balance of elements
>> and is used by thousands of reef keepers all over the world. Red sea
>> salt has had some bad reviews and is not regarded as one of the best.
>>
>> cheers,
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>> miskairal wrote:
>>
>>> Hi again all,
>>>
>>> I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
>>> BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.
>>>
>>> I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca
>>> is 900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and
>>> 600. Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!
>>>
>>> I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will
>>> need to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
>>> http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
>>> but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of
>>> Aquariums one sounds a bit dodgy.
>>>
>>> Then there is this
>>> http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61
>>>
>>> and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
>>> http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
>
>
>
>>>
>>>
>>> Any help appreciated.

[miskairal]

Thanks to your advice on the salifert test kits and my entering that
into google along with the word Australia I have now found an online
place to buy marine stuff which I've never come across before - Yay!

Does $51 sound a lot for the Ca ($30) and KH($21) test kits? Postage is
zero if more than $50 is spent.

Roy wrote:
> I routinely get cal readings of 400 or so and alk of 9 with Instant
> Ocean. When I used oceanic salt mix the calcium would be 450> and ALK
> 11>.......both are good salt mixes....
>
> I have no vested interests in the company but for ALK and CAL the best
> error proof kits are made by Salifert. A bit more $$ than others but
> they leave little room for error and the results are dead on without
> any second guessing. For other tests like ammonia, PH and
> nitrate/nitrite tests I like the Seatest or Fastest kits......Just the
> other day I was doing some CA/ALK/PH tests on various PICO tanks I
> have, and decided to use up my Seatest CAL kit.......I bumped the
> results of this kit against the Salifert kit and while the results of
> the Seatest were within parameters, the Salifert gave a much more
> precise reading.....It may be me and not the kit, but to me counting
> drops added and swirling etc its not hard to get sidetracked or loose
> count and second guess......with Seatest and other kits, but the
> Salifert kits all yo have to do is drip it in drop by drop, do what
> you want when dripping it, and just look for a color change and then
> read the syringe and get the levels..no counting etc......Yea I know
> the "drop" is considered an given form of measurement, and there is so
> many drops to a ml etc etc, but all things do not form the same
> exact drops from what I can tell. Heavier SG fluids make different
> sized drops than lighter fluids do, and being able to read a scale on
> a hypodermic syringe is 100 times more accurate and takes out any
> human error on counting. I wholeheartedly recomend#1 Instant Ocean or
> #2 Oceanic salt and Salifert test kits for CAL/ALK testing...followed
> by Sea/Fastest for all other testing.
>
> . Just my take on test kits.
>
>
> On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 08:52:36 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>
>>><>Hi again all,
>>><>
>>><>I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
>>><>BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.
>>><>
>>><>I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca is
>>><>900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.
>>><>Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!
>>><>
>>><>I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will need
>>><>to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
>>><>http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
>>><>but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of Aquariums
>>><>one sounds a bit dodgy.
>>><>
>>><>Then there is this
>>><>http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61
>>><>
>>><>and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
>>><>http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
>>><>
>>><>Any help appreciated.
>
>

[miskairal]

I've checked and checked and tested other water and described my testing
technique to the petshop guy over the phone. I've definitely not lost
count of drops and I read it right next to a window. I dont' think I
have tested the R/O water or our creek water so I might try that out of
interest too.

Pszemol wrote:
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>> I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca
>> is 900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.
>
>
> 900mg/l sounds not real. Calcium usually precipitate at around 550-600...
> Double check your calcium kit or the way you use it.

[Roy]

The prices on those kits vary considerably in the USA as well. The
cheapest I can find the CAL kit for locally is $22 USD and the ALK is
$14..........online I have found them for $18 and $11.........but
until I pay shipping etc, I just as soon go local, besides the
localplace is owned by my friend, so I like to patronize him as much
as possible, even though he tells me to order online and save my
money..as he can not give me a price as low as they can.....He is a
pretty nice guy....I played with and experimented with numeorus
protein skimmers for a long time before decideing on what skimmer I
was going to buy..........All provided by him.......and then he
pointed me to an online source that he told me to order from ....I
guess he has a minimum amount to place an order for when he buys
wholesale, but for most if I can wait he ponts me to online
sources.....

I think you will find the Salifert kits very easy and accurate to use.
Here is a link to comparisons on various manuf test kits in regards to
prices etc......

http://www.geocities.com/hans1976/Salifert.html



On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 07:04:14 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>><>Thanks to your advice on the salifert test kits and my entering that
>><>into google along with the word Australia I have now found an online
>><>place to buy marine stuff which I've never come across before - Yay!
>><>
>><>Does $51 sound a lot for the Ca ($30) and KH($21) test kits? Postage is
>><>zero if more than $50 is spent.
>><>
>><>Roy wrote:
>><>> I routinely get cal readings of 400 or so and alk of 9 with Instant
>><>> Ocean. When I used oceanic salt mix the calcium would be 450> and ALK
>><>> 11>.......both are good salt mixes....
>><>>
>><>> I have no vested interests in the company but for ALK and CAL the best
>><>> error proof kits are made by Salifert. A bit more $$ than others but
>><>> they leave little room for error and the results are dead on without
>><>> any second guessing. For other tests like ammonia, PH and
>><>> nitrate/nitrite tests I like the Seatest or Fastest kits......Just the
>><>> other day I was doing some CA/ALK/PH tests on various PICO tanks I
>><>> have, and decided to use up my Seatest CAL kit.......I bumped the
>><>> results of this kit against the Salifert kit and while the results of
>><>> the Seatest were within parameters, the Salifert gave a much more
>><>> precise reading.....It may be me and not the kit, but to me counting
>><>> drops added and swirling etc its not hard to get sidetracked or loose
>><>> count and second guess......with Seatest and other kits, but the
>><>> Salifert kits all yo have to do is drip it in drop by drop, do what
>><>> you want when dripping it, and just look for a color change and then
>><>> read the syringe and get the levels..no counting etc......Yea I know
>><>> the "drop" is considered an given form of measurement, and there is so
>><>> many drops to a ml etc etc, but all things do not form the same
>><>> exact drops from what I can tell. Heavier SG fluids make different
>><>> sized drops than lighter fluids do, and being able to read a scale on
>><>> a hypodermic syringe is 100 times more accurate and takes out any
>><>> human error on counting. I wholeheartedly recomend#1 Instant Ocean or
>><>> #2 Oceanic salt and Salifert test kits for CAL/ALK testing...followed
>><>> by Sea/Fastest for all other testing.
>><>>
>><>> . Just my take on test kits.
>><>>
>><>>
>><>> On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 08:52:36 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>><>>
>><>>>><>Hi again all,
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>I was wondering if you can tell me what your salt mix parameters are
>><>>>><>BEFORE you add it to your tank? ie. Water tests done on made up water.
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>I've got to change my salt mix as I've been using Coralife and the Ca is
>><>>>><>900, using R/O water although the tank reading is between 560 and 600.
>><>>>><>Also the KH is 8 leaving my tank on 5. No good!
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>I have no petshops near here so I can peruse what they have so will need
>><>>>><>to buy online here in Oz. I've so far found this
>><>>>><>http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category44_1.htm
>><>>>><>but have never heard of either of these mixes and the Age of Aquariums
>><>>>><>one sounds a bit dodgy.
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>Then there is this
>><>>>><>http://www.aquaria.com.au/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_61
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>and at ebay is a German mix called Heka, again I've never heard of it.
>><>>>><>http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MARINE-SALT-20KG_W0QQitemZ7738376708QQcategoryZ20755QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>Any help appreciated.
>><>>
>><>>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....