Seachem Reef Salt Mix - Test Results

Discussion in 'Salt' started by infamous, Nov 23, 2009.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

Did you have similar results with Seachem Reef Salt Mix

  1. Yes

    60.0%
  2. No

    20.0%
  3. I never test my salt mix

    20.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. infamous

    infamous Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Messages:
    741
    [​IMG]

    This test was done on/at/with
    160 Gallon Seachem Reef Salt Mix Bucket purchased from drfostersmith.com on Nov 15, 2009
    78°F
    1.026 S.G.
    mixed well and aerated for 48 hours
    Test was done after 48 hours
    Water source from BRS 7 Stage RO/DI unit


    API Mater Reef Test Kit (test kit 2 years old)
    Ca - 480
    dKH -9
    NO3 - 0
    PO4 - 0

    Salifert Test Kits (brand new test kits)
    Calcium - 490
    dKH - 9
    Magnesium - 1500
    NO3 - 0

    Red Sea (brand new test kit)
    PO4 - 0


    Other Thoughts
    I thought that Mg was a little high but other than that all the levels were good.

    Water mixed to superb clarity and abosultely no residue which is what i like.

    This is the first time i've used this salt.

    If you are using other salts please make a thread and post your results so it will help someone.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2009
    2 people like this.
  2. Click Here!

  3. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2007
    Messages:
    423
    Location:
    Las Vegas
    Very good info. I like the numbers for Seachem's salt.. I use Coralife. I'll do a battery of tests and add to this thread in a couple days.
     
  4. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2009
    Messages:
    3,200
    Location:
    Cedarburg, Wi
    Magnesium of 1500 would be a very good thing. I highly doubt any bryopsis algae(nasty nasty stuff0 would ever try to live in that salt mix water.

    That said, regardless of the brand, hobbyist grade mag tets are highly inaccurate, so it could be reading higher than what it really is.

    For the bryopsis, the old (2 years old LOL) remedy was to raise your mg to 1600ppm. that usually did the trick with no adverse results, unless you like bryopsis.

    Now, many folks take the mg higher, to like 1700-1800 ppm, and then they know it is over the threshold of what that nasty algae can handle.

    I personally use the red sea salt, as the levels are all where I want them to be, especially alk, where the red sea alk is around 10 dkh IIRC.
     
  5. infamous

    infamous Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Messages:
    741
    I used red sea salt but everytime i mixed it, it left this white residue which was almost impossible to remove. The salt would never mix to a crystal clear solution, it was always a little cloudy. I like to maintain a lower dKH around 9 so this salt is perfect.
     
  6. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2009
    Messages:
    3,200
    Location:
    Cedarburg, Wi
    Your red sea salt was cloudy? I have never had that issue.
     
  7. infamous

    infamous Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Messages:
    741

    Yep, always. I bought 2 buckets of it. It always left a big mess.
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. Robman

    Robman Great White Shark

    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2009
    Messages:
    2,688
    Location:
    Katy, Tx.
    Those readings are almost identicle to Oceanic.
     
  10. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2009
    Messages:
    11,284
    Location:
    shenzhen Guangdong PRC
    I have used Red Sea and did always have a residue in the bucket (sand I believe)

    I use Red Sea coral pro now, and dont get the residue

    test results on coral pro at temp of 26 C

    Calc 460 (Tropic Marin)
    Magnesium 1470 (Tropic Marin)
    DKH - 9 ( Red Sea
    PO4 - 0 (Salifert)
    NO3 - 0 ( Hippo )

    Steve
     
  11. BTB0923

    BTB0923 Flamingo Tongue

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2009
    Messages:
    112
    Location:
    Morrisville, NC
    I am getting conflicting results with this salt mix when using Seachem test kits in comparison with other brand test kits....

    Calcium:

    API test kit: 480
    Seachem test kit: 420

    Alk:

    Seachem Carb/Borate Alk test kit: 2.8 meq/L total, 0.5 meq/L borate
    Seachem Marine ph/Alkalinity test kit: 3.0 meq/L
    Salifert Carbonate Hardness/Alkalinity test: 4.00 meq/L

    I have contacted Seachem to try and figure out why my test results would be so inconsistent between the different brands. I am aware of the large amount of borate alk that has to be taken into consideration when testing for carbonate alk, but unless there is something I'm missing, it still doesn't explain the difference in results for total alk.

    Irregardless of the difference in results when using other company's test kits, there is still cause for concern IMO. If you go by the Seachem test kit results (which I would think would be safer using Seachem brand salt) then the carbonate alkalinity is WAAAY low.....2.3 meq/L?!?!?!?!? Thats 5.014 DKH. Maybe I just got a bad batch?