thinking about starting to use Red Sea Pro.

[P-Nut]

Like the title says, I am thinking about switching.
I am currently using IO reef crystals.

Any thoughts on the Red Sea Salt?
What do you like and what you don't like?
How long does it take to mix?

Every review I find online is from 2010, which is why I started this thread.

 

[mnavick]

Love it!! Used IO for 12yrs and switched about a year ago.
Mixes pretty good but does leave a calcium (??) buildup on my water drum. All parameters are dead on and I use nothing else and have impressive growth. When I mix for a water change I let it sit with a power head for 24hrs, but usually is dissolved and clear within 20min..

 

[Overlook reef]

Love it!

Mixes well and parameters are great!

 

[mchartier]

I have used it since 2006. I liked the original version of the Coral Pro (White Coral Pro bucket) better, the newer one (Black bucket) has been very inconsistent for me especially the last 2 buckets where alk was between 5.5-6.5 dkh, yes I mix the salt before using it. I have never hit the high Alk of 12 (I normally get about 8-8.5) that they claim at 35ppt. As mentioned about it will leave a residue in you bucket and on any pumps and heaters that you use to mix. I am waiting on my first batch of ESV salt that should be here by the end of the week.

 

[P-Nut]

I have used it since 2006. I liked the original version of the Coral Pro (White Coral Pro bucket) better, the newer one (Black bucket) has been very inconsistent for me especially the last 2 buckets where alk was between 5.5-6.5 dkh, yes I mix the salt before using it. I have never hit the high Alk of 12 (I normally get about 8-8.5) that they claim at 35ppt. As mentioned about it will leave a residue in you bucket and on any pumps and heaters that you use to mix. I am waiting on my first batch of ESV salt that should be here by the end of the week.

I am having ALK and Mag issues with reef crystals. Which is why I was thinking of switching.
My Mag is high (1500) and ALK is low (6.9). Cal is fine.
I only have 3 SPS and 2 5-6" clams, and I am dosing almost the maximum amount of Kent buffer every day and barely keeping ALK at 7.4

A lot of people complain about inconsistency with RS, but most of those complains are from 2010. Which is why I was hoping that issue was solved.

Anyone else having inconsistency issues with RS?

 

[inverted]

I liked it, but it mixes up with a ridiculously high pH and tends to be cloudy. I still like reef crystals better, but either work. I haven't had inconsistency issues with RC. I always recommend testing parameters though before adding to the tank. What you describing though doesn't sound like a salt issue, it sounds more like a lack of dosing issue. Have you looked into using a 2-part?

 

[P-Nut]

I liked it, but it mixes up with a ridiculously high pH and tends to be cloudy. I still like reef crystals better, but either work. I haven't had inconsistency issues with RC. I always recommend testing parameters though before adding to the tank. What you describing though doesn't sound like a salt issue, it sounds more like a lack of dosing issue. Have you looked into using a 2-part?

Yes, I am looking at a 2 part. But my Calcium is fine, and my mag shows a little high, but that could be the test kit (RS foundation).
I am only really having trouble with ALK, and some zoas aren't happy, although everything else is fine.

 

[inverted]

Yes, I am looking at a 2 part. But my Calcium is fine, and my mag shows a little high, but that could be the test kit (RS foundation).
I am only really having trouble with ALK, and some zoas aren't happy, although everything else is fine.

Corals use 50ppm (or 2.8 dKH) of alkalinity for every 20ppm of calcium. However natural calcium levels are much higher in our tanks than alkalinity to begin with. So, a lot of reefers misinterpret this as the alkalinity is having a "problem" but the calcium isn't. This isn't correct really, they are both being used in a fixed ratio, calcium is just used slower and test kits are less able to resolve the smaller changes. Both should be added together in a fixed ratio though. Kalkwassser doses this fixed ratio naturally, as do calcium reactors and 2-part will if used according to the directions. I don't personally measure calcium often, I measure alkalinity and dose in a fixed ratio (with kalkwassser and 2 part). I have a lot of corals, so, without dosing, my alkalinity would drop about 2dkh per day, but still, even with that alk usage, my calcium would only drop about 14ppm per day. On a smaller system, it could be days or even weeks before the calcium drop was detectable on a hobby grade test kit. Be assured, they basically always go down in a fixed ratio (there can be some exceptions, but for the most part that isn't the norm and is not necessary to consider as long as you test alk regularly and at least calcium occasionally. I hardly ever need to adjust calcium though as long as it's added regularly per the ratio.

 

[P-Nut]

Corals use 50ppm (or 2.8 dKH) of alkalinity for every 20ppm of calcium. However natural calcium levels are much higher in our tanks than alkalinity to begin with. So, a lot of reefers misinterpret this as the alkalinity is having a "problem" but the calcium isn't. This isn't correct really, they are both being used in a fixed ratio, calcium is just used slower and test kits are less able to resolve the smaller changes. Both should be added together in a fixed ratio though. Kalkwassser doses this fixed ratio naturally, as do calcium reactors and 2-part will if used according to the directions. I don't personally measure calcium often, I measure alkalinity and dose in a fixed ratio (with kalkwassser and 2 part). I have a lot of corals, so, without dosing, my alkalinity would drop about 2dkh per day, but still, even with that alk usage, my calcium would only drop about 14ppm per day. On a smaller system, it could be days or even weeks before the calcium drop was detectable on a hobby grade test kit. Be assured, they basically always go down in a fixed ratio (there can be some exceptions, but for the most part that isn't the norm and is not necessary to consider as long as you test alk regularly and at least calcium occasionally. I hardly ever need to adjust calcium though as long as it's added regularly per the ratio.

Hmmm...interesting. I will do more research on the ratio and calculate it based on ALK drop.
I just ordered a 2 part from BRS. I guess I will need it.

 

[Jarob]

I used it for two years, and now use IO Reef Crystals. I didn't like how it mixed, the calcium buildup it left on my pumps, and the inconsistent params.

 

[Bobbofin]

I have used it since 2006. I liked the original version of the Coral Pro (White Coral Pro bucket) better, the newer one (Black bucket) has been very inconsistent for me especially the last 2 buckets where alk was between 5.5-6.5 dkh, yes I mix the salt before using it. I have never hit the high Alk of 12 (I normally get about 8-8.5) that they claim at 35ppt. As mentioned about it will leave a residue in you bucket and on any pumps and heaters that you use to mix. I am waiting on my first batch of ESV salt that should be here by the end of the week.

I agree. Parameters seemed to be all over the place. Makes a disgusting mess out of my mixed buckets to the point where I just threw them away along with the 1/4 bucket of salt. If it's building up in the bucket, what is it doing to your pumps? I've been using Royal Nature that B sells for the last few months. My new buckets look spotless.

 

[P-Nut]

I won't go to red sea anymore. I will stick to reef crystals.

I did a 25% water change and it brought my ALK back up to 9.8
When I went to work this morning it was at 7.5, then I came back at 6pm (12 hours later) and it was at 6.8.

I had to change the water because I was already dosing the maximum Kent buffer and it wasn't able to keep up. I guess I messed up and let it get too low.

Water volume: around 60 gallons.

Lps:
3 kinds of candy cane. All together around 30 heads.
1 pipe organ (not a true lps)
1 pagoda

SPS:
2 pocilopora
1 acropora

2 clams (6" each --- just measured them)

All others are polyps and one big finger leather.

That means that in 12 hours those corals consumed around 0.6 dkh. Or 1.2 Dkh (estimated) in 24 hours.

Does that sound normal?

 

[dannyp02908]

Have alot of coralline? Clams and coralline will use alot of alk/ca. I think 2 6 inch clams is ready for dosing. Even the addition of a small SPS frag can start using alk/ca noticeably. You keep saying you are maxxed out on the kent buffer? If you look at the back, it should have an "expert" recipe. You can try that. Or, if you really only want to dose ALK right now, go to the market and grab some Arm & Hammer baking soda (not baking powder). Look up Randys 2 part recipe on google. You can make the Alkalinity supplement for less than 2 dollars and an hour of time.

 

[P-Nut]

Have alot of coralline? Clams and coralline will use alot of alk/ca. I think 2 6 inch clams is ready for dosing. Even the addition of a small SPS frag can start using alk/ca noticeably. You keep saying you are maxxed out on the kent buffer? If you look at the back, it should have an "expert" recipe. You can try that. Or, if you really only want to dose ALK right now, go to the market and grab some Arm & Hammer baking soda (not baking powder). Look up Randys 2 part recipe on google. You can make the Alkalinity supplement for less than 2 dollars and an hour of time.

Yeah. My rocks are covered in coraline.
Well, I made the mistake of not testing more often and had to go through this. I lost two colonies of zoas.
I was used to an all soft tank that never required any dosing.

Anyways, here goes a noob question: do corals use less ALK at night?