The Great Salt Project

[MechanicalEngineer]

I'm going to start tracking chemical levels of various salts...if anyone wants to join, please follow the guidelines below and post up!  (In this first trial, I ran out of my Calcium test kit...so sorry.)

All salts were mixed prior to adding to water.  The saltwater was mixed for a minimum of 24 hours, was mixed to a 35 ppt salinity with refractometer, and all chemicals were measured at 80 degrees F.

SeaChem:
  8.2 pH
  9.0 dKH
  1170 Mag
  450 Ca

Instant Ocean:
  8.2 pH
  11.6 dKH
  1290 Mag

Reef Crystals:
  8.2 pH
  7.6 dKH
  1290 Mag
 
Red Sea regular salt:
  8.3 pH
  7.0 dKH
  1230 Mag

I'll keep a chart of these values once I get more.  I'm interested to see how precise these salts are.

[Rob]

I think that for an accurate comparison, you should make sure everyone if using the same brand of test kits.

[MechanicalEngineer]

Thanks Rob, I forgot to add that.  I used Salifert test kits.  If anyone has anything different, please post what you used, and I'll make a separate chart.

[Joel]

are you going to be testing Morton brand salt?

[MSUJenn]

 

[MechanicalEngineer]

Joel, I'll keep your suggestion in mind. 

Here's a great salt study done last year.  I want to do something similar, but with lots of contributions for a more precise study.

http://www.tanktests.co.uk/salt-water-study.htm

[Joel]

but with lots of contributions for a more precise study.

By contributions, do you mean you want more people involved or do you want salt donated to you to test?

[MechanicalEngineer]

LOL.  I was wanting more people involved (but I'd take some free salt too...hehe).  No, in all seriousness, without having a large group of people combining their results, we won't be able to take into account all of the settling of the salt, impurities, and variations of batches.  As you can see with my results, they're far off from what manufacturer's say their product is. 

[Riderc82]

Geez Reef Crystals tested 13.1 Dkh for the other study and your test shows 7.6 Dkh that seems like a huge difference.  I know people say their batches aren't consistent but I wouldn't of guessed there would be that much differences in their batches.

[MechanicalEngineer]

Yeah, I know.  But, that's why I want to have a bunch of people contribute their numbers.  Maybe I didn't stir the salt well enough...maybe the whole bucket is that low...but we won't know for a while.  My problem with some of these other "salt studies" is that they only used one sample for each salt.  Granted, they have more fancy lab equipment and more test kits, but...ya still need more than one sample.  That one sample I took may have been an outlier.

[muzzy]

hi
the problem you have with getting readings from loads of other people, is you cant guarantee that everyone is using the same batch number test kits, the same refractometer/hydrometer, whether they have actually calibrated it correctly, temperature of sample, cleanliness of vials, whether they have mixed the salt well enough etc etc

so.....
if you want to do something like the study i did last year, you are better off getting people to send you salt as i did then conduct each test in teh same manner with the same test kit

have fun!

muzzy

[Logzor]

Have you seen this?

http://aquariumwatertesting.com/AWT_Salt_Analysis_0208.pdf

[Baggerhog]

Great study!

[MechanicalEngineer]

Well dooky...I guess everything has been done.  I've been to their website before, but never saw the salt study.

[Riderc82]

So is anyone considering switching salt brands after seeing that study?

[aquavista99]

Have you seen this?

http://aquariumwatertesting.com/AWT_Salt_Analysis_0208.pdf

I have a copy of this study at my office. I posted the results of the above study on Ohio Reef in July 2008 as well 

http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=3558.msg27021#msg27021

For what it is worth, I think I could obtain just about the same results on my reef using a variety of salt brands listed in the study above, which is very comprehensive.

[MechanicalEngineer]

After much thought, I'm going to continue this.  I realize there will be a lot of error if anyone participates due to user bias, uncalibrated equipment, bad tests, or just plain error.  But, I think it's important to keep an eye on local salts...and for everyone to realize the variation in batches.  Even if it's just me doing it...and if no one cares...I'm just going to post what I'm getting.

Once again, tested at 35ppt salinity and 80 degrees F...and with Salifert kits.

RC:
pH:  8.3
Mag:  1140
Ca:  400
Alk:  12.8

IO:
pH:  8.4
Mag: 1450
Ca:  400
Alk:  11.6

SC:
pH:  8.5
Mag:  1050
Ca:  430
Alk:  12.2

[verper]

First bucket of SeaChem

pH:  8.2
Mag:  1000
Ca:  480
Alk:  10.8

Just opened bucket of SeaChem

pH:  8.5
Mag:  1200
Ca:  500
Alk:  11.8

[MechanicalEngineer]

Huh...interesting.  My bucket of SeaChem had about the same values as your first...maybe I'll try it again.  I wasn't pleased with that first bucket at all!!!

[Amstar]

what are the "ideal" results that should be happening?

[MechanicalEngineer]

First, I'd hope most salts were somewhat near what the manufacturers advertise.  Next, they should be somewhat consistant.  Reef salts should be near the *good* reef requirements.  Having a reef salt with 1000 magnesium is stupid. 

[lazylivin]

Having a reef salt with 1000 magnesium is stupid. 

Yeah that is just plain dumb.

[cyberwollf]

Yeah that is just plain dumb.

Maybe they get a kickback from companies selling MAG dosing supplies