Instant Ocean Synthetic Salts & Algae Outbreaks: My Conclusion

[07FocusST]

Hey all,

Not too long ago I was informed that IO (Instant Ocean) was bought out by MarineLand. Since then IO has been having some issues with their salts causing algae outbreaks.

I have had my 180G up since about this part January and have started using IO. I was using either H2Ocean or Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Never had any issues with these salts in my 55G before I switched over to my 180G and started to use IO Reef Crystals.

So here is my 2 Month Study of IO salts:

180G Display with 33G Sump is a maximum capacity of 213G total. Roughly 10% water change is 20G weekly which I have been doing until recent.

I have noticed an extreme amount of GHA breakout in my tank which is very frustrating. Not even 2 Sea Hares would eat it all.

I run 2x 250w MH's (5 months old) @ 14K each. Also have 2x T5 actinic's 420nm & 450nm. I use a Reeflo Dart CL system which is more than enough flow for supporting SPS. I do use RO/DI water from my LFS which is temp & pH matched to the tank and tested clear of Phosphates.

My sump includes a Large Beckett Skimmer, a huge mass of Cheato & LR Rubble. I also use Brightwell Aquatic Extraphos Media in a bag, A small Phosban Reactor full of Brightwell Aquatic NeoZeo, Big media bag full of Carbon and small UV Sterilizer. I also have a small CPR Refugium light over the cheato during the night cycle.

2 weeks ago I stopped performing water changes to see if it helped eliminate so of the GHA from growing. Turns out that while I stopped the water changes the GHA has actually seemed to slow or stop growing. Interesting huh!? I thought so too! So.... that being the case I will be buying 2x 5G buckets of Brightwell Aquatics NeoMarine during Barrier Reef Aquariums Customer Appreciation sale. So then my tank will be all Brightwell products.

If you have any comments or suggestions I am open for the feedback!

Sorry about being all over the place with the discussion. I have to leave the computer every 20 seconds to maintain my 9 month old twins and lose my place.


-Derrick

 

[returnofsid]

Hmmm, that's very interesting. If you don't mind, I'd like to move this thread to our Chemistry forum, for some feedback from Boomer.

 

[07FocusST]

Thanks Sid... I didn't think to place the thread in Boomer's Forum.

 

[NC2WA]

Derrick,

I've been using IO salt for 5 yrs and have had no issues with any algae. Have you tried purchase IO from a different source to eliminate the possibility of a bad batch??

 

[07FocusST]

I got my 160g bucket from BRA to start the tank and have been using IO 55g bags from a LFS. Pretty hard to be a bad batch between 2 different stores and 6 months in time. It is surely amazing how the tank is clearing up. I have been pulling GHA dailt for over 4 months now. This is the first week that I can actually confirm that the growth has slowed or stopped. Still got a alot of GHA to get rid of and some other type of algae which I got to look up.

 

[07FocusST]

So I discovered that along with the tons of GHA I have already, "Bryopsis pennata" is growing along with it...

 

[trido]

No problems with the regular IO from me. Used salt from a 160 G bucket from BRA, A 55g bag and now IM back into a 160G bucket.

Have you checked the TDS on your RO/DI lately?

 

[07FocusST]

Its not my RO, its the LFS RO/DI unit. I have been using their water for quite some time now. No one else has complained about their water.... yet.

 

[NC2WA]

wish I had a definitive answer for you.

but if you have bryopsis, increasing your Mg level to 1700 will kill it:

How to Rid Your Reef of Bryopsis « Austin Reef Keeper

What is your PO4 level?

 

[tike]

Hmmmm..very interesting. I have been using IO for the past 20 years and have never had unusual algae outbreaks from it. Do you know trates and P03 levels?

 

[07FocusST]

wish I had a definitive answer for you.

but if you have bryopsis, increasing your Mg level to 1700 will kill it:

How to Rid Your Reef of Bryopsis « Austin Reef Keeper

I did catch something about this not too long ago... Good thing I got Brightwell Aquatics Magnesion-P that can handle 4,000 Gallons per can! Nitrates have always been 0ppm and Phosphates can sometime be 0.25ppm depending. I think the algar is absorbing some of the Phosphates from being tested.

 

[the6goat6man6]

Kind of funny, I was wondering if IO reef crystals were causeing my problems also! I too have some GHA, and some suspect bryopsis, a little cyano. I was begining to suspect the IORC. Also my cal levels are high, 500-510ppm? here is the kicker, my water perameters test perfect(minus cal)!? not sure what the problem is, I don't feed much, and my skimmer is oversized (SWC 180, 70DT/40sump/40fuge).

I was thinking of switching salts, not really sure what to go with or if this is the problem.

 

[Chichas01]

Have you tested your makup water before adding it to yout tank? Seems like any nitrate or phosphate would show up in your mixing container before it has a chance to be absorbed by anything once added to your tank.

 

[DonW]

I did catch something about this not too long ago... Good thing I got Brightwell Aquatics Magnesion-P that can handle 4,000 Gallons per can! Nitrates have always been 0ppm and Phosphates can sometime be 0.25ppm depending. I think the algar is absorbing some of the Phosphates from being tested.

The Brightwell will not kill off the Briopsis you need Kent Tech M its not the MG its the Tech M itself that does the killing.

I also would not be real quick to jump on the salt. You have all this algae growing to include the chaeto. This means you have high nutrients, you have to feed it in order for it to grow and live. If you are seeing .25ppm on a regular hobbiest P test kit and have all the algae then you have excess P. One of the fastest and easiest ways to deal with these issues is proper testing and eliminating P sources. If its within your means a Hanna colorimeter for testing P will be one of the best purchases you could make for a reef tank and your sanity.

If you figure out the nutrient issues you wont even be able to grow chaeto in your sump. The LR rubble is also a nitrate factory in a sump feeding the chaeto. There is to much 02 to denitrify. The carbon bag can also be the same if left to long without changing.

I'd venture to say its a combonation of lots of little things and the salt is probably not one of them. But you can easily rule it out with a colorimeter.

Don

 

[TJL]

Another Hmmmm, Along with (Tike666) I have been using Instant Ocean for more than 25 years without any issues from thier salt mix. If your tank was only recently re-set Hair Algae is not abnormal. If this were a 5-10 year old system, then maybe I'd consider the salt mix to be the issue. In saying that, ask if the LFS has recently tested thier filtered water before unneccessarily going to a more expensive salt mix. On your size of system with even an average bio-load it would take 3-4 sq ft minimum of a Caulerpa/Chaeto bed to have effective nutrient removal. The commonly used sumps barely provide enough area for adequate pod reproduction. I have approx 4sf of fuge on my little 75g. On the Bryopsis it seems the best source of Mg is from Kent Tech-M to effectively ged rid of it.
IMO let it ride for a few more months to settle it all out, the bacteria will eventually balance out with all the different media you are running and is my educated guess on what is just now happening.

Cheers, Todd

 

[07FocusST]

I will check these items out. Unfortunatly I will be moving in a few months so waiting it out wont be much of an option

 

[rayjay]

I've been using IO for almost 18 years now. I go through about 4 or 5 50g bags a month.
I have in the past, has some hair algae problems but it would be only in maybe one, sometimes two systems out of ten systems on the go. Obviously then in my case it wasn't the salt that was the problem.
In your case though, I doubt the salt is the problem or everybody should be having the problem just like you are.
I think too many times people suspect a salt to be the problem for their woes, possibly because the woes started coincidentally with the change to a specific salt.
In all my years of reefing, I've always found the problem stemmed from tank husbandry not being sufficient for the amount of nutrient I load the tanks with, taking into consideration what those tanks had for biological and mechanical filtration.
I also found that my tanks with substrate were always worse than my bare bottom tanks for getting rid of the problem. Now I only have one system left with substrate.

 

[barrierreefcf]

The TDS is zero on any water you got from us D Everyone should check their I/O for PO4, unusual MG levels, and Alk thats way off. There have been problems lately. It may affect individual tanks differently. We had about a dozen servicing aquariums, some tanks at the store, and customers (RO/DI water from many different sources being used here), all start having problems with increased algae growth including Dinoflagellate blooms. Ever since Marineland took over quality control has been lacking. See the heater issue and massive recall most recently. I know I/O has a great and long history but it doesn't mean things don't change. If its working for you great but don't rule it out as a cause of your problem if you are struggling. If nothing else...I/O mixes with PO4 present. There are other brands that don't.

 

[NC2WA]

Cy,

Any chance you will carry the Hanna Colorimeters??

I have been waiting with baited breath for the Ca colorimeter.

 

[barrierreefcf]

Hi Kirk,

We looked into it. They simply don't offer enough of a margin or price protection for the LFS. They are an expensive, low demand item, and its just not good business to have them collect dust on the shelf to make so little when the right person does finally come along to buy one. Definately an item to order online Great products!

Cy,

Any chance you will carry the Hanna Colorimeters??

I have been waiting with baited breath for the Ca colorimeter.