I recently lost 3 fish after a routine 25% water change. When I tested my water immediately, my alkalinity had dropped in half (from what it had been right before the water change). Calcium was literally off the charts (higher than what my test kit could measure). There was nothing else note worthy about my water parameters. No nitrites or nitrates. No ammonia. Normal pH, salinity, etc.
I recently did a Google search and talked to some friends and apparently, this isn't all that uncommon for Reef Crystals. Sometimes it's the other way around (with the alkalinity going through the roof).
My buddy at the LFS said that sometimes the different components of the salt mix "settles out" in the bucket if the bucket has been sitting in one place for too long. I don't know if I believe that or not, but either way, if you use Reef Crystals, be sure to test it in a small batch of newly mixed water.
Cheers
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Marine Aquariums of South Africa
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Warning about Reef Crystals
Posted: January 12th, 2012, 7:01pm CST by sihaya