Red Sea Coral Pro users....

[Patroklos]

I am mixing my first batch of salt water and while consulting the instuctions fr Red Sea Coral Pro I was both amused and angered that they made their mixing insuctions in weight instead of volume.

I, like 99% of people in the world, do not have a scale on ready standby and instead add things via volume measurements. I was curios if any of you guys who use it can give me a cup:galon ratio. Thanks!

 

[melosu58]

In the end you`ll need to calibrate the ratio by using a refractometer. I would start off using 1/2 a cup per gallon. I use 2 1/2 cups for a 5 gallon bucket. I use Oceanic but 1/2 cup per gallon is a good starting point.

 

[ccCapt]

When I mix up 20g, I throw in about 8 coffee cups of salt, check my sg and add more as needed. I never mix salt by volume only so I never measured exactly how much I put in. I ALWAYS check it with a calibrated refractometer.

 

[Patroklos]

Thanks guys. I finally found it on the manufacturer's site, 1 cup for 3.75 gallons. I will check with a refractometer but that should give me 1.021 salinity.

 

[ccCapt]

Hmmm...that doesn't look right. Going by that calcualtion, my 8 cups is enough for 30g...when in fact that's about what I use for 20g mixed at 35ppt (1.026).

 

[Patroklos]

I am inclined to agree with you, since I am am only getting 1.015 salinity from the water already in the tank. I guess I will just add more salt, as there isn't a thing in the tank but less than optimal salinity water at the moment.

Honeslty, who measures mixture ingredients by the pount?

 

[roka64]

I think once you do it a few times, you won't really need to measure that much. You'll get the idea of about how much will get you there and if not, add more salt or more FW.

 

[Patroklos]

Well, it looks like 1.5 cups per 3.75 gallons yeilds 1.025. Trial and error (though the Red Sea Coral Pro manufacturers are still idiots for not providing proper measurements)

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Weight IS the "proper" measurement, if you want to get technical. But I agree... 99.9% of the people (me included) measure by volume.