osmo prep and kh buffers?

[deepblue68]

hi
i was wondering if anybody can help me with this question? i use osmo prep in my ro/di water before mixing with salt. do i need to add a kh buffer also like kent super buffer to matain ph and kh?can i just get by with kent osmo prep and use no buffer?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I wouldn't use Kent Osmo prep as you do not need to "prep" the water at all. You will, however, need to replace alkalinity in teh aquarium in some fashion in an ongoing basis, and the osmo prep is not a replacement for that need.

[deepblue68]

hi randy
iam currently using kent super buffer for that but i was told to use kent osmo prep to add tace elments which might have been filtered out. i thought i was wasting my money and time on the osmo prep. what is the benefit of osmo prep then?i was dripping kalk to keep alk and ph stable but calcium gets to high and alk drops because my tank does not have a high consumption rate at this time,so now i just add kent super buffer to my replacement water during water changes to keep ph stable.
thanks for the help
can you please let me know if iam taking this in the right direction? seems to be working.

[Dz99ls]

bump... am also using osmo prep

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There is no benefit or need for osmo prep for marine systems, IMO. The salt mixes have plenty (in many cases, debatably too much already) of the same ions that are likely in osmo prep.

Osmo prep does have uses in fresh water systems, where it brings up DI water more to the liking of fresh water fish, but you can just rely on the salt mix for reef aquaria.

[deepblue68]

thank you randy.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing. :)

[Hobster]

I too had been using the Osmo Prep in my top off water, before Randy advised that it was not needed. It had completley messed up my Ca levels. I wrote to the company to try and find out what was in it. her is their reply:


"Thanks for your inquiry. The actual composition of the product is
proprietary, however I can provide you with the approximate relative
percentages of calcium, magnesium, and buffer, if that would be helpful.

14.7% Bicarbonate
9.6% Calcium
2.8% Magnesium

I hope that this information has been helpful; please feel free to contact
me should you have any additional questions.

Kindest regards,"

Chris Brightwell

CR Brightwell
Marine Scientist
Northeast Regional Sales
Kent Marine, Inc.
770.845.5201


I don't know what those %'s mean or what the are of.:strange:

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Probably just weight percentages in the solid. Not surprising that they aren't telling you what the remaining 72.9% is. :lol:

[deepblue68]

thanks hobster
that was very interesting. iam going to use kent super buffer for now and when my tank has a higher demand for calcium i will go back to dripping kalkwasser for calcium and keeping my alk and ph stable.

[Dz99ls]

thank you for your help here randy!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy reefing. :)

[Hobster]

Hi Randy,

I received some more information on this product. Would you please "translate" the following :lol: I have 2 lbs of this stuff and would like to use it up if I can. Could I use it up as a 1 part additive? If so, how much would x raise 50 gals? Or is it to much bicarbonate relative to the Ca?? Thanks!

"One teaspoon of Osmo•Prep Marine weighs approximately 5.325 grams. Each gram of Osmo•Prep Marine contains approximately 96.0 mg of calcium, 28.0 mg magnesium, and 147.0 mg bicarbonate. Therefore, each teaspoon of the product contains approximately 511.0 mg calcium, 149.0 mg magnesium, and 783.0 mg bicarbonate. When diluted into 37.85 L of purified water, the resulting concentrations are approximately 13.5 mg/L calcium, 3.9 mg.L magnesium, and 20.7 mg/L bicarbonate. The increase in alkalinity is approximately 2.38 dKH, which corresponds to 0.85 meq/L." ***This is quote from Kent Marine, NOT Randy****:D

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Personally, I would not use it for anything except driveway deicing or a freshwater aquarium (or ice cream making). :D

[Hobster]

Originally posted by Randy Holmes-Farley
Personally, I would not use it for anything except driveway deicing or a freshwater aquarium (or ice cream making). :D

It has no "sprinkles" in it though!:lol:
Oh well what's a few more $ down the drain*

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I actually used some Coralife slt mix (that they sent to try to placate me about some mh lamps that exploded) as the salt in my icream maker. Worked nicely. :D

[Hobster]

Hmmmmmm, maybe he is saying there is a large amount of salt in this??:rolleye1: Well no ice here and I'm on diet so that leaves the trash.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, I expect that it has a lot of sodum and chloride.