Bio-Sea Marine Mix salt?

[mfinn]

Anyone have experince with Aqua Craft Bio-Sea Marine Mix salt?
Good, bad or ugly?

I have been a Instant Ocean/Reef Crystals user for decades, but have a chance to use some Bio-Sea Marine Mix for free.

 

[TJL]

Marty, take it...mix it... test it and let us know what you think man...lol I to went decades using I/O and just this year switched to SeaChem ReefSalt from DR. F&S but feel that most all salt mixes today are pretty decent products. Some are just to damn expensive IMO for what you actually get. I was very comfortable efficient at bumping up regular I/O to reef levels for just few pennies worth of additives, call me cheap/thrifty...

Cheers, Todd

 

[IPisces]

I have a 25 gal bag of it. Was going to mix and test it this weekend. This mix has lower calc/alk/mag levels than their other mix, but I will be using this one on the softy tank. The other mix has a real good balanced levels according to what I read in the paperwork.

 

[mfinn]

I have a 25 gal bag of it. Was going to mix and test it this weekend. This mix has lower calc/alk/mag levels than their other mix, but I will be using this one on the softy tank. The other mix has a real good balanced levels according to what I read in the paperwork.

What other mix?

 

[mfinn]

Marty, take it...mix it... test it and let us know what you think man...lol I to went decades using I/O and just this year switched to SeaChem ReefSalt from DR. F&S but feel that most all salt mixes today are pretty decent products. Some are just to damn expensive IMO for what you actually get. I was very comfortable efficient at bumping up regular I/O to reef levels for just few pennies worth of additives, call me cheap/thrifty...

Cheers, Todd

What made you decide to go to SeaChem?

Was Reef Crystals even in your choises.

 

[Skimmy]

that crap is total garbage...

lets put it this way...
used to be the cheapest salt at the fish store in seattle.
and dont forget your bottle of food grade god knows what to put in, because god knows why.

seachem aquavitro,
brightwell,
tunze,
tropic marin,
even instant ocean,
all superior salts, imo.

 

[TJL]

I was fairly impressed with them after SeaMax last year and then just down to price on [ 160g bucket actually coming out to 1.026 and no additions. So far so good but we'll see in the long run

Cheers, Todd/SIZE]

 

[IPisces]

that crap is total garbage...

lets put it this way...
used to be the cheapest salt at the fish store in seattle.
and dont forget your bottle of food grade god knows what to put in, because god knows why.

seachem aquavitro,
brightwell,
tunze,
tropic marin,
even instant ocean,
all superior salts, imo.

Used to be! How long ago was that? Is it still?
Any other reason for your negative opinion of the salt besides it was cheap?

 

[mfinn]

that crap is total garbage...

lets put it this way...
used to be the cheapest salt at the fish store in seattle.
and dont forget your bottle of food grade god knows what to put in, because god knows why



.

Mark, I would not dispute your picks of better salt. They just are.
However the salt with the little bottle of additives is Marine Inviroment dual phase formula.
MARINE ENVIRONMENT® dual phase formula

 

[HUNTER01975]

DUMB QUESTION

what makes salt better then other salt? Just trying to learn and to know what to buy here soon...

 

[IPisces]

DUMB QUESTION

what makes salt better then other salt? Just trying to learn and to know what to buy here soon...

That is actually a very good valid question.

It is a slightly lengthy answer. I am sure someone faster than I is typing it out as I type this and will post it soon.

 

[Skimmy]

Mark, I would not dispute your picks of better salt. They just are.
However the salt with the little bottle of additives is Marine Inviroment dual phase formula.
MARINE ENVIRONMENT® dual phase formula

oh marine environment... yes, my mistake, but same crappy manufacturer..
and lets be clear..
http://www.marineaquariumexpo.com/images/aquacraftsalt.jpg
all of those salts suck, imo.

and why cut corners on salt anyway?
i see no reason to deviate from more trusted brands.

 

[mfinn]

oh marine environment... yes, my mistake, but same crappy manufacturer..
and lets be clear..
http://www.marineaquariumexpo.com/images/aquacraftsalt.jpg
all of those salts suck, imo.

and why cut corners on salt anyway?
i see no reason to deviate from more trusted brands.

I was given a bag of it.

I'm a IO and RC user and will not likely change anytime soon.

 

[TJL]

Good salt bad salt has alot to do with what type of Marine Aquarium you are planning on keeping. Some salts such as std I/O are great salt for a FOWLR system but by direction only come out to 1.019 on SG and also light in cal/alk/Mg so need to be stepped up to Reef levels. Salts such as I/O Reef Crystals, SC AquaVitro are already there but costs much more for that convenience. IMHO believe that in smaller sized aquariums these so-called Reef Salts have great value but in larger systems one can step up std I/O to correct levels for much less coin. Not to many bad choices but it is much easier to find one you like and stick with it, this is better for livestock and easier on us to figure out it's dosing needs down the line.

Cheers, Todd

 

[mfinn]

. Some salts such as std I/O are great salt for a FOWLR system

Cheers, Todd

Hope you don't get po'd when I take one part of a sentence to take issue with, Todd.

I use IO on my reef tank and have no problem.

 

[TJL]

No offence taken at all Martin, I to used it on my reeftanks for a very long time. Just needs a little more than 1/2 cup per gallon plus a shot of kalk and Mg to use in a high bio-load SPS tank. In my previous two systems Softy/LPS and mixed reef went 15 years using std I/O without any issues. Money wise I will probably end up going back to I/O in the future especially if the BOSS allows me my 400-600 gallon DT in the next couple of years...lol

Cheers, Todd

 

[mfinn]

There was another part of that sentence I was wondering about..........directions? What are directions?

I buy my IO in the 200 gallon boxes/ four fifty gallon bags and when I mix the salt I get about 47-48 gallons out of it. I'm ok with that.


Which brings me back to my original thought for this thread.
I'm getting ( not here yet) a large amount of the Bio-Sea Marine Mix salt.
I really haven't found much current info on it.
Most of the links ( google) are 2005-07.

Is anyone using it?

Someone has to be or the company wouldn't still be in business

 

[skinz78]

that crap is total garbage...

lets put it this way...
used to be the cheapest salt at the fish store in seattle.
and dont forget your bottle of food grade god knows what to put in, because god knows why.

seachem aquavitro,
brightwell,
tunze,
tropic marin,
even instant ocean,
all superior salts, imo.

I think you are quite mistaken, and confused about which product is which....

I use this salt on my 120g SPS dominant reef and LOVE it. There is no little bottle to mix in??? It mixes clean clear and quickly.

Here are the numbers I got when testing it in a 5 gallon bucket mixed to 1.026, I tested twice to double check my numbers were spot on:

SG 1.026
Cal 430~420
Alk 9.6~9.6
Mag 1410~1410

I switched from this from Red Sea Coral Pro, after using that crud I'll never look back.... Lorrie can testify to the problems that I've had from the RSCP.... She saw the fallout.... I've used most of the salts that were listed above and wasn't impressed.

 

[extremecoral]

@Skinz78 what brand are you using right now?

 

[skinz78]

Aqua Crafts Bio Sea. I've got 10 gallons mixing right now for a WC tomorrow.

FWIW if you go to The Fish Store by the U Dist or Greenlake "I'm horrible with remembering specific area's in Seattle" and talk to the owner he'll tell you that it's the only salt mix he uses in his tanks. They've been using it since the 70's.