Oceanic Salt...

[MikeS]

Hi all....

Anybody out there using the new Oceanic Salt mix? How long have you been using it? What salt brand are you switching from? Have you noticed any problems....ie low alk, high Mg, ect...

The reason I ask is that a new LFS here carries it at IMO reasonable prices...$9.99 for a 50 gal mix....the only other LFS locally that has marine stuff carries Instant Ocean at outrageous prices, and I don't like IO anyway...

Thanks...

MikeS

 

[Illusion]

Well to start off with I have been using it since the day it was made availible here in oregon... Probably about 8 months now... To be quite honest I have enjoyed this salt quite a bit... There is only a few issues.. Some being good some being bad...

The levels seem to be pretty stable between buckets.. Well between the 6 buckets I have used so far.. LOL..

Ca 500+
Mg 1500
Alk 8
Sr 8
po4 0
nitrates 0

The price is right 40.00 - 45.00 per 200g bucket... It mixes fast and works great... I have not noticed any issues because of it what so ever... I am a very happy Camper and recommend Oceanic Salt to anyone...

HTH,
James

 

[john]

I too have been using it since it came out I have great color and growth on my corals

 

[EvilMel]

If you have a reef club there you might consider doing a group buy on the salt so that you get it even cheaper. We did this in our club and got Kent salt for $36/200g bucket, with free shipping. I think everyone is really satisfied because there is talk of getting another pallet (36 buckets). We somehow managed to get all 36 buckets sold before purchase even though I would say we have fewer that 18 active members (not all of whom needed salt at the time).

 

[mojoreef]

Good tip Mel, thanks.

I have played around with this salt also. I would have to say that IMHO this salt is designed for Wc's and not so much for inital tank set up. The levels calcium and magnesium are alot higher then I would like to see if one was starting a tank with it. On the other hand the higher levels of the above make it a good salt for those that use WC's for element replenishment.


MIke

 

[EvilMel]

That's really true about the higher Ca and Mg. I actually do use it for nutrient replacement (and to remove all of Priscilla's poop, which is the big Naso I have).

Do a group buy for whatever salt your group likes, because that's one of the best things about belonging to a club, that and all the other reef-nerds you get to talk to.

 

[Shoreliner11]

I use oceanic salt as well and I really like it. Levels seem to be pretty much what was posted earlier. Sometimes alkalinity is a little lower but never below 7 or so. Not sure if my tank would notice a difference if I changed salts though. IMO most salts are pretty equal after 24hrs of airation.

 

[MikeS]

the higher levels of the above make it a good salt for those that use WC's for element replenishment.

Good point Mojo....kalk alone does not seem to meet the needs of my tank, hopefully a salt like this used for water changes could help this situation a bit. I currently use Red Sea salt, which is low in Mg, Ca, and Alk. I think I'll give the Oceanic a try and see what happens....

thanks for the replys everybody...

MikeS

 

[Fly n Reef]

Just thought I would tag along here. I was looking at the numbers and like what I see. My question is how do you safely change from IO to Oceanic? Any tips or tricks to keep my tank happy and healthy?
Thanks,
Fly

 

[Illusion]

I changed from CS to Oceanic and I changed 2g per week in a 70g system for the first month then slowly bumped it up to 5g then but the end of the second month I was doing 20g water changes biweekly... just take it slow and small WC

HTH,
James

 

[mojoreef]

I agree with James, slow is the key. Different SW mix makers use different products to achieve a total salt mix, sometimes blending two mixes all at once can be brutal.

I like james method numbers for changing over to.



Mike

 

[mojoreef]

Shoreliner the reason your getting low alk is because the levels of mag and cal are so high. The mag binds up free carbonate, so does cal to a point. So that would drive the alk down. This is something I would keep an eye on when using this salt long term.

Mike

 

[Shoreliner11]

Thanks mojo, I usually have to add around 4-5ml of the second part of c-balance (basically b-ionic) to get it back up with my small water changes. My tank dkh is right at 10 and is staying pretty stable.

 

[Dr B]

I initially set my tank up with IO, and ended up getting a bucket of oceanic when I couldnt get one of IO.
My tank has a total of 180g water volume(actual water volume), and I have done enough water changes to go through all of the oceanic bucket.
There have been no problems, and the only thing I have noticed is that after starting to do my WC with this salt, i started to get corraline growth on the tank walls and such. It could be coincidence, or that this salt has a higher level of something enabiling the growth. Because I was doing consistent WC with IO just like this salt.
I like it, and will probably buy a second bucket now that I am out.

 

[MikeS]

Probably the high Ca, Dr. B....

I've switched salts in the past before....from IO to Red Sea, which I currently use. I plan on doing 5 gallon WC's every 2 weeks with the new salt, keeping an eye on the Mg especially. Fortunately, Red Sea is low on Mg....my tank is currently at 1125ppm @ 1.026.

If my Mg gets too high, is there a good way to drive it back down? I drip kalk, which I know drives Mg down, hopefully this will help keep it in check...

MikeS

 

[Woodstock]

I switched from IO to Oceanic months ago. I've already went through one bucket of Oceanic and am very pleased with the tank parameters.

 

[CarlaW]

I switched to Oceanic back in late July, was using IO. I do 20 gallon changes weekly in my 300 and I haven't had any problems. I like Mojo's thinking on the replenishing of trace elements!!

 

[DonW]

Shoreliner the reason your getting low alk is because the levels of mag and cal are so high. The mag binds up free carbonate, so does cal to a point. So that would drive the alk down. This is something I would keep an eye on when using this salt long term.

Mike

Mike,
This sounds like it could? be my low alk problem. If MG is causing it how do we bring it down without making everything else fall or stopping water changes.
CA 440
MG 1400
Salinity 35
PH 8.3 to 8.5
Alk 7 and falling without daily buffer 10 with.
Only dosing 1 tsp kalk PG in all top off 5G per day. CA reactor at 50 dkh at a fast drip rate (to fast to count).
5% one week 10% the next wc buffered up to 12.

Thanks
Don

 

[mojoreef]

Yea Don thats was exactly what I was refering to. A simple explainsion would be this. Magnesium Ions coat the alkalinity ions and thus dont allow them to percipatate the calcium ion. Kind like calciums big brother.
Your mag is about a 100 or so points higher then it should be, your calcium is about 50 points (not to much worry on the cal). and you alk is takeing a bit of a hit, if you do the math it makes sence with the level of mag.
Its a tough fix bringing it down. but it can be done. if these are the true levels.
Ca 500+
Mg 1500
Alk 8
Sr 8
I would buffer up the alk to about 12 in the bucket and wait for a couple of days prior to doing the change. Bumping up the alk should cause the mag to percipatate out of solution a bit and bring it a little closer to reality. Remember ALK is the most important element in the water in regards to your corals. Calcium stops cellular division in a coral, where as the carbonate help the cell pull the calcium out of the cell structure and deposit it on the skeleton.


Mike

 

[Illusion]

I dont really have any issues with my Ca and Alk staying in line... I just turned up the reactor and called it good... My levels always stay at about 480 ca, 9 dkh and Mg 1500... I figured that everything was/is looking great and I have yet to see any issues with the levels being the way they are... The Only thing I have noticed is that the Effluent in the reactor isnt acting right.. 6.7pH = ~18dkh My pH in the reactor had to be dropped to 6.4-6.5pH just to get the Alk up in the reactor in order to hold the levels where they were at... When I was running high alk such as 12-14 I noticed things were alot more prone to RTN... I have made several complaints to Oceanic in reguards to the levels being awesome at their recommended Sg but Extremely high at NSW values... They stated they would get it off to the Right people... Habib from Salifert has also made a complaint or 2... Hopefully Oceanic will take the hint and set the target levels 440ca, 1350mg, 8dkh at 1.025-.026 instead of the 1.021-.023... But who know swhat will happen... I have noticed alot more growth since switching over to Oceanic... As well as other stuff but.. Just dont like the high Ca and Mg but it has yet to cause a problem with ALOT of of oregon reefers as 90% of us down here have been using it for some time now..

James