Water and cycling

[kcharm]

I hear mixed things about ALL the different salt mix brands so what do I need to watch out for with oceanic? With a tiny little pico I have no desire to mix my own water so I plan to buy it from the nearest LFS, Denny's. They sell oceanic. I could travel elsewhere, but I'd rather not. I'm in Woodinville so if there is a closer LFS with a premixed salt water that you would recomend over oceanic, let me know.

Also, while cycling the tank, should I have chaeto in the 'fuge' or should I wait until post cycle?

 

[DonW]

I hear mixed things about ALL the different salt mix brands so what do I need to watch out for with oceanic? With a tiny little pico I have no desire to mix my own water so I plan to buy it from the nearest LFS, Denny's. They sell oceanic. I could travel elsewhere, but I'd rather not. I'm in Woodinville so if there is a closer LFS with a premixed salt water that you would recomend over oceanic, let me know.

Also, while cycling the tank, should I have chaeto in the 'fuge' or should I wait until post cycle?

I definately would not use oceanic on a pico tank. CA and MG is way to high, alk is to low. You dont have the water volume to fix it. The P is also high which I would guess would be a problem in a pico.

Don

 

[kcharm]

Well that is NOT what I wanted to hear.

If no oceanic than could somebody recomend a water that I can find premixed in the area?

I suppose I could mix my own, but I just really don't want to.

Also, what about the chaeto?

 

[DonW]

Well that is NOT what I wanted to hear.

If no oceanic than could somebody recomend a water that I can find premixed in the area?

I suppose I could mix my own, but I just really don't want to.

Also, what about the chaeto?

Seattle aquarium.

Don

 

[trido]

For a little pico it you could probably get a gallon milk jug filled with RO water and just shake the salt until its dissolved, then add an airstone over night before your WC. It wouldnt be too much work.

 

[billaweed]

Try this stuff. It seems to be good stuff. I've used it for emergency waterchanges. Its comes mixed and its natural sea water.

Blue Life USA Natural Sea Water

 

[kcharm]

Try this stuff. It seems to be good stuff. I've used it for emergency waterchanges. Its comes mixed and its natural sea water.

Blue Life USA Natural Sea Water

Anybody used this stuff on a regular basis?

 

[DonW]

Anybody used this stuff on a regular basis?

There was a thread in the rc chem forum a month or so ago saying it was all over the place. Sometimes low sg sometimes high and the top three were out of wack. Personally Ive never tried or tested it.

I would use seattle aquarium water before I tried that stuff, its real cheap and easy to get.

Don

 

[kcharm]

There was a thread in the rc chem forum a month or so ago saying it was all over the place. Sometimes low sg sometimes high and the top three were out of wack. Personally Ive never tried or tested it.

I would use seattle aquarium water before I tried that stuff, its real cheap and easy to get.

Don

I used to volunteer there. In the winter using their water is fine but in the summer, half the time they shut down the flow through systems and filter what they've got because the sound's water isn't suitable.

I think I'll avoid the aquarium's water. Plus, from Woodinville, it's hardly convenient which was one thing that I wanted.