which salt is the right choice? (again)

[BobinCovington]

I purchased some salt mix because it was in the "convenient" 5 gallon pouches to mix, but now I am hearing mixed reviews on this salt. It is high in Calcium and some people have algae issues with it. I am thinking of switching back to Instant Ocean or the Seachem product.

What are the choices I should consider (I have some SPS, LPS, some soft corals and a clam, clown fish, bulb anenome, tang and shrimp) I also have a kalk reactor running on my system.


As always...I appreciate the advice

 

[matts125]

i have great luck with IO and will stick with IO.. plus its cheap 32 bucks for a 160 gallon bucket (5 gallons)

Matt

 

[spongebob lover]

i agree Instant Ocean is the best dood .

 

[LakeEd]

Bob,

All of the salts out there seem to have goods and bads about them. I believe the key is just to know how the salt we use tests, and what is required when we use that piticular salt.

I like Instant Ocean. Sure... it tests a little low in Calcium and Mag... but I understand this, and when I do my weekly 37gallon water changes... I know to buffer my make-up water for Calcium & Magnesium. Doing that, brings my tests into the range that I want for my tank.

Like I said though... each salt has goods and bads... just do your best to know how the salt you choose to use works, and if/what you need to do with it from there... then be consistant with it.

 

[Grey Legion]

How would one go about testing salt to see if it meets the needs of the tank ??

 

[spongebob lover]

How would one go about testing salt to see if it meets the needs of the tank ??

dood what you do is lick your finger (a good 2 seconds), then you put your finger in the bucket (give it a good toss around the salt) and then right after that, you put your finger in your mouth and leave it there for 2 sec .... buala.... if it's salty enough, then you got the right salt, if not, then you might wanna go try a new bran LOL!!!!

ok ok i'm sorry i better just shut up

 

[tike]

dood what you do is lick your finger (a good 2 seconds), then you put your finger in the bucket (give it a good toss around the salt) and then right after that, you put your finger in your mouth and leave it there for 2 sec .... buala.... if it's salty enough, then you got the right salt, if not, then you might wanna go try a new bran LOL!!!!

ok ok i'm sorry i better just shut up

Gabby......the babys hungry! :badgrin:

 

[sihaya]

How would one go about testing salt to see if it meets the needs of the tank ??

What do you mean? Are you talking about the actual NaCl or the additives that come in the salt mixes? When it comes to the additives, you can test for the most important ones (i.e. calcium, magnesium, etc...)

 

[LakeEd]

How would one go about testing salt to see if it meets the needs of the tank ??

Make up water to your desired Specific Gravity (hopefully, already in the habbit of using RO/DI)... Mix and Airate. Test pH, Alk, Calc, Magnesium. Nitrates & Phosphates should be zero... but those could also be tested.

Buffer pH, Alk, Calc & Mag as you wish, for what your desired levels are.

 

[LakeEd]

dood what you do is lick your finger (a good 2 seconds), then you put your finger in the bucket (give it a good toss around the salt) and then right after that, you put your finger in your mouth and leave it there for 2 sec .... buala.... if it's salty enough, then you got the right salt, if not, then you might wanna go try a new bran LOL!!!!

ok ok i'm sorry i better just shut up

Aren't you supposed to be doing the Hokey-Pokey in there someplace as well, as you shake yourself about???

 

[spongebob lover]

Make up water to your desired Specific Gravity (hopefully, already in the habbit of using RO/DI)... Mix and Airate. Test pH, Alk, Calc, Magnesium. Nitrates & Phosphates should be zero... but those could also be tested.

Buffer pH, Alk, Calc & Mag as you wish, for what your desired levels are.

i agree, that's i think the only way to find out.

Aren't you supposed to be doing the Hokey-Pokey in there someplace as well, as you shake yourself about???

LOL!!! there you go just don't shake it to much or you can break stuff

 

[Skimmy]

i think it's a well established fact that most reefers use io,
if you want a salt with a little more calcium then do reef crystals instead of io, but definately ditch the oceanic, i've heard of nothing but trouble with it.
or if you got money to burn then get tropic marine reef salt, definately a great salt to use.

 

[sihaya]

I don't care what y'all say, I use tropic marin because the box is pretty... and because it's German. lol j/k Though seriously, with as little as we know about the different salt mixes, trade dress and country of origin seems as good a way to pick a salt as any.

 

[Scooterman]

I know what we can do, another salt study

IO is locally available, cheap & mixes as good as the best I've tried, It has been around commercially for years I don't have complaints.

 

[BobinCovington]

I don't want to start any reason for another salt study, but it helps to hear what other successful tanks are running. So what I am taking from this is that the safest choices are ...

1) instant Ocean
2) Instant Ocean with Calcium (Reef Crystals)
3) Tropic Marin Reef Salt (I think it has extra calcium compared to the reg Tropic marin)

53) (i.e. way down the list) Oceanic

 

[Willy]

I would agree on the testing of nitrates. I have a trace amount when I mix up my Tropic Marin (0.2ppm) as for cost heres the cost difference between IO and Tropic Marin


160 gallon bucket IO $34.95 = $0.22 a gallon

200 gallon bucket Tropic Marin (regular) $49.95 = $ 0.25 a gallon

200 gallon bucket Tropic Marin Pro $59.95 = $ 0.30 a gallon....when you break it down that way its really not that much of a difference

Ive used Oceanic and it has very high calcium and low alk. Kent is about the same as Oceanic ...used Kent for a while and I now use the Tropic Marin. we'll see how it goes I'm not real pleased with the detectable nitrates in a fresh mix tho..

Forgot to add how Tropic Marin mixes up

Calcium 380
Alk 9.3dkh
PH 8.3

 

[Brenden]

Bob I guess you had trouble with oceanic? I use IO and have never had a problem. I go though 2-300 gals a month. I do suppliment CA with new SW though. (use to use oceanic but had PH problems)

 

[sihaya]

I know what we can do, another salt study

hey there now... thems fightin' words!


Seriously though, I would actually donate my husband's hard earned money to a study that would simply test the chemical compositions of these salts over the course of a year or so. It could answer so many questions!

 

[Dr. Dee]

I don't want to start any reason for another salt study, but it helps to hear what other successful tanks are running. So what I am taking from this is that the safest choices are ...

1) instant Ocean
2) Instant Ocean with Calcium (Reef Crystals)
3) Tropic Marin Reef Salt (I think it has extra calcium compared to the reg Tropic marin)

53) (i.e. way down the list) Oceanic

I agree with this, I have used alot of salt before and these are the best that works for me.Oceanic salt has too much calcium the level is over 900,alk18.

 

[sihaya]

I don't completely agree with ranking the salts like that. Again because they vary from batch to batch and because we don't even know what makes a salt "safe." If I were to make a list it would be something like:

Probably Safe: IO, IO-RC, Tropic Marin, Crystal Seas, etc.
Probably Not-safe: Morton's, SuperMelt, etc.
Bit of a Gamble: Oceanic