Weekly Discussion - Your Salt Mix

[Anonymous]

Weekly Discussion - Salt Mix

There are lots of them on the market, which one do you use? Why? Do you really think on brand is better than another? Why?

About the RDO Weekly Discussion:
This discussion is meant to get at your experience and to share information that is in your head, so don't necessarily treat it as information gathering. State your opinion and, if available, use material, anecdotal or otherwise, that will back up your opinion.
Past weekly discussions will be archived in the archives.
If you have topics that you think would be helpful for the RDO community to discuss, please send me a pm or start your own thread! :mrgreen:

 

[EmilyB]

I use Kent (what will I do now.... 8O ). It kept my Ca and Alk up for my first four years in the hobby. (Water changes).

Tried a switch to IO once during that time with bad results. Won't repeat the experiment.

Will be looking for a new alternative soon.

 

[Anonymous]

Emily,

What were the bad results?

 

[npaden]

I use Instant Ocean because it is readily available and I got 10 buckets of it for $29 a bucket including shipping last summer when Petsmart.com had a deal on it. I'm down to 5 buckets now though and am going to be using that up soon and will have to look for another deal. I've never had any issues with it but it's the only salt I've ever used.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[ChrisRD]

I've used mostly IO and Tropic Marin - never had a problem with either one. Over the years if I couldn't get one of those two locally I've tried some others with no problems until last year...

I tried Crystal Sea Bioassay Mix (found some cheap) for a small water change last year and lost most of my SPS corals within a week! I used the rest for driveway deicer this past Winter...

So, in general I haven't personally noticed big differences in salt mixes I've tried with the exception of Crystal Death Bioelimination Mix...

...BTW my baby urchins looked great the whole time my SPS were bleaching...

 

[Mikef1]

I use instant ocean and havnt tried anything else except a long time ago I used coralife in a fish only tank.

 

[ChaoticReefer]

I have been using IO from day 1 (5 years). I can't compare it to other salts since I have only used one brand. But I don't get the feeling that IO has had any ill effects on my corals.

In the very near future (in matter of a week) I am going to try Oceanic for a change. I have heard good things about it and its was not endorsed by a certain person.

 

[fishfanatic2]

i use IO. Everyone else uses it, it works, and its good enuf for me. :wink:

 

[EmilyB]

Emily,

What were the bad results?

Instant algae. :?

I used it on three separate tanks, so it seemed pretty conclusive since all three had the same thing happen beginning with the first IO water change. Maybe the two don't mix well?

 

[Bdubbya]

I've used IO over the last two years and am slowly switching over to oceanic. So far I've had no ill effects. I'm only doing weekly water changes of one gallon, to replace trace elements, and calcium. The reason I am switching is there is more calcium in oceanic than IO for the same price. I figured I would try the weekly water changes for a while to keep my calcium levels up. So far so good.

 

[kim]

I think we have so little authoritative information on the composition (and consistency) of the brands and, just as important, the potential impact, that we are in an impossible position here.

The misleading advertising of most salts makes me pretty sceptical of whether I can trust them. "Added trace elements".... I understand why, at the price they exist, just I find the presentation quite irritating and off-putting.

I am lost in the fog.

One idea I read, which struck a chord.

Buy four or five brands. Alternate water changes. That way hopefully the the excesses and shortfalls in one mix may be offset by those in the others.

I guess that many of the chemical contaminants will be common across brands (bulk chemical makers probably use much the same processes and raw materials), but this may help. There may be a maker out there deliberately using lower grade materials to reduce costs.

I know that some people seem to have problems changing brands...should this indicate significantly different compositions of salt mix, then the alternation between brands may be even more useful. Nothing too much, nothing dramatic, just a regular 10 % change.

Maybe even mix the salts to begin with....two parts IO, one RC, add salt to taste ? Yum yum...

kim

 

[Bone]

I use Tropic Marin. I like it because it dissolves completely. And it's more expensive, therefor it must be better lol. I planning to try Tropic Marin Pro Reef later this year when it becomes available in the US.

Someday, when MattM does the salt study we'll have something more to base our choices on.

I'm not keeping any urchin embryos ( or whatever they were), so that study didn't sway me. heh

 

[ZooKeeper1]

I use Bio-Sea marine mix. I have read some good things about it, and have seen excelent results using it. Have you read the S-15 report? sounds good but I dont really trust it.

 

[mark78]

I am trying to put together a generic and basic salt list, with little success so far Nothing as in depth as the Inland reef...

I want to get as many pH, Alk, phosphate nitrate, ca, mg and iodine if possible...just to compare brands and see if people using similar brands are getting similar results.

If you use RO water of some sort you can send your salt water data (unbuffered) to [email protected] and if/when I get enough to do any comparison I'll post the data

 

[Anonymous]

I am using IO and I will be switching when this bucket runs out.

This is my 4th bucket of IO measuring 260 CA, 10 DKH ALK and a Mag of 800 at 1.025 Sal.

I think I am going to try the Oceanic. Even if its a little more it reportedly has higher CA levels so the money I can save on CA additives can be spent on the salt.
_________________
Mercedes Benz T2

 

[Jolieve]

I use IO. A half a bucket came with the tank... and I haven't used anything else.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't use packaged stuff!
Collect it from the ocean!
Best stuff money can buy!

If you can swing it, go with natural salt water!
(and na I don't buy it, I collect it for my self!)

 

[srbayless]

Hey Zacrifice, where are you located?

I live in So Cal, so I have been contemplating going to the Scripts Institute Site and getting seawater from there. I haven't only because they are down beach from Los Angeles and we all know what kind of crap is going into the water there.

As for salt, I have used the BioAssay stuff once, but never noticed much of a difference. I use IO for the most part, but that is only when I am too lazy to goto my LFS and get Catalina saltwater.

Peace,

Scott.

 

[Anonymous]

heh, I suppose I should fill in my locaion details
I live in australia, Sydney
So its very easy for my to collect salt water

 

[Baianotang]

IO, great product.