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View Full Version : Can you mix different brands of salt?


buffalo123
05/21/2007, 08:39 AM
Would it be ok to mix reef crystals with tropic marine if you have half empty bucket of each. What brand would you not mix if any?
How about instant ocean reef crystals and instant ocean regular?

Jah2707
05/21/2007, 08:57 AM
Good queston, it is to late for me. I mixed instant ocean and the red sea stuff(can't remember the real name) I haven't had any problems yet. I will tag on for the answer.

Sepeku
05/21/2007, 09:12 AM
so long as the specific gravity measures right, I don't see an issue...

plyle02
05/21/2007, 09:14 AM
Yes,
I currently mix Oceanic, and Reef Crystals. This gives me the best of both worlds regarding calcium and Alk. Oceanic test low on Alk but high in calcium, and Reef Crystals the opposite. This provides a nice balance for my reef during water changes, with little buffering needed.....JME

jeffbrig
05/21/2007, 09:25 AM
Historically, there have been a few times where lots of people had trouble switching from one brand of salt to another. The biggest I can recall was when everyone tried to jump to crystal seas marinemix bioassay. Many very experienced sps keepers lost most of their corals. No cause was ever found, just massive RTN'ing of sps colonies. It wasn't a problem with the salt mix itself, just some unknown incompatability between it and some previously used salts (IO, Kent, maybe a couple of others)

Although the risk may be slight, I recommend picking a salt and sticking with it for the long haul. Just in case...