curing LR, cheap salt alternative?

[CoralBeautyII]

For curing live rock is there a cheap salt alternative i can use? like kosher salt from the supermarket or something?

[der_wille_zur_macht]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/normal/p-16881-44945-fish-salt.jpg

All kidding aside, there are some things you can do to lessen the impact of curing rock. Scrub it clean to remove debris, and run a skimmer or filter on the curing vat.

Alternately, you could start with (clean!) dry rock and just a few pieces of "real" live rock. This would dramatically lower the biological dieoff from the curing rock.

[jasonrp104]

I've heard a few negatives on instant ocean but no reasons. Is there something wrong with it?

[CoralBeautyII]

yeah i have IO salt but im too cheap to use it if its just for curing lol
so i figured there might be a cheap reg salt that would work, but i guess not huh?
i'll just use the IO then :)

well its 22 lbs of fiji uncured rock
my tank is 220g established around a year, i just need more rock because i dont think i ever really bought enough. I have like 150+ lbs now and it doesnt look like much. so i bought 22 lbs to build height to one corner of the tank.
i gotta cure it first tho

[der_wille_zur_macht]

No, there's nothing wrong with it. It's a fine salt mix, though there were some quality control issues a LONG time ago - it seems totally stable these days. The image was posted as a joke.

[CoralBeautyII]

Ive had luck with IO
using it for years. I got bored of it one time and tried Tropic marin and the switch killed off my colt corals for some reason.
I went back to IO and i wont switch again
Tropic marin mixed so nicely too, i guess it was too much of a shock to my colts tho :(

[Vin7250]

Ive been using IO since I got into this hobby around 2000. I have had NO issues what-so-ever with the salt. I think some people like to just talk about what is wrong with everyone elses setup and why theres is better. I agree with the previous poster there may have been issues with it a while ago but the salt is a great mix and has been working like a charm for me over the years.

[jasonrp104]

I'm not trying to start a salt war, I just figured I'd ask since I use IO and I've read a few negatives on these forums.

It's all :cool:

[crvz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920442#post13920442 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoralBeautyII
For curing live rock is there a cheap salt alternative i can use? like kosher salt from the supermarket or something?

Are you curing the rock as part of a new setup, or just to add to an already established tank? If the latter, you can use water from the current setup when you do water changes, I've done that often in the past.

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920573#post13920573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
Are you curing the rock as part of a new setup, or just to add to an already established tank? If the latter, you can use water from the current setup when you do water changes, I've done that often in the past.

thats a good idea, i just did a water change the other day and down the drain it went :(
i bought new rock kinda spur of the moment. my origional plan was to buy carib sea base rock, but it looked too dense and heavy so i got live instead.

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920573#post13920573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
Are you curing the rock as part of a new setup, or just to add to an already established tank? If the latter, you can use water from the current setup when you do water changes, I've done that often in the past.

To add. When I was curing my rock for my 29, I did water changes during the process -- but, each water change was the left over water from my other tanks (( after I did water changes on them )). That water was still "cleaner" then the curing water.

[WaterKeeper]

http://www.cargillsalt.com/food/dc_salt_water_cond_rock-1.jpg
:D

Usually you need more water during the curing process for rock than the usual water changes on the display provide. I usually change out about 50% each day on the curing vats. If you use shallow curing vats they can hold a lot of rock without using a bunch of water so it is not too bad.

Using base rock and seeding it with some live is an option but it is time consuming as the process takes many weeks to reach fruitation. I'd just look around for a bargain on salt mix. They are out there if you look. Oh, skip the rock salt. It's far better for ice melting than replacing salt mix. ;)

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13921027#post13921027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
http://www.cargillsalt.com/food/dc_salt_water_cond_rock-1.jpg
:D

Usually you need more water during the curing process for rock than the usual water changes on the display provide. I usually change out about 50% each day on the curing vats. If you use shallow curing vats they can hold a lot of rock without using a bunch of water so it is not too bad.

Using base rock and seeding it with some live is an option but it is time consuming as the process takes many weeks to reach fruitation. I'd just look around for a bargain on salt mix. They are out there if you look. Oh, skip the rock salt. It's far better for ice melting than replacing salt mix. ;)

lol yeah that rock salt pic does look scary

sometimes petsmart has IO on sale, i'll look tomorow
hmm, they may sell the tiny boxes for cheap

well i got my bin going. i had a little IO left over and i had an old IO box that kinda got all hard. i broke it up and used it anyway.
I only had enough salt to make 16 gallons of water, the bin is 40 gallons, hopefully what i made will be enough to cover 22 lbs of live rock...i'll squeeze it in if i have too lol

[WaterKeeper]

That should cover 22 lbs.

[luv951]

Go online to Petsmart's website. The salt there is cheaper - usually around $35 for a bucket or so. Print it off and go to your store. They match the price, no questions asked.

That is how I buy all my salt.

[sprinj76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13921473#post13921473 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luv951
Go online to Petsmart's website. The salt there is cheaper - usually around $35 for a bucket or so. Print it off and go to your store. They match the price, no questions asked.

That is how I buy all my salt.

The petsmart near us no longer will match prices on any of the online prices. This appears to be a recent policy change for that store, because they always used to do that.

It wouldn't hurt to ask though, just remember it isn't a guarantee.

[CoralBeautyII]

thats a good idea
id feel kinda dumb tho if they tell me no lol

[CoralBeautyII]

oh well never mind that, petsmart online raised their prices, 49 dollars for the bucket and 16.99 for the bag, so its the same price as the store now grrrrr

[inkmates]

petco has a variety of marine salt thats quite a bit cheaper than most other brands

[luv951]

wow, that sucks....guess I will try petco next time if petsmart lets me down. Everything good must come to an end, I guess

[CoralBeautyII]

check petco's website their even more than petsmart
that pet place has it cheap but its like 40 mins from me, i'll try and go next week