How Many World Class Reef Tanks Use Reef Crystals?

[layer3switchguy]

Guys,

In a foolish effort to mix things up with my tank, I did two water changes with Brightwell's NeoMarine salt... I'm sure lots of folks have had great success with this salt, and Brightwell in general, but not for me... I managed to have a few SPS frags RTN on me, and can only attribute it to the salt change, as it was the only variable in my tank... Anyway, it got me to thinking, how many world class and ToTM tanks use Reef Crystals? I had been using ESV salt, but it was such a pain to mix up. I'm back to searching for a new salt, and keep coming back to RC, hence my question...

Cheers,
L3

[Alex T.]

I personally think they all work. I use Reef Crystals because of its' availability and price in my area. It was also reformulated recently to have 440 calcium, 8 dkh and 1350 magnesium...which are good numbers and easy for my calcium reactor to maintain. That way, a water change doesn't throw everything out of whack.

Some of the best tank of the month winners have used RC with no issues. I think if you were to change a salt brand you would have to do it slowly. Maybe 80% current brand and 20% new stuff, adding 10% to the new salt brand and subtracting 10% from the old so you could monitor the affect it has on your system as well as give your animals time to adapt to the new salt.

[phenom5]

It was also reformulated recently to have 440 calcium, 8 dkh and 1350 magnesium...which are good numbers

Did they really? I just order a 200g box of IO dang it. I switch from RC because of the high alk, but those numbers look about perfect to me.

[allsps40]

I used Reef Crystals for around 3 years. It was a fine salt but not great. Then IO changed the mix and the bucket design. I got 2 buckets of RC that mixed brown, Ca and Alk where 14dkh and 520ppm. So I got a bucket of IO same thing brown higher alk the IO normally has but was good for a reef and higher ca than normal 10dkh and 420ppm. It would have been fine it it was not brown. I mean dirt brown, left a layer of brown sediment in the bottom of mixing bucket and a brown film on the inside of the bucket. Long story short I sent samples to IO and there was in fact dirt in the Ca that was rich in iron. They also added to much buffer and ca to the salts. IO offered to send me a replacement bucket of RC but I was done with it. Before I used RC I used mainly Tropic Marin Pro Reef and loved it, got great results. I used RC because it was easy to get locally. I am now using DD H2Ocean and love it. JME

[d0ughb0y]

Did you do 10% weekly change over two weeks ? That is the instructions for switching from another brand. if say one did 2 50% water change on the same day, then all bets are off.

Fwiw, I switched to brightwell without any problem.

[MammothReefer]

I'm no world class reefer, but I've been using IO. I am however making the switch to hW I have a new box of it sitting in que, w/2 bags of IO in front of it. In the past I had a poor experience with RC and have seen no reason to go back.

[dublo8]

When I switched i stuck with my regular weekly WC schedule. I mixed the old salt and the new at 50/50 ratio until I was almost done with the old, then bumped it to 75new/25old. Took about a month but I think it was the right thing to do.

[RebelReef]

If you go to aquariumwatertesting.com you can see a comparison between some top synthetic sea salt mixes. It's very handy to see numerous parameters tested and logged.


I know this will sound crazy... but I started using Coralifes Marine grade mix with fantastic results. It mixes completely clear, and within minutes I can't even tell there is salt in the water. I don't have the exact parameters at the moment, but they were all very desireable and consistent with the 50 gallon bags I've been using for the past few months. My SPS has never looked better.

I originally mixed the salt to 1.026 SG and the numbers were slightly high. I mix it 1.024 and it's doing wonders for me. Check it out.

I also us RC with the brown sludge. I had it in my mixing container and display tank. It all went away with the marine grade. I'm not saying this is the best salt out there, but in my area for pricing and availability, it can't be beat.

[MammothReefer]

I've always switched cold turkey. Granted I usually switch my tank up between whatever salt mix I'm using and NSW whenever I get my hands on it. I also don't do that large of water changes..but instead do them weekly. I'm sure some of us really over estimate the amount of actually water in our system after all is said and done (rock, corals, sand, fish, pumps, water level, skimmers, ect ect.. all take up space). We then end up doing much larger water changes then we think..which results in parameters swings. This then cause a lot of the issues you hear about switching salt brands. I'd be surprised if any of us new are "true" water volume. I can't see a 10% water change w/a different brand of salt as long as the parameters are within line causing any sort of damage to your tank...it never has in my experiences.

[Sisterlimonpot]

I can't see a 10% water change w/a different brand of salt as long as the parameters are within line causing any sort of damage to your tank...it never has in my experiences.

I'll agree, I am 'that guy' that changes salt brands with sales, what ever is cheapest, and I never had any problems what so ever. 10% a week or every 2 weeks.

[dudley moray]

yeah rc is always the cheapest , i thought about switching to that aqua vitro salt but for a 100 gal bucket it was 110 $ rc is half that for twice as much !! +1 for the cheap stuff

[BuckeyeTodd]

can anyone give me the numbers they are getting with the new RC and IO? The numbers on the RC a couple posts up sound great, but I was still getting that high alk as of 3-4 months ago so I switched to IO...when did the switch actually happen? I've got a new box of IO I haven't opened yet, how do you tell if its new or old formula(I thought the switch was a myth, couldn't find any info on manufacturers website, assumed they would advertise a change in their classic formulas and I was still getting that high alk on RC)?

[Nanook]

[moved]

[chefzif]

I agree! keep perameters in line you will do well! I also had an issue with reef crystals and also Red Sea Pro with the brown residue in my R/O make up for the tank. Swithched to Tropic Marin Pro an all is well! Paremeters are all in check and I even waited a month before checking my perameters and minamal swings. Pristine water quality! Chef:beer:

[unbreakable]

im still undecided about salts.. thinking either of going back to RC or trying seachem. I really liked red sea until they changed their formula

[Alex T.]

Just to sum up..I posed a question back in September on the chemistry forum asking if anyone was getting the numbers that I was getting with Reef Crystals. I loved the fact that I was getting 440 Ca, 8 dKH, and 1350 Magnesium. Many others concurred that they were getting the same numbers...except allsps40.

Boomer chimed in and said that he spoke with a local rep about the same issue and got him to admit that the formula had been changed. That was 8 buckets ago and I still mix up to the same parameters at 1.026 on a weekly calibrated refractometer double checked with a hydrometer. I like that it's balanced because it's exactly where I have my calcium reactor dialed in so there are no swings.

Also, I laugh when I hear some of the comments regarding how fast some salts clarify and the brown sludge that remains in the mixing container with Reef Crystals. If your salt clears that fast....guess what...you have a water clarifying agent in your salt mix. One more chemical in the salt. Who cares anyway? Are you all that eager to add the salt immediately to the tank? If you've ever been in the ocean and then come out and dried, you'll notice residue on your arms and shoulders bunched up into circles. I suppose that means the ocean is unbalanced and can't support sea life...:hammer:

Randy has also commented before on the brown residue left over after mixing. It could easily be precipitated magnesium. I actually have let it cake the inside of my mixing container with absolutely no ill affects. Reef Crystals is easy for me to get, reasonably priced and keeps my parameters right where I want them every time.

[phenom5]

I'll definitely have to pick up a small box of RC to check it out. RC is cheap, readily available, and those numbers look real good.

[Alex T.]

I just wanted to check to make sure all I posted was accurate. I got the same exact measurements from my just opened bucket....

1.026 SG
440 Calcium
dKH 8
Magnesium 1350

[phenom5]

Those are just about the exact numbers I'm looking for, and just about the exact numbers I run my tank at. Thought the only salt(s) I could get that out of were $$$.

Back when I switched the alk on the RC was mixing at 12-13.

[Alex T.]

And just to address the OP's original question....I think you'll find that MOST world class reef tanks use Reef Crystals or Instant Ocean. It's readily available, affordable for most hobbyists, and is one of (if not the) oldest salt brand around.

[Alex T.]

Phenom, I have to be honest here. I started using RC back in August. I had absolutely no idea they had changed the formula. I was simply reading through Bertoni's thread on the Salt Mix comparisons in the Chemistry forum and started a thread to let people know that I wasn't getting the numbers he listed. Others chimed in, with Boomer being the heavy trusted voice in the group that verified my tests as accurate. Being that I Vodka Dose, my concern was a lower alkalinity but I didn't want to go back to the high calcium and magnesium readings in Oceanic. The high magnesium was killing off my turbo snails, my calcium reactor had the hardest time keeping things balanced and Tropic Marin was just insanely priced near me.


Not to hijack a thread but here's my original thread regarding the numbers and others reporting the same thing.....

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1927577&highlight=reef+crystals+parameters

[cody6766]

I usually use Reef Crystals but have changed cold turkey several times. I've had Oceanic, IO and Brightwells in my tank with no ill results. Ive found that my daily dosing has a MUCH greater influence on my coral health.

Look up pwhitby's build thread. I think he might use RC and he has a fantastic tank

[phenom5]

Sounds good to me. I'm not saying you're wrong, I hope those numbers are consistent. But of course I want to check it out for myself, and I just got a 200g box of IO a week or so ago...so I'm stuck for the moment.

[on the spot]

Guys,...how many world class and ToTM tanks use Reef Crystals?...

World class? Tropicorium switched from IO to RC with good results. Not affiliated in any way but I have been there a time or two :).