When choosing a salt...

[hbrochs]

Do you select the one that matches the parameters you are shooting for,
Or do you pick one with slightly higher Mg Ca Alk to help replenish with water changes?

[hedgedrew]

Determine how often you will be changing water and what parameters you will shoot for and then you need to decide on dosing either with calcium reactor or 2 part or kalkwasswer. Then decide if you will be carbon dosing with pellets or vodka vinegar and what corals you will be keeping. Then you will have you answer.

[bertoni]

Either way can work, but if you eventually automate the calcium and alkalinity dosing, picking a salt product that matches your target parameters makes things a bit easier. Most people end up needing to supplement, and many people like to automate.

[hbrochs]

I have several LPS, a few SPS and a couple of clams.

I drip Kalkwasser every other night, and that seems to be keeping the params.

I'm using Red Sea salt, which has Mg 1230 and Alk 7.7, but I'm trying too keep Mg and Alk a little higher than that. So when I do a 10% water change (about every 10 days) my Params drop off.

[bertoni]

You can dose the salt product levels up a bit with baking soda and a magnesium supplement. That's what I would do. Magnesium chloride would be fine as a DIY supplement for this situation.

[hedgedrew]

Are you having any sps issues with that salt ? Like burning or Stn ?

[hbrochs]

I have an Acropora and a Montipora that are doing well with color and growth.

I have another sps that is brown on top, but I think that is from the light, as its bright green on the edges. I'm not sure I know what STN looks like.

Thinking about switching salt, and these two line up nicely with the params I am shooting for:

Tropic Marin Pro Reef Ca 450 Alk 8.5 Mg 1380
Tunze Reef Salt Ca 420 Alk 9.5 Mg 1350

or I could pick one with higher elements than my water column like:

Reef Crystals Ca 490 Alk 13 Mg 1440
Red Sea Coral Pro Ca 470 Alk 12.5 Mg 1380

Thoughts on this?

I realize that choosing a salt is highly personal, but presently my dosing is not automated, so I'm looking to make less work for myself by having my water changes help not hinder with the elements.

Thanks, your opinions are really appreciated.

Howard

[Bill Nye]

I just switched to red sea blue bucket and I love it. Mag is a little low but alk is perfect! If things have good color and growth not sure why you are looking to change. Just keep alk steady at 7.7-8 and you will be fine.

All these high alk salts are a waste of time in my opinion. Why would you ever want an kh of 13??

The tropic marin salt looks sweet but its pretty expensive per bucket. I thought about going that way when I switched salt but blue bucket is good value.

[Mark426]

I like my salt to match the parameters of my tank. The problem with using a salt with higher levels than you normally keep your tank is the alk swing. Acro's and a few other sensitive corals don't do well with the levels fluctuating. If you are determined to keep these kind of corals then you just have to accept dosing to keep the alk/ca levels as constant as possible.

[hbrochs]

I don't want Alk of 13, would like Alk of 9 to 10.

But if my Alk is 9 and I do a water change with higher Alk, then its like dosing at the same time I do a water change? I guess thats really what my question is.
Is it better to have a salt that lines up with my goal params, or one that bumps the elements up more?

[wicz101]

I have tried different salts over time and for a mixed reef(mostly softie and LPS, maybe a sps or two) reef crystals, with regular water changes of course, has always been my person favorite, and just using baking soda in my topoff to raise ALk a tad.

With that said I am recently transitioning over to IO and dosing ALk, Mg and CA as needed with a doser. I have seen that a lot of very experienced reefer go this route, due to controliability and overall cost effectiveness in the long run.

Yes there is the up front cost of the doser but it pays for itself quickly with price diffence of the salt. Just my $.2

[hbrochs]

I ended up buying Instant Ocean Ca 400 Alk 11 Mg 1350

[hedgedrew]

Just be careful with water changes with alk spikes. !!

[bertoni]

IO should be fine. Lots of Tanks of the Month have run on it.

[hkgar]

I use a salt that closely matches my tank. I would tend to use a mix with a lower ALK as you can raise easier than lowering it.

Here a guide:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/salt-mix-guide