Seachem Vibrant Sea

[kensmith]

Good Morning,

I would like to get some feedback on those using the Seachem Vibrant Sea salt brand.

I have been getting some brown algae, and I'd like to rule out silicates in the salt as a cause. Does anyone know the silicate levels in this salt? Has anyone had algae issues directly related to using this salt? I'd like to change the salt brand now if I have too...

As for Nitrates, I'm between 10-20ppm, Phosphates are around 1ppm. I just put some chaeto in my refugium So I expect these levels to drop soon. My lighting is only on about 4 hours a day now and the tank is not in direct sunlight. Only a few fish (Two Ocellaris Clowns and a Fairy Basslet) and a hermit for now.

In the past, I dosed with NOPOX, but after about a week of using this my skimmer started producing so much foam it filled my sump. Not sure if the NOPOX was the cause, but I was advised it most likley was so I am a little afraid to start using it again...

Cheers!

[Uncle99]

If your phosphate is 1ppm, that's a really bad number.
Most target .02-.04, with a max of .1, your number is 10 times that so yes, algae had a lot of food.
So, if your number is correct, then you need to find what your putting in to create this superhigh number.
If you mean .1, then use a GFO to bring to target as above.

NoPox will react with a ton of foam went overdosed or expoxy is used.
Simply shutdown the skimmer fir 48 hours, then restart,
NoPox us excellent at reducing nitrates and some phosphates, but never below .1
Your nitrates are not terrible, but best to continue brining down to 2-4ppm

Don't think salts your problem, used Virbrant two years no problem, changed to REDSEA PRO because I needed higher CA,MG and ALK mixing ranges.

[kensmith]

If your phosphate is 1ppm, that's a really bad number.
Most target .02-.04, with a max of .1, your number is 10 times that so yes, algae had a lot of food.
So, if your number is correct, then you need to find what your putting in to create this superhigh number.
If you mean .1, then use a GFO to bring to target as above.

NoPox will react with a ton of foam went overdosed or expoxy is used.
Simply shutdown the skimmer fir 48 hours, then restart,
NoPox us excellent at reducing nitrates and some phosphates, but never below .1
Your nitrates are not terrible, but best to continue brining down to 2-4ppm

Don't think salts your problem, used Virbrant two years no problem, changed to REDSEA PRO because I needed higher CA,MG and ALK mixing ranges.

Sorry, its definitely ".1" not 1! It's on the lower end of the scale using the Red Sea test kit. Those number are what I am aiming for. I'll try reducing my dosage, the NOPOX worked great it brought my levels from 15 to nearly zero in a matter of days, but I never reduced my dosage to reflect that which may have been my problem (The crazy foaming happened over night).

Question regarding changing your salt. Did you do this while you had Corals, and did you have a difficult time managing level consistamnsy during this transition? I am considering using a better quality salt for that reason among others. I find my PH/Alkalinity a little low (~8.1/6.3dHk) using this brand as well.

[Uncle99]

Sorry, its definitely ".1" not 1! It's on the lower end of the scale using the Red Sea test kit. Those number are what I am aiming for. I'll try reducing my dosage, the NOPOX worked great it brought my levels from 15 to nearly zero in a matter of days, but I never reduced my dosage to reflect that which may have been my problem (The crazy foaming happened over night).

Question regarding changing your salt. Did you do this while you had Corals, and did you have a difficult time managing level consistamnsy during this transition? I am considering using a better quality salt for that reason among others. I find my PH/Alkalinity a little low (~8.1/6.3dHk) using this brand as well.

Going from 15ppm to 0ppm is way to fast, watch this stuff, it is quite powerful. I use the minimum dose for a week, test, if nitrate falls, no change, if no change, then up 1ml per day for a week, test, I keep doing this until I reach 2-5ppm, then I stop. Over two years I started with 8ml, rose to 12ml, then down to 6 ml where it's been for years now producing a consistent 2-5 ppm nitrate between weekly water changes. The rise and fall in dosing is due to the maturing if the tank, when matured, needed less. Keep in mind that 2-5 nitrate and 0.05 phosphate is required for good coral growth.

Yup, changed with corals in, just CA and ALK watched carefully. To me, salt us salt, the difference is how much you have to dose between water changes to keep the CA and ALK within your range. I use RED SEA PRO because it mixes clean, and high in the CA, ALK ranges, and I keep my ALK at 10-10.5.

NoPox great for nitrate reduction, has much less effect on phosphate. Since your at .1, a GFO would lower this in days to say under 0.05

If your tank is mature less than a year, all sounds normal to me.

Water changes are important

[kensmith]

Going from 15ppm to 0ppm is way to fast, watch this stuff, it is quite powerful. I use the minimum dose for a week, test, if nitrate falls, no change, if no change, then up 1ml per day for a week, test, I keep doing this until I reach 2-5ppm, then I stop. Over two years I started with 8ml, rose to 12ml, then down to 6 ml where it's been for years now producing a consistent 2-5 ppm nitrate between weekly water changes. The rise and fall in dosing is due to the maturing if the tank, when matured, needed less. Keep in mind that 2-5 nitrate and 0.05 phosphate is required for good coral growth.

Yup, changed with corals in, just CA and ALK watched carefully. To me, salt us salt, the difference is how much you have to dose between water changes to keep the CA and ALK within your range. I use RED SEA PRO because it mixes clean, and high in the CA, ALK ranges, and I keep my ALK at 10-10.5.

NoPox great for nitrate reduction, has much less effect on phosphate. Since your at .1, a GFO would lower this in days to say under 0.05

If your tank is mature less than a year, all sounds normal to me.

Water changes are important

Good to know that some levels of Phosphate and Nitrates are good for corals! Thanks for the feedback.