Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > The Reef Chemistry Forum
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 06/29/2018, 06:04 PM   #1
Skyhiggh
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 142
Salt choice all out

So I’m all out of salt and need to order some for next water change. For years I used Red Sea coral pro then times got a little tuff so to speak and went over too instant ocean reef crystals. I felt better using the Red Sea but as I have more frags than colonies levels always stayed to high for the frags or tank to consume much starting out. Instant ocean is a little better with cal at 475 kh at 12 and mag at 1440 but still a little to high stable but high. I was looking at the older charts but can’t seem to find a new one wanted to know since tropic seems to best the best for what I’m looking for with alk at 8.5 mag 1380 cal 450 witch is a lot closer out of the box to the numbers I’m shooting for.

I’m using all Red Sea products for dosing and testing based on there mixed reef/sps charts.

Should I buy the tropic marine pro at 60 bucks for 32 gallons? My tank is 30 gallons 5 gallons a week changed out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Skyhiggh is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/29/2018, 07:11 PM   #2
Timfish
Registered Member
 
Timfish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,985
I've been using the regular IO forever. I've tried a few other brands over the years and haven't noticed any difference. I suspect now most salt mixes are probably made by just a few chinese companies so there may not be much difference.


__________________
"Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek
Timfish is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/29/2018, 10:00 PM   #3
theMaroonClown
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 41
Try the blue bucket of Red Sea you might end up liking the parameters on it. I was just given a seminar at my job( i work at a LFS) and the Blue bucket is honestly close to your parameters. With that saying it is an evaporated salt unlike tropic marin which is artificial and made in a lab. I have had great success with Red Sea in the past and would always recommend it. I currently use tropic marin and I have to say for an SPS dominant nano tank its the best choice I've ever done. Going to be using it in my 75 gallon once it cycles completely. Instant Ocean Purple Box is also great, the salt is more consistent then Reef Crystals. I would honestly avoid Avoid AquaForest as its a hit or miss with that salt, either you have a good batch that your corals look amazing or you have a bad batch where you lose partially everything. (personal experience and store experience[to bad the store owner turned a blind eye when I would tell him until he finally lost a whole system]) Fritz is another brand you might want to look into, don't know if they have fixed their Magnesium issue but we are currently using that at my job and the corals are coming back from the damage AF had done.


theMaroonClown is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/30/2018, 12:30 AM   #4
bertoni
RC Mod
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
A lot of Tanks of the Month have run on IO.


__________________
Jonathan Bertoni
bertoni is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/30/2018, 08:53 AM   #5
hkgar
Registered Member
 
hkgar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dewitt MI
Posts: 5,051
Like Maroonclown I use Red Sea in the blue bucket and am very pleased with it.


__________________
Gary


180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx

Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
hkgar is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/30/2018, 03:38 PM   #6
josephxsxn
Registered Member
 
josephxsxn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: DTW, Michigan
Posts: 122
I am using Neomarine which mixes up a bit lower then your looking for @ alk ~7.5, mag 1290, Cal 413. Based on the numbers your looking for LiveAquaria salt may be right up your alley @ alk 8-9.5, mag 1,350-1,450, Cal 400-450.


josephxsxn is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/30/2018, 06:03 PM   #7
Skyhiggh
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 142
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timfish View Post
I've been using the regular IO forever. I've tried a few other brands over the years and haven't noticed any difference. I suspect now most salt mixes are probably made by just a few chinese companies so there may not be much difference.


Quote:
Originally Posted by theMaroonClown View Post
Try the blue bucket of Red Sea you might end up liking the parameters on it. I was just given a seminar at my job( i work at a LFS) and the Blue bucket is honestly close to your parameters. With that saying it is an evaporated salt unlike tropic marin which is artificial and made in a lab. I have had great success with Red Sea in the past and would always recommend it. I currently use tropic marin and I have to say for an SPS dominant nano tank its the best choice I've ever done. Going to be using it in my 75 gallon once it cycles completely. Instant Ocean Purple Box is also great, the salt is more consistent then Reef Crystals. I would honestly avoid Avoid AquaForest as its a hit or miss with that salt, either you have a good batch that your corals look amazing or you have a bad batch where you lose partially everything. (personal experience and store experience[to bad the store owner turned a blind eye when I would tell him until he finally lost a whole system]) Fritz is another brand you might want to look into, don't know if they have fixed their Magnesium issue but we are currently using that at my job and the corals are coming back from the damage AF had done.


Quote:
Originally Posted by hkgar View Post
Like Maroonclown I use Red Sea in the blue bucket and am very pleased with it.


Thanks for the response I used the Red Sea I guess purple bucket for years. Think I’m going to go ahead and try it out hanks for the input. Appreciate it. eBay I go


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Skyhiggh is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/01/2018, 02:36 PM   #8
hkgar
Registered Member
 
hkgar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dewitt MI
Posts: 5,051
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyhiggh View Post
Thanks for the response I used the Red Sea I guess purple bucket for years. Think I’m going to go ahead and try it out hanks for the input. Appreciate it. eBay I go


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Check the drs. (foster)


__________________
Gary


180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx

Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
hkgar is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/02/2018, 06:23 AM   #9
Lou Ekus
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Ma, USA
Posts: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyhiggh View Post

Should I buy the tropic marine pro at 60 bucks for 32 gallons? My tank is 30 gallons 5 gallons a week changed out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm not sure where you are looking for pricing on Tropic Marin Pro Reef, but a 32 gallon mix should cost between $20-25. Definitely NOT $60. Try looking into your LFS. You can also easily fine it online for that price.


Lou Ekus is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/02/2018, 03:32 PM   #10
biecacka
Registered Member
 
biecacka's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 6,361
I use IO and run a calcium reactor on my tank. AWC system takes 2 gallons a day so it keeps the numbers pretty stable. As Bertoni said above, IO is widely used and I think if you dose much of anything into the tank (think 2 part or CaRx) are the beginning numbers that important?

corey


biecacka is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/08/2018, 07:24 AM   #11
Uncle99
Crab Free Zone
 
Uncle99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,906
Quote:
Originally Posted by biecacka View Post
I use IO and run a calcium reactor on my tank. AWC system takes 2 gallons a day so it keeps the numbers pretty stable. As Bertoni said above, IO is widely used and I think if you dose much of anything into the tank (think 2 part or CaRx) are the beginning numbers that important?

corey
I'm thinking, yes, there might be a diffence maybe to those who are newer in the hobby and are not yet familiar with dosing and the consumption rate of their tanks. Whereas you can make big dosing mistakes, as long as you get the SG right on mixing, ranges will be relative. This is why I changed to RED SEA PRO which mixes high in the ranges, with regular water changes I no longer need to dose. That being said, while 2 part cost is down, salt cost is up.


Uncle99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/15/2018, 02:07 AM   #12
Steve175
Registered Member
 
Steve175's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 1,186
Consistency is key IMHO. Pick one and stick with it.


__________________
Steve
----------------------------------

Current Tank Info: 2 separate 250G bowfront rimless ELOS tanks plumbed to 260G sump, 220G refugium, 220G frag, BK DeLuxe 300, 400W MH x4, closed loops, 3/4hp chiller x2, Phos reactor, Kalk reactor, Charcoal reactor, Ca reactor, 60G surge tanks, & a huge elec bill
Steve175 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/15/2018, 06:54 AM   #13
Alfrareef
Registered Member
 
Alfrareef's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Portugal
Posts: 405
The salt I’ve enjoyed more was Salinity, but the cost was to high.
I’ve tried several different brands/types and for the past 4 months I’ve been using Tropic Marin Bio-actif and I’m very pleased with it.
For me the important parameters for choosing a Salt are: parameter consistency over different batchs, coral health, easy mixing, no residues at the salt mixing bucket and price.


Alfrareef is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:37 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.