A few of things I need to get. Need input please.

rsteagall

rsteagall

New member
Any input I can get on these things would be appreciated.

1. I've never tested for ALK, CA, or MG. With my recent failure in keeping certain SPS, I should probably be testing these. I'm needing to get a test kit for ALK, CA, and maybe MG. What kit(s) would you suggest and do you know if AC carries these?

2. I recently purchased 100 micro hermits, a kole tang, and a lettuce nudi to assist in my hair algae problem. I think I'm starting to notice a small dent, but its just not enough. A few weeks ago AC had a sea hare that was of proper color to eat hair algae (they are the same color as what they eat per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_hare ). Has anyone had one of these and exactly how reef safe are they? I mostly have softies and want to make sure they don't get munched on. Also, if you've had one... what was the success like?

3. Its time for me to buy another bucket of salt. I've been buying Oceanic salt from AC. I know everyone has their own preference, but is there any reason I should try something else and why? Please... share your opinions.


I think thats it. Thanks for any and all replies! I'll be going to AC tomorrow to maybe pickup these things I've listed and any help is appreciated.

-Ryan
 
Ryan- On the sea hare, they do eat a sick amount of algae. I put one in my 90 a few months back and he made quick work of the algae. He didn't bother any of my corals in what was then a mixed reef with a little bit of everything. The problem was, it actually ate too much. I had heard that they can out eat a tank, but it did this in less than a week. The way everyone talks about other things eating hair algae like crazy, I figured he would be like everything else and put a dent in it, but not munch everything down so fast. Once the food became less plentiful it started hiding out somewhere in the tank. Every time I had a chance to get him out and take him back to the store, he was nowhere to be found. So, sadly, he starved to death. I have no problem with someone trying one, but learn a couple lessons from me: (1) Find the absolute smallest one you can and (2) Make sure you get him out of there before all of the algae is gone (i.e., find someone else with the same problem and be prepared to trade him off or sell him back to the store... of course if they don't have algae, it could starve there too).

I wouldn't get one for long term control of algae. I'd get one only if you know you've taken care of whatever is caused the algae problem and are just looking for something to help you clean it up quick.
 
For test kits, I'd get salifert or seachem. I like the salifert Alk test the best, and I think it is probably 6 of one, half-dozen of the other for the Ca and Mg. Those are good things to test for if you are keeping SPS, and the tests from either manufacturer are "titratable" tests that allow you to easily determine the levels in your tank.

For the seahare -- I am clueless.

For the salt, I use IO and like it. A lot of people use it and I've never felt a need to switch.
 
Salifert is excellent for test. I used the Oceanic for about six months and had serious problems and switched back to Instant Ocean.
 
ill mirror the oceanic comments also, its garbage. the only thing good about it is how quick it mixes but i had problems when using it. now i do IO reef crystals and it works great!<~~~steve
 
I use to use salt water from AC. They use Oceanic. A couple months ago, I started using RO water from a amchine at Publix and using Reef Crystals. Things are starting to look alot better. A couple zoa colonys was thinning out and I thought maybe something was eating them. But after a couple months, they are back full and things in the tank seem to be growing more now. I'm really thinking it was the salt.

Steve
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9428669#post9428669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SRT80
I use to use salt water from AC. They use Oceanic. A couple months ago, I started using RO water from a amchine at Publix and using Reef Crystals. Things are starting to look alot better. A couple zoa colonys was thinning out and I thought maybe something was eating them. But after a couple months, they are back full and things in the tank seem to be growing more now. I'm really thinking it was the salt.

Steve
Click to expand...

You can get a really decent RO/DI unit on ebay for about 80-90 bucks, and it would save you a ton in the long run. They are easy to install and maintain. I just buy a new unit every two years, and replace the DI resin two or so times.
 
Salifert, here, too (Lamotte for Phosphate-pricey but a better test kit, although they are go of date rather quckly). I also use IO (from EBay).
 
Oceanic is great if you mix it with IO 50/50. Probably the closest to NSW parameters as possible. My experience with the Seachem Ca kit is that it uses a different titration, and hence I always got results that were low compared to Saliferts. I finally gave up with their customer service, as they couldn't help me. If you want the ultimate phosphate tester, get a Hanna colormeter. The Merck kit is pretty good too.
 
I always wanted to figure out how to use an Agilent uv-Vis spectrophotometer for testing everything, but couldn't find enough literature to proceed (have one at work). Does the LaMotte PO4 test kit come close comparison with either of the two you mentioned, Dave? I like it because it uses liquid to liquid comparison with a standard (much easier than trying to differentiate between minute color changes on a card).
 
Thanks for all your replies. I will definitely consider them all.

*I would really like people to expound as to why they don't like the Oceanic salt and have strictly chosen IO. I see some very strong feelings on the subject and would love to see them backed up with experiences.

Thanks,
Ryan
 
HOnestly for me, I have used several brands of salt, and havent truly seen much difference in either for me. then again, I dont use much salt at all. a 5 gallon bucket will last a year or two for me. maybe longer...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9428669#post9428669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SRT80
I use to use salt water from AC. They use Oceanic... A couple zoa colonys was thinning out and I thought maybe something was eating them. But after a couple months, they are back full and things in the tank seem to be growing more now. I'm really thinking it was the salt.
Click to expand...

This is interesting to me. Most of my zoa colonies haven't grown much over the past year and a half (everything else seems to do just fine). In that time, each one of my frags/colonies have, at some time, closed up and died off a little. They seem to recover and regrow only to shrink again. I thought for a long time it was some kind of pest, but just about every zoa type I have has done it at one point or another, and I've dipped, observed at night, re-dipped, looked with magnifying glass, dipped again with a different formula, so on and so on... They've never looked like they've had a fungus and have never looked chewed up. They just close up and slowly shrink until they either start coming back or just disappear. This has happened at one point or another in every one of three different tanks (so I doubt it is an artifact of one particular set-up).

Now, it could be a lot of things other than the salt, but I've pretty much always used oceanic (because I never heard anything particularly bad about it). So, now I'm going to have to try something different.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9431389#post9431389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DMBillies

Now, it could be a lot of things other than the salt, but I've pretty much always used oceanic (because I never heard anything particularly bad about it). So, now I'm going to have to try something different.
Click to expand...
I dont have any personal experience using oceanic but when i first started out i avoided it becuase i read alot of bad reviews when i was deciding on which salt to use since then ive always used IO and it has done me well.
 
We use seachem reef salt and have a RO/DI unit. I will agree with with the person that said that getting a unit saves money, plus you don't have to remember to get the water when at the store:) We were using red sea water from our LPS until we got our RO unit set up and salt mixed, and never had a problem with either.
 
Yea, But I don't use much water, just a 20 gal. Publix is right down the road. It works out good. I mean, ever since I started using that water and reef crystals, things are lookin' much better. Maybe it's the salt mix. The problem with a RO unit is, only place I could put one is in my bathroom, don't really want that.

Steve
 
A huge advantage with your own RO unit is that you know when the filters are changed, too. I certainly don't know from experience at any of our LFS', but many (generally speaking) don't change filters very often, if at all...
 
The publix machine does let you know the date it was serviced. I agree, It would be alot nice with my own RO unit though.

Steve
 
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