Yes, if they solved their past Borate issues (which I believe I read somewhere they did),
Yes, it is apparently now somewhat over NSW, but not like it used to be.
Yes, it is apparently now somewhat over NSW, but not like it used to be.
A General Guide to Salt Mixes
- Thread starter Billybeau1
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Billybeau1
Premium Member
I'm testing that next week along with Oceanpure and Seachem Marine Salt. Should have the results posted by next weekend.
Mavrk
New member
Just to add to this...
I have seen a lot of people complain that the new salt they are using is causing issues. The brand names change, but the one constant seems to be that it is a salt that they were not using prior. It seems that if you change salt too quickly, there can be some shock to the system. This is not always the case, but better safe than sorry.
Like other things in this hobby, slow is better. I would slowly introduce the new salt into the saltwater you are mixing up. For instance you could use 25% new salt and 75% old. Then the next water change do 50/50, then 75/25, then finally using 100% new salt. The whole time keeping to your regular water change schedule. You could slow this down even further if you have old salt to use up like I did when I switched from Oceanic to RC.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Well, in my experience, although there are variations of the big three, I doubt there is much difference in the other minor trace elements in most of the commercial salt mixes I have tested.
I have not seen any major brands being yanked off the market because they killed fish or corals.
I sincerely believe that most of the synthetic salt mixes sold today are adequate enough to maintain marine life.
Some just need a little more supplementing than others.
I believe it has been well documented what the proper parameters of a successful reef should be.
It doesn't surprise me that some reefers find their tanks flourish with one type of salt and not others.
Let's just be glad we have a good selection of quality salt mixes to choose from.
I always say, if it looks good, it probably is good. Experienced reefers can take one look at their tanks inhabitants and tell how their water chemistry is. They can see when something is a miss.
It's kinda like when your dog or cat is a little under the weather.
You can see it. Even though they can't talk to you, you can see it.
An experienced reefer knows when something is not right.
When is the last time you got up real close to your tank and really stared in, looking at all of the fine details of your livestock. Looking at every detail of every coral and every scale on every fish. And looked at their eyes up close.
Its pretty amazing what you can see up close that you take for granted looking from across the room
Sheesh....... off the soap box now....... time for bed
I have not seen any major brands being yanked off the market because they killed fish or corals.
I sincerely believe that most of the synthetic salt mixes sold today are adequate enough to maintain marine life.
Some just need a little more supplementing than others.
I believe it has been well documented what the proper parameters of a successful reef should be.
It doesn't surprise me that some reefers find their tanks flourish with one type of salt and not others.
Let's just be glad we have a good selection of quality salt mixes to choose from.
I always say, if it looks good, it probably is good. Experienced reefers can take one look at their tanks inhabitants and tell how their water chemistry is. They can see when something is a miss.
It's kinda like when your dog or cat is a little under the weather.
You can see it. Even though they can't talk to you, you can see it.
An experienced reefer knows when something is not right.
When is the last time you got up real close to your tank and really stared in, looking at all of the fine details of your livestock. Looking at every detail of every coral and every scale on every fish. And looked at their eyes up close.
Its pretty amazing what you can see up close that you take for granted looking from across the room
Sheesh....... off the soap box now....... time for bed
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11581401#post11581401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Yes, if they solved their past Borate issues (which I believe I read somewhere they did),
Yes, it is apparently now somewhat over NSW, but not like it used to be.
Seachem now lists the boron level in their Reef Salt at 16 PPM and my water usually tests at about 12-13 PPM between water changes.
Here is the Seachem Composition table on their Reef Salt:
Ion Concentration (ppm) Ion Concentration (ppm)
Chloride 19336 Sodium 10752
Sulfate 2657 Magnesium 1317
Potassium 421 Calcium 442
Carbonate/
Bicarbonate 142 Strontium 9.5
Boron 16 Bromide 64
Iodide 0.060 Lithium 0.3
Silicon < 0.1 Iron 0.0098
Copper 0.0003 Nickel < 0.015
Zinc 0.0107 Manganese 0.0023
Molybdenum 0.0098 Cobalt 0.0004
Vanadium < 0.015 Selenium < 0.019
Rubidium 0.118 Barium < 0.04
kaserpick
Keeping it Simple
I went ahead and switched from IO to Oceanic to see what the difference was. I performed a 20% WC today, and instead of my calcium dropping like it usually does, it rose 20ppm.
I hope this isn't off topic, but I thought it would be interesting to show (both tests were done with Salifert only so these numbers could be off):
Original Tank Water (before):
Ca+: 410 ppm
Alk: 10.6 dKH
Oceanic Mix:
Ca+: >500 ppm (test doesn't go an higher)
Alk: 11.8 dKH (this makes me question the test kit)
New Tank Water (after):
Ca+: 430 ppm
Alk: 10.8 dKH
Conclusion: I like the salt, but I need to invest in a better test kit. The end parameters were a little bit lower than I had calculated, but I'm definitely glad to see calcium raising with a WC for a change...no pun intended. Again, I hope I'm not way off topic.
I hope this isn't off topic, but I thought it would be interesting to show (both tests were done with Salifert only so these numbers could be off):
Original Tank Water (before):
Ca+: 410 ppm
Alk: 10.6 dKH
Oceanic Mix:
Ca+: >500 ppm (test doesn't go an higher)
Alk: 11.8 dKH (this makes me question the test kit)
New Tank Water (after):
Ca+: 430 ppm
Alk: 10.8 dKH
Conclusion: I like the salt, but I need to invest in a better test kit. The end parameters were a little bit lower than I had calculated, but I'm definitely glad to see calcium raising with a WC for a change...no pun intended.
Again, I hope I'm not way off topic.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Oceanic has the highest calcium content of any salt mix I have tested to date.
Some reefers with high calcium consumption can deal with this.
Otherwise, it is the most unbalanced salt mix I have tested.
Some reefers with high calcium consumption can deal with this.
Otherwise, it is the most unbalanced salt mix I have tested.
Nanz
Premium Member
Posting levels in a salt mix is relative to that bucket only and not every bucket of salt. I feel confident that this data is correct but I don't believe all salt from a supplier is the same.
I used Seachem 6 months ago and their salt was very low in Mg. It was less than 1000ppm. Ca was close to 400 and Alk was around 8. This is why I switched to Reef Crystals.
Seachem
Ca: 400
Alk: 8
Mg: 1000
Reef Crystals Bucket #1
Ca: 420
Alk: 11
Mg: 1300
Reef Crystals Bucket #2
Ca: 360
Alk: 10 dkH
Mg: 1100
I have just accepted the fact that I will need to test the salt water after its prepared and make the corrections myself.
I used Seachem 6 months ago and their salt was very low in Mg. It was less than 1000ppm. Ca was close to 400 and Alk was around 8. This is why I switched to Reef Crystals.
Seachem
Ca: 400
Alk: 8
Mg: 1000
Reef Crystals Bucket #1
Ca: 420
Alk: 11
Mg: 1300
Reef Crystals Bucket #2
Ca: 360
Alk: 10 dkH
Mg: 1100
I have just accepted the fact that I will need to test the salt water after its prepared and make the corrections myself.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Probably the Marine salt. Those numbers look about right for that.
Your 1st bucket of RC is what I would expect from RC. Been that way for years. The 2nd bucket you got must be one of the bad ones.
RC had a little hiccup not too long ago and we are waiting for them to fix it.
Your 1st bucket of RC is what I would expect from RC. Been that way for years. The 2nd bucket you got must be one of the bad ones.
RC had a little hiccup not too long ago and we are waiting for them to fix it.
I too have been using Seachem Reef Salt for a long time and also have never gotten numbers anywhere near that low. When I occasionally spot check a fresh batch mixed up to 1.026 I always see calcium at 440 - 470 and alk typically around 9.5 - 10.5 dKH and mag around 1250 - 1350.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Nanz, I suspect your salinity measurements. If you want to be sure of the levels, you have to be sure your s.g. measurement is accurate. Makes a big difference.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
I do not believe Boron is an issue anymore with the Seachem salt mixes. According to Randy, it is much improved but still a little higher than NSW. I don't believe this is an issue any longer.
I'm testing a bag of Seachems Marine mix now.
I'm testing a bag of Seachems Marine mix now.
So to sum up the switch in Sea Chems compostition and its effect on us, we no longer have to subtract from measured KH due to the boron?
If you have not otherwise added a lot of boron, I believe that is correct. The test kit that did that wasn't very accurate anyway.
If you have not otherwise added a lot of boron, I believe that is correct. The test kit that did that wasn't very accurate anyway.
ezcompany
Premium Member
but when one receives his bucket of salt, he has no way of knowing whether it is part of an old batch or new.
also another note for Reef Crystals is that it is severely inconsistent in Ca levels, unless they have made this fix already. then again my comment on determining whether its old or a new batch applies.
Reef Crystals, Instant Ocean, and Seachem Reef Salt have also left a brown residue in my buckets that I absolutely dislike...
Those Red Sea levels are looking really great...if those measurements are accurate then there shouldn't be much of a difference with the Red Sea Pro Coral @ 8 alk, 420 ca and 1200 mg, 0 nitrates, and .01 po4 on the hanna. (per Yinger)
also another note for Reef Crystals is that it is severely inconsistent in Ca levels, unless they have made this fix already. then again my comment on determining whether its old or a new batch applies.
Reef Crystals, Instant Ocean, and Seachem Reef Salt have also left a brown residue in my buckets that I absolutely dislike...
Those Red Sea levels are looking really great...if those measurements are accurate then there shouldn't be much of a difference with the Red Sea Pro Coral @ 8 alk, 420 ca and 1200 mg, 0 nitrates, and .01 po4 on the hanna. (per Yinger)
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