leoslizards
New member
Yeah, with.
A General Guide to Salt Mixes
- Thread starter Billybeau1
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leoslizards
New member
Your welcome! 
Billybeau1
Premium Member
leo, I see you have figured out Evils occasional pop in.
Although I found it funny at first, I think I would like to keep this thread as informative as possible.
Maybe you guys can find another place to play.
Thanks in advance.
Although I found it funny at first, I think I would like to keep this thread as informative as possible.
Maybe you guys can find another place to play.
Thanks in advance.
EvilE
New member
You don't appreciate my occasional questions / contributions?<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13594847#post13594847 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
leo, I see you have figured out Evils occasional pop in.
Although I found it funny at first, I think I would like to keep this thread as informative as possible.
Maybe you guys can find another place to play.
Thanks in advance.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Yes I do buddy.
It is just that this thread is getting real large and sometimes newbies have a hard time sifting through it all.
You can participate in any thread of mine.
It is just that this thread is getting real large and sometimes newbies have a hard time sifting through it all.
You can participate in any thread of mine.
Hi,
I do have a question. I switched salt from Seachem to H2Ocean couple of weeks ago and been having problems since then, stn, coral whitening, LPS not as open as they were. I checked out everything else cause at first I didn't thought it would be the salt. Does anyone heard of a bad batch of this salt? could that be possible? I also heard rumors about H2Ocean not being compatible with Kent products (which I doubt, but asking anyway).
My tank been running flawlessly for 2 years now, help would be appreciated.
David
I do have a question. I switched salt from Seachem to H2Ocean couple of weeks ago and been having problems since then, stn, coral whitening, LPS not as open as they were. I checked out everything else cause at first I didn't thought it would be the salt. Does anyone heard of a bad batch of this salt? could that be possible? I also heard rumors about H2Ocean not being compatible with Kent products (which I doubt, but asking anyway).
My tank been running flawlessly for 2 years now, help would be appreciated.
David
Yes, you need to calibrate your refractometer... and yes, mine appears to be in spec using RODI water. I get a zero reading no problem, so I'm gonna wait and test a little later. I may even test in the next hour or so just to see also for and giggles!
If you calibrate with RO/DI, it will of course read RO/DI correctly at 0 ppt. The concern is whether it reads seawater correctly. Do you know yours does?
If you calibrate with RO/DI, it will of course read RO/DI correctly at 0 ppt. The concern is whether it reads seawater correctly. Do you know yours does?
Billybeau1
Premium Member
The only thing I can think of is maybe you changed your s.g. too much , too fast with this salt.
H2Ocean appears to be a lot more potent than other salts. You may have increased your s.g too much at one time. When changing salts, it is always wise to check specific gravity before use.
I have a question for Billybeau1. I have been using Kent salt for my 90 gallon and have started my new 180 FOWLR with it. But recently my LFS has stopped selling the buckets and now only sells 15 gallon bags. When you carry these bags it feels like a concrete slab. And when I open the bag it's all clumped together. Unlike the salt that came in the Kent buckets. Also, a lot of the bags tear very easily. I want to change to a different brand. I don't add any additives to my tank. My LFS recommends IO because it's cheap and I am not running a reef. But I want to buy a high quality salt. I guess I should ask this question. Does buying a higher quality salt have any positive benefit to the Live Rock and fish? I am a layman and need some help with which salt brand I should go with. My LFS sells the following:
Coralife Salt 150 gallon mix ($50 CDN)
Oceanic 200 gallon mix ($60)
IO Reef Crystals 160 gallon mix ($64 )
Red Sea Marine Salt 200 gallon mix ($77)
Red Sea Coral Pro 175 gallon mix ($77)
Tropic Marin Sea Salt 200 gallon mix($99 CDN)
Which one would you recommend?
Thank you for all your research. It is much appreciated.
Coralife Salt 150 gallon mix ($50 CDN)
Oceanic 200 gallon mix ($60)
IO Reef Crystals 160 gallon mix ($64 )
Red Sea Marine Salt 200 gallon mix ($77)
Red Sea Coral Pro 175 gallon mix ($77)
Tropic Marin Sea Salt 200 gallon mix($99 CDN)
Which one would you recommend?
Thank you for all your research. It is much appreciated.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
If I were in your shoes, I would buy the Coralife.
All you will have to do is bump up alkalinity occasionally.
But you must send me the free t-shirt for this advice.
Don't necessarily think more expensive is better. Coralife is a fine salt for the money IMO.
All you will have to do is bump up alkalinity occasionally.
But you must send me the free t-shirt for this advice.
Don't necessarily think more expensive is better. Coralife is a fine salt for the money IMO.
bpkenn
New member
I'm not happy at all with coralife. I'm going to be switching to oceanic soon. can get it on DFS for 39+ shipping or locally for 50/bucket. Ive noticed that with IO and coralife that my alk drops fast.
I'm into less maintenance, so i'd rather not dose anything. Hopefully the oceanic works out for me.
I'm into less maintenance, so i'd rather not dose anything. Hopefully the oceanic works out for me.
Thank you for the advice. If my LFS did give me a free t-shirt I probably would sent it to you. When you say bump up the alkalinity, how do you do that exactly?
Now that I think of it, I do you use an additive. My LFS sold me Reef Buffer. Is that what I should add to my aquarium to help raise alkalinity? Or do I add that to my water storage container? It says on the label to use 1 level teaspoon for every 40 gallons to raise pH .1 and alkalinity by about .5meq/L
Thank you for your patience. These must be really basic questions for you.
If my LFS did give me a free t-shirt I probably would sent it to you. When you say bump up the alkalinity, how do you do that exactly? Now that I think of it, I do you use an additive. My LFS sold me Reef Buffer. Is that what I should add to my aquarium to help raise alkalinity? Or do I add that to my water storage container? It says on the label to use 1 level teaspoon for every 40 gallons to raise pH .1 and alkalinity by about .5meq/L
Thank you for your patience.
These must be really basic questions for you.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
The t-shirt is in the bucket. :lol:
I normally do not recommend buffers, but since you have fish only it will be fine.
In the future, good old arm & hammer baking soda is an inexpensive way to raise alkalinity.
Use this handy calculator to determine dosage and don't go by the directions on the jar. I'm sure your product is listed. You'll want to keep it between 7 and 11 dkh.
Reef Chemicals Calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
I normally do not recommend buffers, but since you have fish only it will be fine.
In the future, good old arm & hammer baking soda is an inexpensive way to raise alkalinity.
Use this handy calculator to determine dosage and don't go by the directions on the jar. I'm sure your product is listed. You'll want to keep it between 7 and 11 dkh.
Reef Chemicals Calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
Billybeau1
Premium Member
You'll have the same problem with alkalinity with Oceanic.
Baking Soda is cheap.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Calcium and alkalinity are constantly being used up in a reef aquarium. This is why people use 2-part.
The problem with Oceanic and Coralife in a reef is that it is already on the low end of the acceptable range and depletes quickly. Also they are both extremely high in calcium. This in itself is not a problem for most but it does create an unbalance if alkalinity is not watched.
If you do not want to supplement at all and want to rely on just water changes, I would pick a salt on my list that has higher levels of both calcium and alkalinity. This way water changes will keep things in balance.
The problem with Oceanic and Coralife in a reef is that it is already on the low end of the acceptable range and depletes quickly. Also they are both extremely high in calcium. This in itself is not a problem for most but it does create an unbalance if alkalinity is not watched.
If you do not want to supplement at all and want to rely on just water changes, I would pick a salt on my list that has higher levels of both calcium and alkalinity. This way water changes will keep things in balance.
I am not sure if part of that response was for me. I want to know if I should be testing alkalinity of the water I premix in my brute and if I should be adding Reef Buffer if need be? Because right now I just match temperature and salinity. For FOWLR setups is it okay if you don't know the Calcium and Magnesium levels of your water?
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