A General Guide to Salt Mixes

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15203297#post15203297 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flrn
Has anyone had any problems with the Red Sea Coral Pro salt? I have been having mixing problems in that it remains cloudy after 24 hrs of using my power head to mix the salt. It seems to have gotten worse, the closer to the bottom of the container I got. I am using R/O water, and have replaced all the filters so I don't think it's source water quality. I even tried putting the salt in the containers 24 hrs prior to mixing, and just letting it sit to dissolve, but still milky white. Any ideas?
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i used about 30 buckets of it with no problems.i use a korallia 4 to mix it .i also use a heater and a air stone hooked up to a tetra luft air pump and it works great.mixes real clear and real close to the parameters i need.
 
Has any IO user had any problems recently? The new dKH results are a bit disturbing. I originally chose IO because I struggle to keep my Alk up. I do understand that dosing will take care of this more than water changes, however.

I am making my own SW for the first time and choosing a brand is a big deal. Too much fluctutation in the reviews of RC, so the next most solid and good priced salt looked like IO. I also think lots of people use it? I am happy to adjust with dosing. Randy uses IO, and that makes a big impression on me too.
 
Please do not use my previous statement about IO as gospel (so to speak). I said it was a small box and it had a lot of moisture in it. It very well could have been damaged.

Instant Ocean has not changed its formula, so I would expect the old 11 to 13 dkh out of a bucket and still look as it as one of the most consistent salts on the market today.

Hopefully some other IO users will chime in with recent purchase experiences. I suspect it will be unchanged. :)
 
flrn, I've mixed a lot of different salts and some never did completely clear up in the mixing tank. But is always cleared once adding it to the main tank. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15205139#post15205139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Please do not use my previous statement about IO as gospel (so to speak). I said it was a small box and it had a lot of moisture in it. It very well could have been damaged.

Instant Ocean has not changed its formula, so I would expect the old 11 to 13 dkh out of a bucket and still look as it as one of the most consistent salts on the market today.

Hopefully some other IO users will chime in with recent purchase experiences. I suspect it will be unchanged. :)
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is that all they changed in their new formula---I find there calcium and mag levels sub standard compared to alot of other brands.
 
I switched from IO to H2Oceanic for the first time---I have always used IO. Is it normal to have to use more of one salt mixture then another to maintain 1.026 salinity. In this case I seem to be using more H2Oceanic then I used with IO
 
Thanks for the input, I have used the Coral Pro salt before, and never had a problem with it. I have purchased the Oceanic salt and will give this a try. I used it a while ago, and loved the results, it is very fine powder and mixes well.
 
Your welcome,I am going to give DD H2Ocean a shot after this last bucket of RSCP.No problem with it,but I can have H2Ocean delivered to my door for $32.For RSCP LFS used to be $20 went up to $25 plus I have over an hour in travel time to and from LFS.
 
Billy,
wow somehow i got unsubscribed or something. Apparently this thread split again and 10 pages later.

Anyways, i have been using tropic marin pro and am almost finished cycling the tank. im on week 4. i am finding that my levels are dropping. i used to be at 450 cal 1375 mag and 7.8 DKH. now im closer to 420 cal, 1250 mag and 7.dkh. i have been pretty regular with weekly 5 gal water changes. any idea. should i be buffering the alk in the changeover water? what do you suggest?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15206643#post15206643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I switched from IO to H2Oceanic for the first time---I have always used IO. Is it normal to have to use more of one salt mixture then another to maintain 1.026 salinity. In this case I seem to be using more H2Oceanic then I used with IO
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Capn- I'm assuming you mean H20cean? Not a H20cean/ Oceanic hybrid?

Yes, I will agree with this. If you follow their directions and measure the salt by weight it is way more than the 1/2 cup good rule of thumb.
They state 1lbs per 2.9 gals. of water. It is pretty accurate though I can mix 3 lbs. in my water change vessel and it's almost always spot on.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15211863#post15211863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Padrino
Billy,
wow somehow i got unsubscribed or something. Apparently this thread split again and 10 pages later.

Anyways, i have been using tropic marin pro and am almost finished cycling the tank. im on week 4. i am finding that my levels are dropping. i used to be at 450 cal 1375 mag and 7.8 DKH. now im closer to 420 cal, 1250 mag and 7.dkh. i have been pretty regular with weekly 5 gal water changes. any idea. should i be buffering the alk in the changeover water? what do you suggest?
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Without any animals in the tank, I would not expect your levels to be dropping linear like that. You may be mixing your water change water leaner than the original filling of the tank. I wouldn't think you would have to supplement much with no livestock.

First I would make real sure you are doing water changes with the same s.g that is in your tank. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15209627#post15209627 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
That's not surprising. All the salt mixes have different proportions of water and likely particle size.
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Water is the key. Some have more moisture than others. Moisture adds weight and takes up more space in the cup which means more salt must be added per gallon than some salts with low moisture to achieve the same s.g.

I wish I would have kept track of that during my study, but I did not. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15219046#post15219046 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Without any animals in the tank, I would not expect your levels to be dropping linear like that. You may be mixing your water change water leaner than the original filling of the tank. I wouldn't think you would have to supplement much with no livestock.

First I would make real sure you are doing water changes with the same s.g that is in your tank. :)
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Billy,
i always make sure that the SG is 1.026. i did buy about 92 lbs of live rock from another reefer tearing down a tank after 12 years. There is quite alot of nice purple coraline algae and a whack of star polps popping up everywhere.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15217635#post15217635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kc350twin
Capn- I'm assuming you mean H20cean? Not a H20cean/ Oceanic hybrid?

Yes, I will agree with this. If you follow their directions and measure the salt by weight it is way more than the 1/2 cup good rule of thumb.
They state 1lbs per 2.9 gals. of water. It is pretty accurate though I can mix 3 lbs. in my water change vessel and it's almost always spot on.
Click to expand...

hmmm--that is one of the cost factors that I did not consider when switching from IO. I just did 44 gals up in a brute container. It took alot more h2ocean then IO. I pay 79 Cdn for the h2ocean and 50 for the IO.
I use the 44 gal every two weeks on water changes.
I was supplementing mag with epsom salts when using the IO since I do not have a dsb in the main tank(running it remotely)

I beginning to think I should have stayed with the IO.

The two part dosing has not changed. I guess the use of two part is relative to the demands by the corals and clams etc in the system and not relative to the salt mixture. I originally thought that I would be able to cut back on two part besides the mag dosing by using a salt with higher alk, calcium and mag in it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15217635#post15217635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kc350twin
Capn- I'm assuming you mean H20cean? Not a H20cean/ Oceanic hybrid?

Yes, I will agree with this. If you follow their directions and measure the salt by weight it is way more than the 1/2 cup good rule of thumb.
They state 1lbs per 2.9 gals. of water. It is pretty accurate though I can mix 3 lbs. in my water change vessel and it's almost always spot on.
Click to expand...

hmmm--that is one of the cost factors that I did not consider when switching from IO. I just did 44 gals up in a brute container. It took alot more h2ocean then IO. I pay 79 Cdn for the h2ocean and 50 for the IO.
I use the 44 gal every two weeks on water changes.
I was supplementing mag with epsom salts when using the IO since I do not have a dsb in the main tank(running it remotely)

I beginning to think I should have stayed with the IO.

The two part dosing has not changed. I guess the use of two part is relative to the demands by the corals and clams etc in the system and not relative to the salt mixture. I originally thought that I would be able to cut back on two part besides the mag dosing by using a salt with higher alk, calcium and mag in it.
 
Earlier it was calculated that your water changes do much less for your Alk than your two part. Perhaps this goes same for Mag- even with salt with better Mag readings, you are not replenishing it as quickly as you do with two-part

A good week after my first time making my own SW with Instant Ocean I have had no negative effects. I will do testing tonight, but I don't have a phos or mag test, and my nitrates are bad regardless :-P
 
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