A topic that has been beaten to death

[codeblue48]

I have recently began to dabble in the SPS variety of corals. I have noticed that since this adventure I have had a harder time keeping up my calcium and alk levels. Water changes simply do not keep up with demands anymore. Starting this Friday I expect my Tunze ATO to arrive and I will be adding Kalk to my RODI reservoir to help maintain healthy levels of Cal and Alk.

I have read countless threads on the different types of salts and have come to the conclusion that there is no "best" out there. I want to start using a salt that has calcium and alk values that mimic what I am aiming for. I currently use Reef Crystals which give me ~13 DKH and ~400 Cal.

I am looking for a new salt that gives me something closer to the following\ values so that when I do water changes, I do not create major fluctuations:

Cal: ~450
Alk: ~9
Mag: ~1350

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[tmb22]

In my experience, Red Sea Coral Pro salt has levels really close to the ones you list. They claim to have a dKH around 12 but when it's mixed, I've always tested around 9.5 or so.

 

[Biocubehqi]

Aquavitro salinity is the best salt out there. It will tell you the numbers of trace elements on the bucket that you are buying. So you can pick the bucket with that perfect alk,,cal.... You have to buy it local. It's to awsum to buy online....

 

[rtparty]

Aquavitro salinity is the best salt out there. It will tell you the numbers of trace elements on the bucket that you are buying. So you can pick the bucket with that perfect alk,,cal.... You have to buy it local. It's to awsum to buy online....

:facepalm:

There is not a ''best'' salt out there. If there was we would all be using it.

My favorite salt is ESV B-Ionic salt. The numbers are dead on to what the OP is asking for.

But salt isn't a huge deal really. With SPS, you will be dosing at some point no matter what.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[SpinyReef]

I use the cheapest salt I can find, notably IO or RC. If you consider your waterchanges are only 10-20% of the total tank volume, you do not do any drastic changes to your parameters. If you were to use a 13DKh salt and make a 10% water change, you'd only be affecting your alkalinity by 10% of the differential between the salt's alk and your tank's: 13-9=4. 4*0.1 = 0.4 DKh difference, which in my experience is pretty negligible.

Since that does not technically answer your question, have a look here, there's a chart of all the main parameters in popular salts: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505

 

[Biocubehqi]

:facepalm:

There is not a ''best'' salt out there. If there was we would all be using it.

My favorite salt is ESV B-Ionic salt. The numbers are dead on to what the OP is asking for.

But salt isn't a huge deal really. With SPS, you will be dosing at some point no matter what.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Haha they are correct, I have to dose mine everyday...

 

[codeblue48]

thanks for all the input guys. Some very sound points were made here. I'll just stick with RC.