Aquavitro salt (SEACHEM)
- Thread starter Paulairduck
- Start date
Humu Humu
lost in the pelagic zone
This is so strange. I have been using this salt, and I get a heavy precip on my mixing tub. After one day I have floating white chunky debris, which usually disappears after a day or so. I mix a 25 gallon batch at a time to use for regular water changes. I'll try making the mix more slowly and see what happens, but I was also thinking of switching due to the precipitate that remains in the tub, no matter what. Maybe it's just a mixing procedure, as Boomer stated.
gh0st
New member
On my second bucket now, and loving Salinty.
I haven't had any of the previously mentioned cloudiness issues or Alk problems, but my standard water mixing regime is:
Add Straight Cold Water.
Start water mixing with a strong Powerhead.
Add Salinty.
Begin Heating until Display tank temp is reached.
By starting cold and heating, the water is crystal clear within an hour or two, and a strong heater will usually have the water to temp shortly after.
I haven't had any of the previously mentioned cloudiness issues or Alk problems, but my standard water mixing regime is:
Add Straight Cold Water.
Start water mixing with a strong Powerhead.
Add Salinty.
Begin Heating until Display tank temp is reached.
By starting cold and heating, the water is crystal clear within an hour or two, and a strong heater will usually have the water to temp shortly after.
DeepSeaBeauti
Will Fielitz
I usualy do the opposite of ghost. I add the salt to my mix bucket first, And use warm water to begin the mixing processe. With a pump, and a heater running i add the mixed water water within an hour. But as stated in a previous reply, i now add my water in small amounts almost daily.
Im loving this salt though, I have found that i cut my 2 part dose in half. My tank is looking beautiful.
Im loving this salt though, I have found that i cut my 2 part dose in half. My tank is looking beautiful.
acesq
Premium Member
I also use a salt mix that has much higher alk and calcium levels than I keep in my DT. I shut off my dosers for a day after each 10% weekly water change. I find this is the best way for my parameters to stay stable throughout the week.
I have had very good luck with this salt, got two buckets now, been mixing 5 gallons a week for my 60 gallon. the key is to add the salt slowly to the water and let it mix. I add the amount of salt for 1.026 salinity to five gallons of water over a period of 2 hrs, works great and mixes clear, using a koralia 3 in a 5 gallon bucket
params are right on everytime I check
alk 10.0
cal 410
params are right on everytime I check
alk 10.0
cal 410
MedRed
Active member
2nd that. I heat the water to 72 degrees. I have a 32 gallon brute container. I don't start mixing until it's full. I add two cups at a time. I pepper the water with the salt. This takes around 5-7 actual minutes. I wait two hours and add two more cups.
It's probably overkill, but now I get zero precipitate. And the water clears super fast.
i just got my first bucket of salinity at lfs. THEN i read the thread. now i am confused, as my w/c system seems different from everyone else's in the thread and i'm concerned. i had been using tropic marine and r/c in combination, as t/m didn't keep my alk up. now i'm switching to the salinity, but based upon the reading about alk issues and cloudiness, i'm unsure.
the system is nearly automatic.
i empty and fill 3 gals a day in my system electronically--push a button--sump empties, push another, then refills.
this next part concerns the salt
i then pour 3 gal rodi into a 20 long, half filled for stability, then i add 615 grams [no cup measurement for me] of salt, mix with a powerhead, and wait until it's dissolved. some days, i do the w/c immediately [like i missed adding salt yesterday, so added my usual amount, and 10 mins after it dissolved, i did the w/c] and some days i wait 24 hrs.
temp is unimportant since it's only 3 gals, and by the time it hits the tank, it's nearly perfect.
opinions, pls. i have not opened the bucket. should i return it and go back to t/m and r/c. the salinity brand is a decent amount cheaper than either one at my lfs [$.43/gal for r/c, $.53/g for t/m and $.40/g for salinity]
the system is nearly automatic.
i empty and fill 3 gals a day in my system electronically--push a button--sump empties, push another, then refills.
this next part concerns the salt
i then pour 3 gal rodi into a 20 long, half filled for stability, then i add 615 grams [no cup measurement for me] of salt, mix with a powerhead, and wait until it's dissolved. some days, i do the w/c immediately [like i missed adding salt yesterday, so added my usual amount, and 10 mins after it dissolved, i did the w/c] and some days i wait 24 hrs.
temp is unimportant since it's only 3 gals, and by the time it hits the tank, it's nearly perfect.
opinions, pls. i have not opened the bucket. should i return it and go back to t/m and r/c. the salinity brand is a decent amount cheaper than either one at my lfs [$.43/gal for r/c, $.53/g for t/m and $.40/g for salinity]
chasekwe
New member
I use this salt, works great and I have no cloudy-ness issues.
I start with cold RO/DI H2O.
Throw in a power head.
Throw in a heater.
Throw in the salt.
Wait for the water to reach DT temp.
Into tank.**
(**Its not perfectly clear at this point but its close enough that when mixed with the display volume no difference can be noted in clarity.)
I start with cold RO/DI H2O.
Throw in a power head.
Throw in a heater.
Throw in the salt.
Wait for the water to reach DT temp.
Into tank.**
(**Its not perfectly clear at this point but its close enough that when mixed with the display volume no difference can be noted in clarity.)
quoting myself, since my w/c is daily. results of first w/c were excellent. alk at 10+ when first mixed, then the same 24 hrs later. fairly cloudy when first mixed, nothing really awful, but 24 hrs lkater fine. i used about 40 grams less than for the other salt, which means every 15 changes is a free one, saving a bit more money. sg 1.0255 refracto plus floating hydro.
very satisfied
akindbro4u
New member
This is how I use it. I switched from reefers best to this salt due to availability, and I must say it is a great salt. I have no complaints. Mixing slowly is the key, however I have not seen any adverse effects of using it in it's cloudy state. I have seen a slight drop in dKh if I let it sit for too long however. If it is not used, in about a week I usually end up having to dump it, because it have dropped in alk, and has developed the lumps on the surface. weird, but could just be the temp fluctuations from it sitting at room temp with no heater, effecting the PH. I guess I will have to run a test batch.
Swanwillow
goby girl
still using it, gonna buy another bucket soon.
What do you users like about it relative to your previous salts?
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
I love because it's simple & easy to use. 2 to 24 hours or so before water change, I mix! All parems are always spot on with supplementing Calcium & Alk only on a doser. Rarely mag.
It's a mix and use salt that has high Calcium, High Mag, excellent Alk (9 or so), blah, blah, blah...it's relatively cheap, too! I paid 70 bucks for the 220 gallon bucket.
It's a mix and use salt that has high Calcium, High Mag, excellent Alk (9 or so), blah, blah, blah...it's relatively cheap, too! I paid 70 bucks for the 220 gallon bucket.
disc1
-RT * ln(k)
I am using it because I am getting it for super cheap. I've been through a few buckets and I haven't had any issues. I am dosing 2-part but not much when I keep up with water changes. My pH stays nice and stable and I use the bicarbonate recipe.
I have noticed that this salt precipitates like crazy if you mix it too fast. I commented on another thread about a picture of your mixing bucket after "a few" batches of IO and I can make mine look like that with one batch of Salinity. I think it is because it mixes at such a high pH. When it initially mixes it gets really cloudy with, I assume, MgOH2. After a few minutes that goes away and once I can see the bottom and blow anything off of it I add more salt.
The only way I have found to avoid the precip is to mix really slow and with water as cool as I can get. This time of year the water is about 65F when I mix and I don't have anywhere near as much of a problem. The cloudiness lasts longer, but there is almost no scale at the end.
Reverend Reefer
New member
i've been using it for a couple months now. i've had to turn off my 2 part dosing pumps altogether and only run kalk in auto top off now.
since reading this thread, i've tried mixing it different ways and found that when i run a heater when mixing right away, i get cloudiness. but when i mix it with cold ro/di water first, wait a couple hours, then add turn on the heater, the water is clear. i also did find the drop in alk if i leave it for a week.
i like the salt mainly because i use less to get it to 1.026 and i don't need 2-part. my system demands aren't as high as an sps tank though but it seems a lot of you have decreased 2 part dosing as well. with previous salts, IO, oceanic, red sea, i've had to run the 2 part with kalk just to maintain levels. the salt is a bit pricey in my area, which i believe is related to the hype, but i save money on both salt mix and 2-part, so i feel like its worth it.
since reading this thread, i've tried mixing it different ways and found that when i run a heater when mixing right away, i get cloudiness. but when i mix it with cold ro/di water first, wait a couple hours, then add turn on the heater, the water is clear. i also did find the drop in alk if i leave it for a week.
i like the salt mainly because i use less to get it to 1.026 and i don't need 2-part. my system demands aren't as high as an sps tank though but it seems a lot of you have decreased 2 part dosing as well. with previous salts, IO, oceanic, red sea, i've had to run the 2 part with kalk just to maintain levels. the salt is a bit pricey in my area, which i believe is related to the hype, but i save money on both salt mix and 2-part, so i feel like its worth it.
