"best" sps salt ...

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The potassium could be slightly higher and same with iodine, however i think adding a little potassium iodide would solve that issue. magnesium is also slightly lower, calcium and alk seem more or less just right.

In the 20+ years that I've been growing SPS I've never measured potassium and I've never worried about iodine. I've used every salt named in this thread and I've grown SPS successfully with all of them. I did start using a Kalk drip the first year I started with SPS

In an 18 with a real water volume of what, maybe 14 gals, you should be able to use IO or one of the other basic salts with great success. Do small water changes weekly, say 2 gals and drip kalk for top off. Alkalinity stability is the key.
 
I was considering esv but i hear alot of people are having problems with RTN with it for some reason.

This is RC. If you search you can find an opinion to support any point of view or experience you like. It may well have no factual basis or be the ultimate truth. The problem is you won't know which it is.

This is a hobby where the significant knowledge is not new. Read Sprung and Delbeek's books, heck read Martin Moe's book. Ignore the discussions of which test kit to use, which salt to use, which trace elements to ad or what to feed your corals.

Stay with what you've been doing for longer than a few weeks and keep it simple. You'll have success.
 
Honestly i couldnt keep it any more simple than i already am. I do weekly water changes, i test alk every other day and have kept it stable. My phos and nitrates were 0 which i have read was the "right" way since 2006 when i first started with a larger tank. And while everything in my tank are at the "optimum paramaters" my sps never look good. My other coral are fine. Now i've been feeding aggressively and got my nitrates up to 5 ppm in hopes of getting some missing nutrients into my system. The rc salt i'm using is wayy too inconsistent. And i think thats why i am having problems. But to each is own.
 
If you have a successful SPS tank you will need to dose ALK/CALC. My tank consumes 0.6 dKH/day and it's even half full. I am pretty sure once the tank is filled up it will consumer > 2 dKH/day. Weekly water change is not going to keep your levels stable regardless what salt you use.
 
If you have a successful SPS tank you will need to dose ALK/CALC. My tank consumes 0.6 dKH/day and it's even half full. I am pretty sure once the tank is filled up it will consumer > 2 dKH/day. Weekly water change is not going to keep your levels stable regardless what salt you use.

wasn't my question
 
if you have a successful sps tank you will need to dose alk/calc. My tank consumes 0.6 dkh/day and it's even half full. I am pretty sure once the tank is filled up it will consumer > 2 dkh/day. Weekly water change is not going to keep your levels stable regardless what salt you use.

+1
 
wasn't my question

You seems to be looking for a salt so that you do not need to supplement between water changes. Such salt does not exist for heavily stocked sps tanks. Hence my answer.

If you looking for a salt base on other factors then it would be a different answer.
 
You seems to be looking for a salt so that you do not need to supplement between water changes. Such salt does not exist for heavily stocked sps tanks. Hence my answer.

If you looking for a salt base on other factors then it would be a different answer.

False, i'm looking for a better balanced salt. Preferably one that has higher Magnesium,iodine and potassium. I'm already supplementing alk and calcium as is.. so again NO.

Way too many critics with comments that don't matter to me whatsoever ...if you can't reply to my original question and provide me with the insight that i am seeking please don't post on my thread. Thanks i don't need anyones .02
 
I guess price will not be a problem on a 18G tank. You can't go wrong with ESV or RBS. Since your afraid of using ESV get RBS
 
If you have a successful SPS tank you will need to dose ALK/CALC. My tank consumes 0.6 dKH/day and it's even half full. I am pretty sure once the tank is filled up it will consumer > 2 dKH/day. Weekly water change is not going to keep your levels stable regardless what salt you use.

^this


Regardless of weather or not it was your question, that is the answer.

Besides that, just pick one with the parameters you like. Simple as that.

^this

You seems to be looking for a salt so that you do not need to supplement between water changes. Such salt does not exist for heavily stocked sps tanks. Hence my answer.

If you looking for a salt base on other factors then it would be a different answer.

^ and this



The choice of salt becomes relatively mundane as an SPS tank progresses. The rate that SPS consume elements become so fast and critical that their means of replacement (from given salt mix) becomes the much more important factor. Any salt with NSW levels (or slightly higher) will suffice all the same.
 
You guys don't realize he has a small tank and needs as much stability as he can get. And he never said he is not planing on dosing ca/kh.
Greyson, people achieve great results with each and every salt brand out there. But every tank is different. If you feel like your tank needs a more stable salt get Korallen-Zucht reefer best salt. If you are willing to pay $100 per 20kg I garantee if u mix the bucket at 35ppt it will test exactly the same every time:

Magnesium (Mg): 1.268 mg / l (1236-1300 mg / l)
Calcium (Ca): 408 mg / L (398-420 mg / l)
Potassium (K): 395 mg / L (375-414 mg / l)
Sodium (Na): 10,648 mg / l (10382-10914 mg / l)
Chloride (Cl): 19,280 mg / l (18800-19761 mg / l)
Sulphate (SO4): 2.701 mg / l (2633-2768 mg / l)
GCH: 8.2 ° (8.17 ° - 8.40 °)
pH: 8.15 (8.02 to 8.27)

GL
 
You guys don't realize he has a small tank and needs as much stability as he can get. And he never said he is not planing on dosing ca/kh.
Greyson, people achieve great results with each and every salt brand out there. But every tank is different. If you feel like your tank needs a more stable salt get Korallen-Zucht reefer best salt. If you are willing to pay $100 per 20kg I garantee if u mix the bucket at 35ppt it will test exactly the same every time:

Magnesium (Mg): 1.268 mg / l (1236-1300 mg / l)
Calcium (Ca): 408 mg / L (398-420 mg / l)
Potassium (K): 395 mg / L (375-414 mg / l)
Sodium (Na): 10,648 mg / l (10382-10914 mg / l)
Chloride (Cl): 19,280 mg / l (18800-19761 mg / l)
Sulphate (SO4): 2.701 mg / l (2633-2768 mg / l)
GCH: 8.2 ° (8.17 ° - 8.40 °)
pH: 8.15 (8.02 to 8.27)

GL


THANK YOU ! The first normal response on this thread.. as stated, i never said i don't plan on dosing any other additives, i also didn't say i don't dose additives RIGHT NOW. You're all missing the damn point of my question.. i am not looking to use a salt mix to supplement my tank.. but rather a salt mix that is more consistent and has more levels of what i mentioned ( mg, k, iodine ). Now that i realize that the majority of you have your heads so far up your @sses, i am no longer going to be asking for ANY help on this forum.

Mod Please close this thread.
 
Wow. I had no idea salt choice could arouse so much emotion. I must be doing this wrong.

I really like Red Sea Coral Pro. It's been consistent for me and I can buy it locally.
 
Wow. I had no idea salt choice could arouse so much emotion. I must be doing this wrong.

I really like Red Sea Coral Pro. It's been consistent for me and I can buy it locally.

Well you know how New Yorkers are......

As for me, well I'm just gonna "fugetaboutit".....
 
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