Coralife Salt?

[Mark6509]

My LFS is having a big sale on Coralife Salt mix (150gal pail for $34.99). Is this a good salt mix? I'm thinking about picking up 2 or 3 pails if it is good quality. Instant Ocean is going for $60-$65 for a 160 gal pail.

TIA,

Mark

 

[Mark6509]

Doesn't anyone have an opinion on this salt???

Mark

 

[Wiskey]

I don't think many people have used it, when I looked it up I got very few responces too.

I did buy a bucket and here is what I found, CA is high, I don't remember the exact numbers but it was somewhere in the 460 range.

Alk is low, once again I don't remember exact numbers but it was down around upper 5 or lower 6 DKH.

Everything else I tested came out good, but the above two numbers made the salt a pain to mix. I used the bucket and all my coral did well on it, but when I was done with the bucket I happily went back to Instant Ocean.

Coralife salt does mix quick, it is the fixing of the ALK and CA that made it anoying.

Whiskey

 

[Mark6509]

Thanks for the reply Wiskey. I went ahead a bought a bucket. I figured for the price it is worth a try.

Mark

 

[fish-freek-3000]

the best salt if have ever used is tropic marin. it is 90 per pail. it dissolves in like 30 seconds. it has over like 70 trace elements in it. expensive but nice.

 

[suasponte2/75]

I've used it a few times with okay results but mostly bought it for the free t-shirts . I've switched back to IO when they started handing out shirts but recently stopped . Maybe I should start thinking about switching back .

Minh

 

[Wiskey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7038181#post7038181 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mark6509
Thanks for the reply Wiskey. I went ahead a bought a bucket. I figured for the price it is worth a try.

Mark

Just test your tanks alk and ca, and your newly mixed water's alk and ca and try to match your tank's levels to help avoid stress.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

But if this is a FOWLR don't worry so much about CA, just boost alk to keep ph in it's proper range.

Whiskey

 

[fishman805]

Coralife is the only mix that I use... ( and the T-Shirt is nice to give the kids ) ... It disolves quickly and does not seem to precipitate in my mixing container like the IO does ( I don't like that mix at all for that reason ) ... I hear that alot of folks use Reef Crystals ( and Fosters & Smith use it at their new Aquaculture facility ) ... I've got three tanks running ( two reefs and one FOWLR ) and have never had problems using the Coralife salt......

Like Wiskey said, though, you may have to monitor your calc and alk if using it for a large reef tank... I go through alot of mix so I go with value as well as reputation....

Bob

 

[unmc2001]

I have used it for 2 years without any problems. I just bought a new bucket of Instant Ocean to give it a try as it seems more people use that. I could not find too many people that used the coralife salt.

 

[Billybeau1]

I switch back and forth from Coralife to IO and RC. Depending whats on sale. No problems with any of them.

Like most said, just watch your calcium. Coralife has alot.

My last test on Coralife mixed at 1.023
10dkh
560 cal
1300 mg

Good salt if you have a lot of calcium consuming livestock. Also like others have said, it mixes real good.

BTW - thats a good price for Coralife

 

[Mark6509]

Thanks for all of the replys. I think I'll buy a couple more buckets at that price.

 

[TangmanBC]

I have been using it for years at least it has CA /ALK buffers in it and at the proportions listed on the label, I have only tried IO and Kent and was disappointed in both..Coralife all the way for me