Does anyone still use IO salt?

[allsps40]

No, it's not normal. If you have brown residue in your pumps and buckets, you either have algae or bacteria growing on them. The water should still be crystal clear (assuming you mix the water correctly and your bucket is clean to begin with). I have never seen any brown residue from IO. Even RC is not always brown (just occasionally).

I dont store water in my mixing buckets I mix it and use it. Over time my pump and bucket get a brown scale build up. It is ca and mag that did not dissolve this is very common and normal. I have noticed faster build up with reef salts. There are posts about this scale build up. I agree the water should be nice and clear and it is except for those few buckets of RC and IO I got a while back.

 

[chrishayes]

I am in a similar situation to the OP. I have always used reefcrystals just because it takes less two part to maintain the big 3. It has however jacked my mag in the over 1500 range consitently bucket to bucket. Also, Ive noticed that the brown redsidue has decreased steadily over the years to where this last bucket of RC is crystal clear up to a week after mixing(if I get to busy and leave it) but of course some bacteria I assume does start to creep in...

Now if you wanna talk about residue, I thought id give a new salt a try just to see if it would change anything so I chose RSCP and good god man, what a mess that stuff is. After mixing it up in my brute the water looked like skim milk and didnt clear up for 2 days and once it did it had precipitated like crazy and even STOPPED my pump...everything was covered in calcium to the point where I had to vinegar bath it. THe bottom was 1/8" thick brown sandy sludge. Worst thing is even AFTER it had precipitated that bad alk was 14dkh! I put it in the garage and will only use it for QT and that sort of thing. Not goin in my reef.

Anyhow, after saying all that, my lfs had their annual BIG sale where they put buckets of IO on sale at $35. Just couldnt pass so I bought two buckets. Shoulda bought a pallet but they limit 2 per transaction and I didnt feel like going back to get more another day. Ive still got a few cups of RC left then ill be goin IO. Ill report the numbers when I mix it but after readin reviews I dont think ill be disapointed.

 

[allsps40]

I have the same thing with RSCP build up on pump and alk 14. I use it in my sps tank and have had no issues. For the OP IO is a fine salt it is the most used salt in the hobby.

 

[ptr13]

I switched from oceanic to IO reef crystals and my tanks even better with this salt.

 

[dunk373]

io since beginning never anything else its readily available and works, never used an ounce of any brand, never have trouble finding it.

 

[smann]

I've used IO and reef Crystals for years, I did get brown build up on the inside of my white 50g barrel and pump, used to clean it about every other time. I covered the barrel with a black barrel cover and have ran about five 50g mixes and haven't had to clean it yet

 

[dzhuo]

I was curious about the brown residue people mentioned so I decided to take a look my mixing bucket. The bucket has been used since I start my tank roughly 1 year ago. My tank is 150g + 40g and I do about 30% water change every 4 weeks (15% each 2 weeks). Even after one year of using IO (lots of water changes, many buckets of IO, etc), the bucket looks brand new. I thought maybe the brown residue is just hard to notice so I took a clean tissue and wipe the bucket a few times. Here is what it looks like:

There is no left over or brown coloration. The brown residue I mentioned earlier (from RC) isn't from undissolved cal or mag. It's literally "dirt" covering the entire mixing bucket. If you exam the RC salt closely, you actually can pick up those "dirts". It's very noticeable.

 

[chrishayes]

You mean like this? lol This is from RSCP, one batch.

 

[jcw]

It doesn't show up on my container, I don't think. But inside the pump and vinyl hose that I have sitting in the container to mix and transfer the saltwater.

I'll post up a pic...

 

[batt600]

I use ESV salt will never use IO ever again . ESV salt you controll your parameters as you see fit , so your in controll of your mixter and it ready to use on 10 min , no waiting 24h to mix