I swear my coral colors are popping on reef crystals

[oldpaddy]

Hi all, I don't have any proof and it could just be in my head, but I've done two water changes using reef crystals instead of straight instant ocean and I swear the corals are more vibrant looking. Am I crazy or can someone back me up on this?

11 month old mixed reef 220gal, 55gal sump/refugium on reverse schedule, gfo, carbon, alk/ca doser, 150+ lbs live rock, sps, lps, softy, zoanthid, anemone, etc., and led.
30gal wc weekly
No3- 0 (a lot of gha)
10dkh
400Ca
1400+ Mg
1.025

 

[Nickmcc]

Everytime I mix my water with sea crystals my polyps seem to extend more than usual.

 

[DePinchGonze]

I prefer the reef crystals, a petstore in my area had a sale on the buckets for $35 a piece. I bought 8

 

[NeilFox]

I think it's good salt. If you test when you mix it up you can dose accordingly.

 

[HammerLover]

My corals looks much happier to as well when I switched to reef crystals. My LPS have longer polyps, ricordeas were happier. My sulking zoas from zoa pox even rebounded and started growing. Before I use instant ocean tho :/

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I also use nothing but reef crystals.

 

[oldpaddy]

Good! I'm glad I'm not alone.
I wonder what's in reef crystals that appears to be making my corals happier. It can't be alk, ca, or mg since I test and dose for those. I think from here on out I'm going with crystals.

 

[Big E]

Interesting, but I think some can be the placebo effect.

My zoas and acans always blow up more a day or two after a water change and I use standard IO.

Reef Crystals does have some boosted levels of a couple of elements and if your tank was deficient it's possible that they were brought up to level.

Each of you could have had a different element deficient or being depleted fast to show the response.

You can see a comparison in this thread--
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2554264&page=5

Check the table near the end of the thread post #106

 

[oldpaddy]

Interesting, but I think some can be the placebo effect.

My zoas and acans always blow up more a day or two after a water change and I use standard IO.

Reef Crystals does have some boosted levels of a couple of elements and if your tank was deficient it's possible that they were brought up to level.

Each of you could have had a different element deficient or being depleted fast to show the response.

You can see a comparison in this thread--
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2554264&page=5

Check the table near the end of the thread post #106

Thanks!
I was worried about a "placebo effect" and that's why I wanted to see if anyone else could confirm what I'm seeing. Like I said before, it might be in my head, but I swear my corals are looking better. I only bought rc because it was on sale. So I wasn't looking for any added bonus when I bought it.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Exactly it's the essential elements that it has over the regular stuff. I don't have to dose anything with doing either 10% weekly or 20% every two week WC's.

 

[Jah2707]

I did two water changes in two days because I used chemiclean and my acans went crazy. Puffed up huge and at night had massive sweepers. I always do a water change before someone who really likes reefs tanks comes and visits.

 

[oldpaddy]

Exactly it's the essential elements that it has over the regular stuff. I don't have to dose anything with doing either 10% weekly or 20% every two week WC's.

I do 10% weekly water changes and I still have to use a doser. Right now I'm going through calcium like crazy. I tested my Mg last week and it was at 1470 +/- and my alk is consistently around 10. I test alk and Ca daily. I haven't noticed a Ca or alk bump while use rc yet and I don't expect to since 10% is just 10%. There's some trace mineral that must be severely depleted in order for a 10% wc to make a difference. IF my eyes aren't lying to me that is.