Instant ocean salt sps sucess?

[Gangous]

I've been using instant ocean mostly because of the price because I use 200 gal box a month so the price is right !

Just looking for ppls experience with sps and this salt
Thank you

 

[jason78]

Always seemed my Calc and Alk would get way out of wack using this salt

 

[Peter Eichler]

There are many many successful sps tanks using IO. I switch back and forth between IO and Reef crystals

 

[Ratpack]

I use Reef Crystals and have since the start of my tank with he exception of one time I switched to Brightwells. I saw nothing but my wallet thinning. My corals and fish are doing great on RC and since the price is right, I plan to stay there.

 

[Gangous]

I know a few guys who use RC I tried that also and never noticed a difference I can get a box of regular io for right under 40$ if I did switch it would mean less wc so not sure trade off worth it !!
Would love to see some pics of sps only tanks using io salt

 

[Peter Eichler]

My last 400 gallons worth of water changes have been IO... I'm back to RC now simply because I usually buy both and the LFS prices them very similarly. Pics from my tank are floating around on or near the main page...

 

[DogueDeBordeaux]

My last 400 gallons worth of water changes have been IO... I'm back to RC now simply because I usually buy both and the LFS prices them very similarly. Pics from my tank are floating around on or near the main page...

Peter,

have you checked IO and RC salts lately? Are these #'s still close to what they mix up to?
Cal Alk Mg
Instant Ocean 400 11 1350
Reef Crystals 490 13 1440

 

[edog45]

Peter,

have you checked IO and RC salts lately? Are these #'s still close to what they mix up to?
Cal Alk Mg
Instant Ocean 400 11 1350
Reef Crystals 490 13 1440

I use IO and the last batch I mixed up at 1.026 was 400/12 and mag was off the chart with my red sea pro test kit. I used all the reagent in the syringe and it did not change color. I retested and got the same result so not sure about that.

 

[sjfishguy]

You are gonna pay to put supplements in to get the Ca and Mg up, so why not just do the RC to begin with? That's what makes sense to me and that's why I use it.

 

[Gangous]

I find that it mixes pretty close to what I shoot for if anything alk a tad high I use kalk and cal reactor

 

[ritter6788]

I use IO and the last batch I mixed up at 1.026 was 400/12 and mag was off the chart with my red sea pro test kit. I used all the reagent in the syringe and it did not change color. I retested and got the same result so not sure about that.

Every salt I tested with a Red Sea kit was off the chart on magnesium. If you refill the syringe it figures out to about 1600. Didn't matter what salt mix I always got 1600. Salifert test with RC salt was 1450.

 

[sjfishguy]

Yeah, spend the money on Salifert kits for alk and mg. Def worth the money.

 

[BeanMachine]

I use regular Instant Ocean.

 

[smartandfast]

Peter,

have you checked IO and RC salts lately? Are these #'s still close to what they mix up to?
Cal Alk Mg
Instant Ocean 400 11 1350
Reef Crystals 490 13 1440

I been using IO on and off for a few years now but I never had my levels close those #s. More like 380 Cal, 8 Alk 1100 MG.

 

[Peter Eichler]

I been using IO on and off for a few years now but I never had my levels close those #s. More like 380 Cal, 8 Alk 1100 MG.

I would have be highly suspect of the salinity reading you're getting if you think it's around 35ppt.

 

[Peter Eichler]

Peter,

have you checked IO and RC salts lately? Are these #'s still close to what they mix up to?
Cal Alk Mg
Instant Ocean 400 11 1350
Reef Crystals 490 13 1440

That's about right, though it's been a while since I've bothered testing calcium and magnesium...

 

[twon8]

I've been using io almost exclusively for over a decade and have no complaints.

 

[bogg]

I've used IO salt and spawned Sps
Growth has been better though with
Nsw

 

[nashorn]

I used aquavitro for about 2 years before changing to RC 6 months ago and didn't notice any change in tank.

 

[swk]

Switched to io from Red Sea blue bucket salt. One of the best things I did for my tank. I add calcium and drop the alk with muratic acid. My tank turned the corner, big time, when I made the switch. I have mostly sps and some zoas