Mixing Salt Brands

[seldon]

I was looking up some facts, and while this report is a bit older and by far not complete it has some elemental level readings on salt mixes.

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/salt_comparison.htm

It talks about somthing called marine environment, which i have never seen in stores, which is a 2 part mix to try to achieve a similarity to nsw.

 

[RV8tor]

I am NOT wanting to get into this "discussion" of salts. EVERYONE is entitled to there own opinion regardless of which brand of salt that they use. I wish you all luck in what every YOU chose. It is my option to use what I feel is successful for my tank.

So getting back to the original request for a group buy on salt. I have been suucessful in obtaining my salt at petsmart in champaign, they honor the online price which is currently 31.99 for IO salt where it typ[ically lists for 45.00 in the store. All you have to do is print the online price from there website bring in the copy and they have always honored the price. They also carry Oceanic and coralife salts.

Rick has offered in the group buy for the Metal Halites thread "I'd be happy to obtain bulbs, salt, pumps, whatever, for people in the club." I know he also has a very good price on salt and has more gallons than the buckets at petsmart 200 vs 160. So I will support Rick from here out.

BTW what is the deal with the MH group buy?

My .02

 

[lglamb]

I was reading in the paper last night about one company that
was doing a lot of research on not only NSW, but even NSW
from different areas of the ocean. They finally developed a
synthetic that gave them the results they were looking for
based on sodium, etc. content from a particular area.

So based on this research, I'm switching from IO
to Campbell's Soup.

Lowell

 

[brad23]

I thjink what ever salt you use will slowly lose what ever was in it. Corals and other stuff absorbs it so you have to use additives anyway.

Unless you want to do water changes every week.

 

[Sloeber]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6810943#post6810943 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seldon
I was looking up some facts, and while this report is a bit older and by far not complete it has some elemental level readings on salt mixes.

ah yes, the ole s-15 report. it has been along quite awhile.

regardless of what you take from the report, remember that it was performed by a salt manufacturer and the only salt that was praised was developed by them.

HTH

 

[BeckynCodysTank]

For some non-quantitative, moderately scientific salt comparison data look no further than ron shimek. - http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.php - He ran an experiment with urchin embryos in different salt water conditions. Its got some good salt water info....

So if you want in on the salt deal.. help Andy out and say so... if you don't PLEASE find another thread to debate this.

 

[epon]

Force me to take new pics why don't you.

IO for life ! Or atleast untill I quit the hobby

 

[Horace]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6817952#post6817952 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by epon
Force me to take new pics why don't you.

IO for life ! Or atleast untill I quit the hobby

Epon, you have a great tank for sure and dont get the idea that I am down playing your success. These pictures are from a local reefer's tank that uses Seachem salt at near NSW levels. He also uses the Zeovit system. Obviously the salt isnt the only difference...but check these colors out. This tank is only 15 months old!!!!!!!

Now do you guys understand why I would want to copy what he is doing?

 

[Horace]

 

[blooper74]

Thems some purdy pic-chores youz gots thar. LOL, nice growth.

 

[Horace]

That tank is easily one of the best in the country IMO. Amazing that it is a local tank. Most of my frags are from that tank actually. I am trying to replicate his way of doing things to the best of my ability w/out going broke lol.

 

[andycook]

All along weren't you talking about mixing salt brands? I'm confused.

 

[Sloeber]

OK, I split this off from the group buy thread...

I think the point is, commercial grade salt is just that...commerical grade. Like Chevy, Dodge or Ford, you have positives and negatives and generally can't go wrong. It is personal preference. All commercial grade salts will keep our animals alive. Will they yield ideal water parameters? Probably not. That isn;t likely to happen until you move to the coast and have a flow-through aquarium plumbed from the ocean. But like I said, any commercial grade salt sold nowadays will keep our animals alive.

My goal is consistency and repetition. I follow the KISS method. I am not a very smart person and i believe most of America is just as stupid as me. I prefer to remove all guess work and chance of error.

Will you screw up your tank by mixing salt? Heck no. Mixing SeaChem and IO or whatever brands does not result in some fatal by-product. But is it an extra step not really worth bothering yes? IMHO, yep. Does it yield higher alk and calcium levels? Possibly, but I have $800 in plastic in my garage waiting to deliver both in excessive quantities so I guess you can say I am not worried about make-up water testing 375 or 450 on calcium, etc.

JMO

 

[Sloeber]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6822210#post6822210 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Horace
That tank is easily one of the best in the country IMO.

No doubt from those pics it is a top-notch aquarium. I have never met Jeff or seen his aquarium in person, but I will wager the guess that those corals were all purchased as colonies?

I am trying to replicate his way of doing things to the best of my ability w/out going broke lol.

To me, that is what makes a beautiful aquarium. Anyone with disposeable income can have a rawkin' aquarium. It is those aquariums which are done conservatively financially and grown from frags which truly impress me. Frags from Jeff's colonies is certainly a good start

 

[Sloeber]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6821990#post6821990 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Horace
These pictures are from a local reefer's tank that uses Seachem salt at near NSW levels. He also uses the Zeovit system. This tank is only 15 months old!!!!!!!

Hrmmm. I have never researched the Zeovit system, but as it was explained to me Zeovit stresses the corals to the point of expelling zo and thereby allowing the corals to "color up." Did this theory ever make it out into the internet world for discussion?

The fact that the tank is only 15 months old actually takes away from it IMHO. Granted, the tank is amazingly beautiful, but I like to see tanks that are 5 - 10 years old that look like this coming from humble beginnings. Take epon for example. His corals are large now, but every coral was added to the aquarium as frags merely an inch or 2 tall. That tells me more about his reefkeeping skills than his pocketbook. With any luck i can get epon to take care of my corals while I take care of my fish :lol:

 

[lglamb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6822699#post6822699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hcs3
Hrmmm. I have never researched the Zeovit system, but as it was explained to me Zeovit stresses the corals to the point of expelling zo and thereby allowing the corals to "color up." Did this theory ever make it out into the internet world for discussion?

I was reading on it a while back, then RC closed the thread.


Oops. Where's that dang RunningForCover smilie?

 

[lglamb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6822661#post6822661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hcs3
No doubt from those pics it is a top-notch aquarium. I have never met Jeff or seen his aquarium in person, but I will wager the guess that those corals were all purchased as colonies?

If so, I hope none of them are illegal.

We'd have to report Horace to the SPCIA or something.

 

[RV8tor]

All I can say is WOW, those corals are B.E.A.Utiful. No doubt something is working for him. So how did you say I can get some frags from him?

 

[brad23]

Zeofit has its own forum now.

 

[RV8tor]

Brad where is that forum at I looked couldn't find