Need Salt Recommendation

Thor2j

Member
I currently use RSCP salt and am happy with it except I would like a salt that has alkalinity near what I run. I currently run my tank around 8.5 DKH. When I do my water changes I kill my doser for a night and it comes back to this range , but I don't like the spike. It's not huge as it goes up to 9.1-9.2. I target my calcium around 420. I even thought about buying the regular red sea and mixing them.

Any good salts that fit these parameters and don't take too long to mix like red sea?

Thanks

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The manufacturer's information on seachem reef salt says it has a dkh of 4 to 5 meq/l depending on the sg range they recommend(1.020 to 1.025).That's relatively high alk. They also indicate 142 ppm calcium carbonate which is roughly 7.95dkh but also show relatively high boron at 16ppm( typicaly boron is only 2% or so of the total alk) which takes that up to around 8.84dkh ,presumably at 1.020 sg ;roughly 30% higher at 1.026.Take a look at the sticky on top of this forum ,many current test results for salt mixes including the seachem salt are noted.
 
The manufacturer's information on seachem reef salt says it has a dkh of 4 to 5 meq/l depending on the sg range they recommend(1.020 to 1.025).That's relatively high alk. They also indicate 142 ppm calcium carbonate which is roughly 7.95dkh but also show relatively high boron at 16ppm( typicaly boron is only 2% or so of the total alk) which takes that up to around 8.84dkh ,presumably at 1.020 sg ;roughly 30% higher at 1.026.Take a look at the sticky on top of this forum ,many current test results for salt mixes including the seachem salt are noted.

I have been using Seachem Reef Salt for about 6 months. I mix at 35ppt. I measured alkalinity couple of times using Hanna Checker. It was always under 9dkh. Last time I measured it was 149.
 
I'm also looking to switch from RSCP for similar reasons. I love how quick and clear the coral pro mixes but all is too high. I was looking to possibly try Red Sea Blue Bucket or HW reefer. Anyone have experience with these?
 
take a look at auaforest. This seems to be the hot salt now in our area. I'm switching over to it mostly because it's close to my tanks parameters and I can lightly dose the mix to get it to my desired levels.
 
What about using a salt with lower magnesium/calcium and boosting it with a premixed solution before adding mixed saltwater to the tank?

I'm thinking about doing this with instant ocean or regular Tropic Marin which has lower calcium and magnesium levels.

I suspect some of the brands are charging extra for the higher levels of Alk/calcium and magnesium but the quality of their salt might not be worth the price.
 
I use regular instant ocean because I don't like the high alk in Reef Chrystal. Instan ocean is closer to where I run my alk but it is lower in calcium. So I just add a little calcium to my water change water & im good to go. Even having to dose the calcium it is still cheaper then most salts. It's really not much work eighther, when my bucket is filling up with water from my storage tank I just add a cap of calcium to the bucket as I go.
 
I'm also looking to switch from RSCP for similar reasons. I love how quick and clear the coral pro mixes but all is too high. I was looking to possibly try Red Sea Blue Bucket or HW reefer. Anyone have experience with these?

I use the RedSea blue bucket for this very reason and have been happy with it. I mix to 35ppt and get an Alk ~8.5 which is around the level I keep the DT.

This, along 2-part dosing and wet skimming keeps my Alk very stable.

I do get nasty brown gunk in my mixing vessil, which I believe is anti-caking agent or something. Would try other low-Alk salts, but none of them are available where I live, so RS Blue Bucket it is. Been 6 months with it and quite happy.

-droog
 
From all the salts that ive used ,red sea coral pro is the one that dissolves the fastest.If you want a salt with low alk then you can change the RS coral pro with the RS salt thats not coral pro (the blue bucket).When you are dosing ca and alk is recomended to use a low alk salt .
 
Boosting Ca/MG in Tropic MArin water change water

Boosting Ca/MG in Tropic MArin water change water

What about using a salt with lower magnesium/calcium and boosting it with a premixed solution before adding mixed saltwater to the tank?

I'm thinking about doing this with instant ocean or regular Tropic Marin which has lower calcium and magnesium levels.

I suspect some of the brands are charging extra for the higher levels of Alk/calcium and magnesium but the quality of their salt might not be worth the price.

I don't know about the IO, but you wouldn't want to try to increase the levels of Mg and Ca in Tropic Marin solution before adding it to your tank. Since we use only un-chelated forms of Ca in our salt, if you do try to increase the levels in RO/DI water, you will likely get a precipitate. That is the reason the levels are set where they are. If you want higher Ca/Mg levels, then I suggest you try the Tropic Marin Pro-REEF version. But then you have a slightly lower alkalinity. Once again to prevent precipitation.
 
I don't know about the IO, but you wouldn't want to try to increase the levels of Mg and Ca in Tropic Marin solution before adding it to your tank. Since we use only un-chelated forms of Ca in our salt, if you do try to increase the levels in RO/DI water, you will likely get a precipitate. That is the reason the levels are set where they are. If you want higher Ca/Mg levels, then I suggest you try the Tropic Marin Pro-REEF version. But then you have a slightly lower alkalinity. Once again to prevent precipitation.

That's very good to know. I was unsure that technique would work, but someone on here mentioned doing it with IO salt. I just purchased the regular tropic marin and will not do it with the salt once I start using it. I've been using IO and dosing pre-mixed and packaged two-part by hand directly into my tank.

Dosing bulk calcium chloride and magnesium chloride solution by hand directly into the tank would be fine though, right? I don't have that big of calcium/alk demand in my tank.

I've used Tropic Marin in the past and despite the lower magnesium and calcium, I really like the quality and trace elements that come with. Plus, if you buy it on sale, it's not too far off in price from regular instant ocean but much higher quality.

Maybe I'll switch to Tropic marin reef down the road, but I just bought 200 gallons of regular tropic marin and need to use it first.
 
Dosing bulk calcium chloride and magnesium chloride solution by hand directly into the tank would be fine though, right? I don't have that big of calcium/alk demand in my tank.


Yes;though for magnesium , I'd recommend a mix of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate to maintain the overall chloride sulfate ionic balance.

I agree that adding calcium and/or magnesium to most commercial salt mixes may lead to precipitation , They are blended to mix as is.
 
Dosing bulk calcium chloride and magnesium chloride solution by hand directly into the tank would be fine though, right? I don't have that big of calcium/alk demand in my tank.


Yes;though for magnesium , I'd recommend a mix of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate to maintain the overall chloride sulfate ionic balance.

I agree that adding calcium and/or magnesium to most commercial salt mixes may lead to precipitation , They are blended to mix as is.

I planned on bringing the calcium levels up in the newly mixed saltwater from 380 to about 420 and magnesium from 1200 to 1300. I didn't think that would create precipitation.

Is this a specif issue with Tropic Marin salt? The extra calcium and magnesium I need to bring my overall tank levels up to 420 and 1300 would get added directly to the tank with mixed RODI solution.

I only have magnesium chloride at the moment. I would like to use that alone until I pick up some magnesium sulfate. Would adding the magnesium chloride by itself cause problems? My current Magnesium level is 1200 and I want it to be at least 1300.
 
Those doses for calcium and magnesium should be fine. Some salt mixes seem to be more prone to precipitation when first mixed, but once aeration has brought the pH to a reasonable level, supplements should be fine.

Using only magnesium chloride will be fine. I'd worry about adding magnesium sulfate to a supplement more than a one-time dose to new saltwater, but even then, magnesium chloride should be fine for a supplement.
 
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