OceanPure vs. Oceanic
- Thread starter reefcam
- Start date
reefcam
Member
Although this is a one sample test from a bucket, it is as good as testing a random bucket.
So here is my test for tonight:
Water source is RO/DI and reads 0 on my TDS meter. (Replaced all my RO/DI filter cartridges and dump the first 40g).
Test kits are all Salifert test kits and not expired.
Amount of water used to test: ~30g
Used a Refractometer to test salt level.
Temperature: 76.9 degrees F
Specific Gravity - 1.025
Mg - 1440 - 1470 mg/L
ALK - 7.4 dKH
CA - 575 mg/L
pH = 8.15
PO4 - None Detected
SiO2 - None Detected
Dissolveability = 8 (Scale from 1 - 10 [very quick]) - this is my own scale.
I remember the numbers were much better when I first started using Oceanic. Not sure if this inconsistency is going to be an issue. I have 5 more buckets to test.
Next test will be OceanPure from a 150g bucket.
Jim
So here is my test for tonight:
Water source is RO/DI and reads 0 on my TDS meter. (Replaced all my RO/DI filter cartridges and dump the first 40g).
Test kits are all Salifert test kits and not expired.
Amount of water used to test: ~30g
Used a Refractometer to test salt level.
Temperature: 76.9 degrees F
Specific Gravity - 1.025
Mg - 1440 - 1470 mg/L
ALK - 7.4 dKH
CA - 575 mg/L
pH = 8.15
PO4 - None Detected
SiO2 - None Detected
Dissolveability = 8 (Scale from 1 - 10 [very quick]) - this is my own scale.
I remember the numbers were much better when I first started using Oceanic. Not sure if this inconsistency is going to be an issue. I have 5 more buckets to test.
Next test will be OceanPure from a 150g bucket.
Jim
reefcam
Member
hey dznuts007
10 would be it dissolved instantly and no cloudy water
9 would be it dissolved instantly but the cloudy water quickly dissipate
8 would be it dissolved instantly but the cloudy water stay around for about 2 - 3 minutes
7 would be it dissolved instantly but there's a little undissolved salt and requires additional mixing to dissolve
6 would be it dissolved quickly.
5 and below, I would start considering a new salt.
Hope this helps
Jim
10 would be it dissolved instantly and no cloudy water
9 would be it dissolved instantly but the cloudy water quickly dissipate
8 would be it dissolved instantly but the cloudy water stay around for about 2 - 3 minutes
7 would be it dissolved instantly but there's a little undissolved salt and requires additional mixing to dissolve
6 would be it dissolved quickly.
5 and below, I would start considering a new salt.
Hope this helps
Jim
shred5
Premium Member
Wow I just donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t get this.. Is this the next in thing...IO and tropic marin have been making excellent salt for years and no one has ever had a problem with them... I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t get people putting their tanks at risk jumping on every new salt that hits the market.. Think people would learn after the last two episodes with salt. If you want extra calcium or want to raise your alk it is cheap to do soââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦ I understand people are always looking for something betterââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦ But be carefullââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦ Oceanpure may be a great salt I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t knowââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
Dave
Dave
Illusion
New member
Its not the Calcium or the Alk that I am Concerned about.. Its the Mg.. IO is Extremely low in Mg and would cost a Fortune to raise and even at that Its not worth the addition of Lbs of Magnesium for each water change just to keep the levels there...
Its not a matter of jumping on Every new salt mix out Its a matter of Finding something that you like and stick with it... When changing mixes as long as you go slow you should never have any issues... I have Used Crystal Seas without any issues... I only changed over a a gal or 2 per week in my old 55g... Went thru 200g Until I found that it was about 800mg and I tried to raise it and after 20.00 in Mg Supplement and I was no where near the Target thats when I decided to ditch the Idea and Switched to Oceanic and Now Oceanpure...
And LAst 2 episodes on Salt.. Only issue I have every heard that was bad was with Crystal Seas... I have not Heard of any other bad salts.. Please enlighten
Its not a matter of jumping on Every new salt mix out Its a matter of Finding something that you like and stick with it... When changing mixes as long as you go slow you should never have any issues... I have Used Crystal Seas without any issues... I only changed over a a gal or 2 per week in my old 55g... Went thru 200g Until I found that it was about 800mg and I tried to raise it and after 20.00 in Mg Supplement and I was no where near the Target thats when I decided to ditch the Idea and Switched to Oceanic and Now Oceanpure...
And LAst 2 episodes on Salt.. Only issue I have every heard that was bad was with Crystal Seas... I have not Heard of any other bad salts.. Please enlighten
Illusion
New member
I used Oceanic for over a year and my tank never looked better... I have never seen in any of the reports about Oceanic being bad except people getting bad buckets here and there... There are Many Extremely well known tanks using Oceanic without any issues except minor ugly algae issues... Nothing to hurt the Inhabitants... Nothing like the Coralvue of Crystal Seas incident..
As for Mg being Expensive...
Seachem Reef Advantage Magnesium 4 kg Price: $28.95 from Md
I went thru half this size on a 55g tank and only raised the Levels about 50ppm or so if I remember right.. Thats from like 900 to 950.. It would take 1 whole container to raise 55g 100ppm of mg... When you are thinking an average of 300ppm depreciation from Low levels in salt thats about 60.00 in Mg per water change... I have even heard one Of My LFS that was a Kent Fan State that he switched to Oceanic because Supplementing Mg got too Expensive... This coming from someone who can get everything at Wholesale cost... Lbs and Lbs of Mg supplement are required to do a major Correction like is needed with most Inferior salts... It is also the most expensive ingredient in the Salt mix the reason being every other companies salt being low...
As for Salt Prices..
Oceanic Locally $44.00
Oceanpure Locally $40.00
IO Locally $ 60.00
Kent $50.00 - $75.00
TM $105.00
Coralife $37.00
These are all the prices that I have lcoally to me..
Online shipping just kills..
James
As for Mg being Expensive...
Seachem Reef Advantage Magnesium 4 kg Price: $28.95 from Md
I went thru half this size on a 55g tank and only raised the Levels about 50ppm or so if I remember right.. Thats from like 900 to 950.. It would take 1 whole container to raise 55g 100ppm of mg... When you are thinking an average of 300ppm depreciation from Low levels in salt thats about 60.00 in Mg per water change... I have even heard one Of My LFS that was a Kent Fan State that he switched to Oceanic because Supplementing Mg got too Expensive... This coming from someone who can get everything at Wholesale cost... Lbs and Lbs of Mg supplement are required to do a major Correction like is needed with most Inferior salts... It is also the most expensive ingredient in the Salt mix the reason being every other companies salt being low...
As for Salt Prices..
Oceanic Locally $44.00
Oceanpure Locally $40.00
IO Locally $ 60.00
Kent $50.00 - $75.00
TM $105.00
Coralife $37.00
These are all the prices that I have lcoally to me..
Online shipping just kills..
James
steveweast
Active member
Shred5 may be refering to some folks that are raising their Mg levels with Epsom salt (MgSO4).....this is cheap; but, comes with problems...namely the sulfate. You really want to raise the Mg levels with 10 parts MgCl2 to every 1 part MgSO4. A sulfate imbalance will eventually prevail in the water if solely Epsom salts (MgSO4) is used. Magnesium cloride (mgCl2) is traded under the name of Nigari and is used in the making of Tofu.....its purity is dubious however. Higher grades of MgCl2 are very expensive. Randy has done several articles on this in the past. I've always looked for a salt that has the proper Mg level (around 1300ppm) and adjust the other levels if necessary.
reefcam
Member
shred5,
The reason why I am looking at new salt is not mainly because of low levels. Yes I do buffer my tank to raise pH, ALK, CA, Mg, or what ever is low. That's not a problem and yes, buying at cost is cheap.
I am mainly looking for salt that has consistent level from bucket to bucket or what ever. If I have to spend extra time to test every week when I do a water change, then that's extra time I am having to spend doing water changes. I do not have the time in the evening to do more than I have the alotted time for each task. Yes, my daily schedule is managed by Outlook Calendar that is closely tied to my work Outlook.
So, by finding a salt with consistent level from sample to sample, I can reduce the test time. Just it take much time, no, but I do take that time from my family.
That's a reason to finding a salt with consistent level. Now is OceanPure the salt? I don't know. First bag tested and the levels were great. Now I am going to sample another set of OceanPure this week.
Oceanic also came in perfect last year and now I'm fighting the inconsistent levels.
Yes, I do have a Kalk Reactor, CA Reactor, and what not, but when you do 30g water changes weekly, it adds up. Sure doing it monthly doesn't matter, but it does to me, mainly because I go through a lot of salt.
And like James mentioned above, at the end, money will add up.
I will continue doing more test over time to see if the Oceanic salt is better in the next bucket.
I am not taughting the use of OceanPure, but have you also noticed the price going up on Oceanic since it was first introduced.
And I also started using IO Salt in 1985 when that was pretty much the only available salt widely. Then Kent, then RedSea, and.... dang it, I feel like a salt whore.
The reason why I am looking at new salt is not mainly because of low levels. Yes I do buffer my tank to raise pH, ALK, CA, Mg, or what ever is low. That's not a problem and yes, buying at cost is cheap.
I am mainly looking for salt that has consistent level from bucket to bucket or what ever. If I have to spend extra time to test every week when I do a water change, then that's extra time I am having to spend doing water changes. I do not have the time in the evening to do more than I have the alotted time for each task. Yes, my daily schedule is managed by Outlook Calendar that is closely tied to my work Outlook.
So, by finding a salt with consistent level from sample to sample, I can reduce the test time. Just it take much time, no, but I do take that time from my family.
That's a reason to finding a salt with consistent level. Now is OceanPure the salt? I don't know. First bag tested and the levels were great. Now I am going to sample another set of OceanPure this week.
Oceanic also came in perfect last year and now I'm fighting the inconsistent levels.
Yes, I do have a Kalk Reactor, CA Reactor, and what not, but when you do 30g water changes weekly, it adds up. Sure doing it monthly doesn't matter, but it does to me, mainly because I go through a lot of salt.
And like James mentioned above, at the end, money will add up.
I will continue doing more test over time to see if the Oceanic salt is better in the next bucket.
I am not taughting the use of OceanPure, but have you also noticed the price going up on Oceanic since it was first introduced.
And I also started using IO Salt in 1985 when that was pretty much the only available salt widely. Then Kent, then RedSea, and.... dang it, I feel like a salt whore.
Illusion
New member
I was having an Algae Issue... I have since Corrected it... I bleieve the Algae to be caused by an Underpowered Skimmer and my Feeding habits... I used to take 1.5tbsp of flake and soak in Tank water and Feed that daily... My son messed with my skimmer a few weeks prior and I was still in the process of tuning it in again when the Algae started to come... But to be 100% honest when It first started I thought it might have been the Salt. But I am pretty sure it wasnt..
James
James
