Our Tbs

[patsan]

Salt Question

Salt Question

Brian, have you come to any conclusion on the new formula Kent Salt?
We have enough for one more water change, and then I think I am just going to buy something local rather than have to call to order and go pick it up 45 minutes away.

 

[jmait769]

Dennis - Thanks! I'm not sure how I missed that whole page before.

So far after installing part two I have no ammonia and a slight increase to .01 nitrites. Plan on some water replacement tonight. Everything looks good. My shrimp did not come out last night and there are plenty of places to hide, but I spent an hour watching for her. I'm working on my cameras skills so will try to get some posted that are not so blurry!!

Jay

 

[elzool]

But Mother told me no more wire hangers!

might have to dig one up though... sounds like a great idea

thanks!

 

[patsan]

I haven't posted any pictures in a while because there's nothing new in the tank.
I still took some this morning:

 

[BrianPlankis]

Re: Salt Question

Re: Salt Question

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7435124#post7435124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by patsan
Brian, have you come to any conclusion on the new formula Kent Salt?
We have enough for one more water change, and then I think I am just going to buy something local rather than have to call to order and go pick it up 45 minutes away.

Pat,

Do you mean me? Several Brians in this thread

Anyway, I have decided to stop using Kent salt, I followed the Kent thread over in the Chemistry forum and Kent never really seemed to address the issue properly for me to feel comfortable buying Kent again any time soon.

I have 1/2 of a 200 gal bucket left and I'm going to try to stretch that to Sept/Oct. I also have enough Reef Crystals salt to make about 30-40 gallons of water and am probably going to add in small amounts of that to make the Kent last longer. Why? Beause that is when the results of the salt study by Eric Borneman/MARSH will be out.

I've helped out on the salt study and salts "B" and "F" (randomly assigned letters) are performing much better than the other salts. I do not know what salts those are as it is a blind study. As soon as I know the ID of those salts, I'm ordering a couple of buckets.

Brian

 

[drk70]

Keep us posted on the salt. I have only used Kent salt and I will say that I do see some brown stuff in my Brute SW mixing can. I can only assume that it is from the solt because it isn't in any of my other cans that just hold RO/DI water.

Nice pics as usual Pat!

 

[drk70]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7435684#post7435684 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elzool
But Mother told me no more wire hangers!

might have to dig one up though... sounds like a great idea

thanks!

Just don't tell "Mommy Dearest" what that wire is when you are spearing crabs in your tank.

I actually used the wire from one of those flags that are used to mark underground utility lines. The wire isn't as heavy as a coat hanger but most people don't have those flags laying around. I bought a pack of them at HD for marking locations for trees and plants.

 

[elzool]

I give the wire hanger method 5 claws up!
One one the three I speared only had one claw.

Very cool.

Now if I could only figure out what is clicking, I'd be set.

 

[patsan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436322#post7436322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elzool
I give the wire hanger method 5 claws up!
One one the three I speared only had one claw.
Very cool.
Now if I could only figure out what is clicking, I'd be set.

If you've spent lots of time watching the tank, and haven't seen a mantis, then it's probably a pistol shrimp. They tend to hide more than mantis'.

Brian, thanks for the info on the Kent Salt. I don't know what I'll buy yet.....probably IO and calcium suppliment.

 

[jmait769]

Pat ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ Nice pictures. Is the first two a Devil's Hand Leather Coral? Beautiful pictures.

Jay

 

[patsan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436425#post7436425 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmait769
Pat ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ Nice pictures. Is the first two a Devil's Hand Leather Coral? Beautiful pictures.

Jay

I really don't remember Jay. I think they were finger leathers, but I can't remember now.

 

[elzool]

I've watched the tank like a hawk and have seen something that I thought was green hiding in a hole.

If it's just a pistol then I'm happy.

After sharpening up my hanger I'll hopefully spear up some more crabs in the next few hours.

 

[drk70]

I went almost a year before seeing what was making the clicking in my tank.

 

[liverock]

good guy

good guy

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436471#post7436471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elzool
I've watched the tank like a hawk and have seen something that I thought was green hiding in a hole.

If it's just a pistol then I'm happy.

After sharpening up my hanger I'll hopefully spear up some more crabs in the next few hours.

Claw=green pistol shrimp...the most common here...

TBS

 

[liverock]

Yup!

Yup!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7434928#post7434928 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by krajacich
My guess would be a shaving brush, a good type of macroalgae to have. Lots of people pay for them

It could also be a mermaid's fan.

Correct, shaving brush......two...from one root ball!
Nitrate eaters!
TBS

 

[bobt2]

pat, as you know i only use io. i would never switch. the cal measures around 350-360 and the alk is up around 11dk. i add a little cal to the change water and i dose a 2 pt every day. i'm at a stable 400 and 8dk in all 3 tanks.i get the buckets at pw somewhere in the low $30 range

 

[Red_Six]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436354#post7436354 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by patsan
If you've spent lots of time watching the tank, and haven't seen a mantis, then it's probably a pistol shrimp. They tend to hide more than mantis'.

Brian, thanks for the info on the Kent Salt. I don't know what I'll buy yet.....probably IO and calcium suppliment.

I was just wondering why you choose to use IO. I had a 160 gallon bucket of IO and the calcium, magnesium and alkalinity levels were all low (330, 720, 7.2). I mixed big batches in my RO/DI trashcan and the levels were always low. The price of the salt ended up costing me double what it should because I had to fix it with supplements. I just finished off the IO and I put in an order for a bucket of Reef Crystals. The Reef Crystals are advertised as containing "extra calcium, select trace elements, and vitamins." Isn't that all better for my reef tank? Reef Crystals are made by the same company as IO and it only costs a few bucks more. It was on sale ($34.99 and they did away with there shipping weight fees ) at DF&S. Unless there is a problem with Reef Crystals, they seem like the better choice. Do you, or anyone else for that matter, know of any problems with the Reef Crystals?

 

[bobt2]

i have different numbers. never checked mag in new water my tank is around 1280 with no supplments

 

[BrianPlankis]

It seems that many salts are inconsistent from time to time. IO is sometimes noted for inconsistency and the recent problems with Kent make me leery of it. The only thing I've heard about Reef crystals is that it sometimes contains traces of phosphate, but I've only seen that a few times on a couple of boards. It could very well be someone just trying to give reef crystals a bad name.

I actually just bought a 50 gallon bag of reef crystals and I will be mixing up a batch and testing the values in the next couple of weeks.

Brian

 

[jmait769]

Here are some more pictures. I'm using a little better camera! Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

You can see a small orange Brittle Star in the coral. Neat hitch hiker!!

Purple Anemone

Flower Anemone

Small Feather Dusters

Branch:

Shrimp my wife bought me. Canââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t find the shrimp Richard sent!

Jay