Salt choice

[mick_r]

Hi,

I own a 100L tank with the following population :
Fishes:
-3 Chromis viridis;
-A pair of Amphiprion ocellaris;
-1 Gramma loreto
-A pair of Pterapogon kauderni
-1 Synchiropus splendidus
Invertebrates:
- 1 Ophiolepis superba
- 1 Archaster typicus
- 2 Lysmata sp.
- Several snails and hermits
- 1 Feather duster
Corals:
- 3 LPS (1 Catalaphylla, 2 Caulastrea)
- 1 photosynthetic gorgonian (Antillorgorgia stp.)
- 1 Stichodactyla tapetum
- Several soft corals (1 Lobophyton sp., 1 Sinularia and a lot of discosoma)

As you can see, the tank is quite full and needs a lot of feeding (fishes, especially S. splendidus + feather duster): live artemia nauplius, frozen food, coral food (reef pearls), pellets etc...
I have a skimmer (Blau Nano Skimmer) and small refugium and try to perform a water change every 2 weeks.

I have issues with water parameters since the set up of the tank 3 years ago (I started my first reef tank 6 years ago):
- NO3=over 50 atm and PO4=about 0,1: i need to reduce that, but not too much since soft corals needs a little of them to grow,
-pH= 7,6: I've always been between 7,4 and 7,8 but find it too low...
-KH: 7,7: same problem, I wonder if it's too low or not?

I'm currently using Red Sea Salt (water prepared by my LFS) but want to switch to Aquaforest salt: which one would you recommand for my tank (Probiotic or "Normal")?

Also, which products (additives for example) would you advise me to use to resolve my issues (especially NO3/PO4)?

I also heard about using siporax: how does it work? how often do I need to change/clean them?


Thank you for your help!

Regards,
Mickael R.

 

[Aquaforest]

Hello,
For start You Can Use Pro Bio S+ -NP Pro with Reef Salt for start.. When You would like to reduce NO3 and PO4 more You Can use Probiotic Reef Salt.

Siporax is medium to settle bacteria.

Regards,
Aquaforest

 

[ayionna06]

So with the reef salt and the np pro and pro bio s it won't do anything as far as lowering phosphates and nitrates? I must use the probiotic reef salt? I don't have any sps corals and I only want a few once I get my levels correct

 

[lynchmob3000]

I believe he's saying if you add the salt with pro biotic you can get even more n03 and p04 reduction

 

[MadCnty]

Tropic Marin... My vote for salt...

 

[Aquaforest]

So with the reef salt and the np pro and pro bio s it won't do anything as far as lowering phosphates and nitrates? I must use the probiotic reef salt? I don't have any sps corals and I only want a few once I get my levels correct

Off course - You don't have to use Probiotic Reef Salt.
For Your tank We recommend Reef Salt for start.

yes- with Probiotic Reef Salt You Can get even more no3 and pop reduction but if You don't have to - Use Reef Salt.

Regards,
Aquaforest

 

[fessoclown]

Tropic Marin... My vote for salt...

wrong section Bud.

 

[fessoclown]

OP
Siporax is just an extremely porous media that provides a place for beneficial denitrifying bacteria to colonize. It's like jampacking your sump with live rock except it takes up way less space and is much much easier to keep clean of detritus. Once you put it in the sump it stays there, no need to change it ever.