salt

[timrandlerv10]

what salt do you use?

what salt should i use?

i need to get more today, so i figured i'd start getting the right kind...

 

[RUGDOG]

I use instant ocean. dont know why just always have. seems to be the one most readily available around here

 

[andyjd]

I use a 50/50 mix of Instant Ocean & Oceanic

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I am using Seachem Reef Salt. I have used Instant Ocean for at least 4 years. I think I was using Reef Crystals before that. Then I ended up with a bad batch of Instant Ocean last summer and some of my acros started losing tissues from the tips of their branches. John Newby told me that he also had a bad batch of IO so I switched my salt. I bought Seachem Reef Salt partly because he had it on sale at that time. After doing 3 water changes with Reef Salt, the acro started improving very rapidly so I am staying with Reef Salt for now. If Instant Ocean is very stable now, I may try it again.

Eric Borneman did a study on various salt mix lately and I believe that he indicated that Reef Crystals and Red Seas salt (coral pro?) showed better results than others. He stated that he still had to do some number crunching before he makes any conclusion. The results of the study should be coming out in a little while.

Tomoko

 

[buzzbait00]

I rotate!IO,Reef crystals,oceanic,Coralife and Seachem Reef.From what I gathered from the chemistry forum all formentioned are ok.Some are high in this low in that.Others are low in this high at that!

 

[dsalillas]

If you go to one of the big chains to buy salt, i.e. Petsmart,Petco. Bring a print out of their internet prices which they have to honor if you have them on hand. That will save you $10-$15 on the 160 gallon bucket, it's something like $31.99 at Petsmart online but over $45 instore fo IO salt. I save a ton of money shopping online and then buying instore.

 

[aujay]

I think Seachem has some issues with the alkalinity. Too much borate or something to that effect raises the alkalinity but its not carbonate alkalinity. I can't reemmber exactly, I'd look it up.

I use IO but only because I got it really cheap. They had the 5 gal buckets at Petco with the small bag prices on them, and they honored that price. I think it was $17 a bucket or something like that.

 

[woodywoo]

I'm with tomoko I use the Seachem reef salt, I love it, I have had any Alk problems yet, Benn using it for about a year.

 

[8BALL_99]

I did use IO for the first couple of years.. Always seemed like I had more algae after water changes then before.. So much so I didn't do them but a few times.. I switched to Reef Crystals and have used that ever since.. Now when I do water changes the tanks look better not worse lol. Reef Crystals does cost more then IO by about 8 dollars. But IMO you save that from not having to dose other stuff as much. I've also heard alot of people like Seachem Reef salt.. But Do not get the marine salt for your reef. After talking to someone that set their reeftank up with marine salt. They said that they like to never got the water parameters right.

Will

 

[Hard-Rock]

I thought Oceanic was the only salt that was made .

 

[Medaka]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9385803#post9385803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by andyjd
I use a 50/50 mix of Instant Ocean & Oceanic

Me to

 

[NicoleC]

SeaChem is my favorite by far. I have even used it for culturing and larval fish with good results.

My only beef with it is that it causes some thick and difficult deposits on mixing containers and mixing pumps. Soak in vinegar often, or you will be replacing them often.

Once mixed, I have not seen similar issues with the pumps and parts in the tanks themselves.

 

[aujay]

I wasn't implying that Seachem was a bad salt and I apologize if I gave that impression. I just remembered reading this:

Recommended Ranges

Before getting into problems and solutions, let’s first define what constitutes a problem and what does not. Based on published studies3 involving the calcification of corals and other organisms, I recommend the following:

Alkalinity2 (due to bicarbonate and carbonate but not borate, so those using Seachem salt must raise this value substantially to accommodate the borate being counted in standard alkalinity tests)

2.5 - 4 meq/L or 7 - 11 dKH or 125 - 200 ppm CaCO3 equivalents

Calcium:

380 â€"œ 450 ppm calcium ion or 950 - 1125 ppm CaCO3 equivalents

Its from this article http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm