Seachem ReefSalt

[rsteagall]

I'm about to order some more salt. I've used Oceanic in the past and am not impressed with the buffering capacity of this salt at all. Recently I finished off a bucket of Tropic Marin Pro Reef and experienced great buffering ability, but its quite a bit more per gallon compared to some others.

I know many of you use IO/Reef Crystals (what the difference is I don't know), but extra dosing of CA(?) is needed. I'm curious if any of you have used Seachem ReefSalt and your thoughts on it in comparison to IO/Reef Crystals or Tropic Marin Pro Reef?

The thing that's turning me on about Seachem is their claim of "Enhanced alkalinity buffers aquarium water to 8.4 for greater pH stability."

Thoughts?

-Ryan

 

[cee]

Mix 'em, that's what I do... Some complain about the boron being used as a buffer in SeaChem.

 

[rsteagall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11558163#post11558163 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cee
Mix 'em, that's what I do... Some complain about the boron being used as a buffer in SeaChem.

Thanks. Here is a good article I found on the subject:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm

However, "Whether this benefit is worth the concerns presented later in this article about unusually high boron concentrations is up to aquarists to decide for themselves."



So, you mix? Which do you mix and which do you use more of... if any?

 

[cee]

1/3 reef crystals, 1/3 oceanic, 1/3 IO or 1/2 IO and 1/2 oceanic. I've got a bucket of SeaChem on the way, so I'll be doing 1/4 of each soon. Mixing IO and oceanic balances the Ca, Alk, and Mg to near NSW levels.

Dave

 

[rsteagall]

Dave, have you ever used the Tropic Marin products? Curious your thoughts on this stuff.

Also are you getting anything extra out of Reef Crystals compared to IO? By this chart: http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/seasaltmixes/l/aa090503b.htm

I would think that Reef Crystals might be a better option than straight IO due to a slight increase of BO3 for buffering ability... but not as much BO3 as Seachem. Thoughts?


P.S.... Is that the Red/Blue tipped milli in your avatar? I'm excited.

-Ryan

 

[rsteagall]

I just ordered a bucket of IO and Seachem ReefSalt along with some other stuff from DrF&S

 

[cee]

Never tried TM, too rich for my blood. I use IO and Oceanic because I found it to be a nice balance. I really don't worry all that much anymore about pH (haven't measured it in over a year). If alk is good, pH is good enough for me. Plus, all my corals at at least a year in captivity and seem to be doing fine. And yes, that is the blue-tipped red/pink mille in my pic, although the frags do have a bit of coloring up to do since they're from lower on the colony.

Dave

 

[rsteagall]

I got my IO and Seachem salt in today. Strange.... this is the first salt buckets that I've seen out of all the brands that are identical in shape and size and all the same manufacturing markings. The only difference is the color of the lid(s). Makes me curious if they just buy the buckets/lids from the same place or if they are related in some way for form. Is one rebadging or manufacturing for the other?