So i screwed up??.

[Slystone]

So, before my vast learning here at RC, I cycled my tank with instant ocean. I now have reef crystals. Do I empty my entire tank? Or can i catch up with 25% water changes once a week? If i do that could I try a zoa colony after say a month or wait for certain Ca levels?

 

[thegrun]

For soft corals I wouldn't worry about your calcium. Get your alkalinity in line and don't sweat large water changes, just make your normal 10% weekly changes.

 

[Painted skin]

You do not need to empty your tank, because you're changing different salt..

 

[potterjon]

You don't need to worry about calcium until you have many calcium consuming organisms. There is nothing wrong with instant ocean. I use it often when I can't afford others.

 

[glddrgn06]

my lfs has interchanged the two for years and his tanks are thriving

 

[jackde]

Your fine, don't sweat it.

 

[sushi4u]

If you are really worried about the alkalinity or calcium levels then test for it to see what levels they are.

There is really no issue of changing salt at all.

 

[AWDcameoLSX]

Honestly I have been going with different ones at a time just so there is a nice balance of all the trace elements in the water. IO Reef Crystals, Sechem reef salt, Red sea coral pro. Just kind of ended up with some of each.

 

[Dragonvale]

I would drip acclimate when using another salt. Based on their ALK you can loose some corals with a drastic change. One salt can have a low alk at 8 and the other can be 11. Say you do a 25% water change and depending how fast the water is exchange I feel you can affect some corals. Thats me 2 cents.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I would drip acclimate when using another salt. Based on their ALK you can loose some corals with a drastic change. One salt can have a low alk at 8 and the other can be 11. Say you do a 25% water change and depending how fast the water is exchange I feel you can affect some corals. Thats me 2 cents.

I wouldn't worry about just any salt change, just one that has a very different alk than your tank. In your senario that would cause a 0.75 rise in dKH. That is a significant change in alk. But if you are doing a 25g change in a 350g system that would only be an 8.3% water change and a 0.25 rise in dKH. That wouldn't be much of an issue.