SPS does the type of salt make a difference

C

cfmx

New member
I was just wondering what salt mixture everyone is using w/ there SPS systems?? And are you happy with it? Are your SPS growing and have polyp extension?
We currently are using Tropic Marin of course it cost an arm & leg.
I just wanted to see what the majority of people are using w/ there system, because we don’t have a lot of polyp extension's. The SPS do look like they are growing, we have only had the Tank for a month and it came with over 60+ SPS and we don’t know what else could be causing this because the water quality is good. Any help would be great.

Thanks

We have a 120 gallon 4X2X2, lifereef skimmer, chiller set to 78-80, and total 1240 watts for MH/VHO.
 
I mix Tropic Marin Pro Reef and Instant Ocean. To me it doesnt matter...all salt mixes suck. None of them come out to what I want them at so I just target alkalinity and adjust magnesium and calcium myself if they are off. For instance TM Pro tests alk at 6.4-7 when i have tested different batches. IO tests AlK at 10.6-11 when i test different batches. Just look for one that is fairly consistent batch to batch, because you will never find a salt that has every paramater exactly where you want them. I mix the two to get an ALK of 8-8.4. I also like HW Marinemix, but once again low on alk and mag. Oceanic is way high on CA and MG. IO is low on CA, ok on mag and out the roof on ALK. Reef crystals is same on alk, but alittle higher in CA than regular IO. Have yet to try the zeo salt, seachem, or new redsea pro. I think i will stick with TM pro reef and IO mix for now unti i run out of IO and then it will be pro reef strictly.

I hope this helps. PE? Do you have nippers? ie pygmy anglels or clown gobies or something? Also, do you feed your corals well? Do they get proper flow?

Also, just because you dont get daily PE doesnt mean they arent healthy. Do you get night time PE? IME i lose some PE when my alk goes below 7.7-8.4. I try to keep my alk above 8...maybe its anectdotal or its just me but thats what I do.
 
I use Instant Ocean, it is low on calcium so I add a tablespoon of turbo calc to for every five gallons of water that I am making.
 
Lack of PE can be caused from a number of reasons, salt I'm not sure about being one of them. Serioussnaps has made some very good points in his response about your PE issue. Nice explanation of all the salts by the way.

I have had PE problems (lack of) caused by low alk, nipping fish, bad acro crabs (the ugly hairy blued eyed ones), improper flow (directly hitting the coral) and high nitrates before.

I use TM and have for the last three years - might was well pay the money in my opinion. It is one of the better salts, if not the best. I have never used anything else so I can't compare. Pick a good salt mix and stick with it is my advice.

Yes, my corals are growing and have PE. Take a look at my thread here for some pics.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1075450

Around here at the LFS 200gal TM buckets are $99. So it is less expensive shipping, it helps with Marine Depot in the general area for shipping too (typically I get it for about $20 less bought online and shipped.)

Hth. Sean.
 
Serioussnaps, when we bought the setup it came w/ 2 angels (coral beauty & flame) have caught the coral beauty & have it in a holder we made in the tank. We are trying to catch the flame. They do peck at the corals but wasn't sure if what they where doing was good or bad. So we decided to get rid of them once caught.
As far as coral feeding I made food from several frozen and added cycloptes(sp?) and other coral food to it. So when we feed the fish a cube of frozen it also has some of that also.
The water flow we are still trying to position fast flow pumps (2 - 1200 gph) so they aren't directly hitting the corals but creating ripple current from hitting the glass. Then we have 2 rotating hydro on maxijet 1200 moving water in different directions.
 
Check for PE a couple of hours after the lights go off. If you see it happening at night, I wouldn't be overly concerned.
 
I have been using instant ocean since 1987. I suppliment heavy with Sodium Chloride and Sodium Carbonate. Take a look at my red house and you decide if it works.
 
ScallopKing & Dog boy Dave
, I hope someday our Acros look has happy as yours. Hopefully pulling out the 2 angels will help.
 
The flame angel is probably your biggest problem. I bet pulling them out will help. IO salt seems to work well though. I have never had any problems caused by salt. Now redbugs and AEFW on the other hand have reeked havoc over the last three years or so..
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9542527#post9542527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cfmx
Serioussnaps, when we bought the setup it came w/ 2 angels (coral beauty & flame) have caught the coral beauty & have it in a holder we made in the tank. We are trying to catch the flame. They do peck at the corals but wasn't sure if what they where doing was good or bad. So we decided to get rid of them once caught.
As far as coral feeding I made food from several frozen and added cycloptes(sp?) and other coral food to it. So when we feed the fish a cube of frozen it also has some of that also.
The water flow we are still trying to position fast flow pumps (2 - 1200 gph) so they aren't directly hitting the corals but creating ripple current from hitting the glass. Then we have 2 rotating hydro on maxijet 1200 moving water in different directions.
Click to expand...

There is your PE explanation....you have a nipper and IMO insufficient flow. The nipper being the worst. Is that flow in a 120? If so you definitely need more.
 
Will the nipper cause long term damage or will it just have the polyps retarct when the lights are on?
 
What size tank are we talking here? For your 55 or his 120? I am confused as to who this is about?

In a larger tank the nipping may not be a problem because it is spread out to many many more and much larger and matured corals. It becomes less likely irreparable damage will be done. In a smaller tank, too often they will find a favorite to munch on until it has wreaked havoc and then move on to another.

I make it a policy not to let a cheap a little flame angel destroy my corals. Now if you have a joculator or some resplendents or expensive hybrid angels, then maybe its another conversation.
 
It appears to have started as a question on salt, and as it relates to SPS, PE in particular. I think the thread has concluded that salt is not this persons issue that would cause poor PE and identified other possibilities with nippers being a primary suspect. So I think we are trying to continue to help cfmx to understand what is happening with his sps, either as a function of salt or anything else. I think this is a great thread so far - cfmx - please confirm if we are on track for you or not.
 
We have learned alot w/ this thread. It is nice to find out that certain salts have higher levels of different elements then other. I didn't even think to test my salt mixture to see where it lacks and now know that Tropic Marin is a little low in Alk.
It also makes sense that the reason we have PE at night is because of a nipping fish. (btw - the 2 angels are gone as of yesterday).
I think know it is a matter of getting the water current correct. We have the 2 Hydor Koralia 4 Circulation Pump (1200 gph) (I'm having a problem placing these pumps so there not to much current hitting the corals) we also have the 2 rotating hydor on maxi jet 1200 hitting the areas that don't have a lot of movement. Plus 1 overflow return connected to a quite one 6000 pump and the other connected to quite one 5000 pump)
We will let everyone know how our sps are doing in the next few days w/out the angels.
Any other suggestions are always welcomed. Also if you would like to see pictures of how we have the pumps placed let me know I can post some.
 
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