sps tanks salt choice

RC. I'm only on my second batch (first lasted a year), and the two batches had wildly different parameters. This new batch is heavily buffered (480/12.2/1480) at 1.026. I don't keep my tank that high. I only do 10% wc a month though so I don't think it's enough of a jump to hurt anything. I did my first wc with it two days ago and everything seems ok. Still have good polyp extension and color.

I really agree with folks about NSW. Man if I lived closer to the coast I'd definitely be on board with that. I'd likely get several 55 gallon buckets and fill them and store them for use. That would sure beat buying salt and mixing it up.
 
I have been running the regular red sea (blue bucket) not the pro. It had been a while since I tested newly made batch, and since I started some mixing last night for a water change today I figured it was as good as time as any to run the full battery of tests.

Salinity 35ppt (calibrated refractometer)
Nitrate 0.0 (Salifert)
Phophate 0.00 (Hannah checker)
pH ~8.2 (Salifert)
Calcium 440 (Salifert)
Alk 8.008 dKH (Hannah checker)
Magnesium 1320 (Salifert)
 
cmaxwell39 said:
I have been running the regular red sea (blue bucket) not the pro. It had been a while since I tested newly made batch, and since I started some mixing last night for a water change today I figured it was as good as time as any to run the full battery of tests.

Salinity 35ppt (calibrated refractometer)
Nitrate 0.0 (Salifert)
Phophate 0.00 (Hannah checker)
pH ~8.2 (Salifert)
Calcium 440 (Salifert)
Alk 8.008 dKH (Hannah checker)
Magnesium 1320 (Salifert)
Click to expand...

That is actually very good numbers. I may have to give this a try. I'm definitely getting tired of the inconsistency of IO, not to mention its high alk.
 
a.browning said:
That is actually very good numbers. I may have to give this a try. I'm definitely getting tired of the inconsistency of IO, not to mention its high alk.
Click to expand...

I second those numbers, except low mag- 1150 at 1.025 all the other numbers are identical to my last 3 batches.
 
Yes, I have been happy with those numbers. The mag may be a little deceiving as there is about two gallons that sit in the bottom of my mixing barrel between water changes. Since I buffer my mag up for water changes I am sure that is bumping it up slightly.

It shouldn't be affecting it much though because there is about 23 gallons of fresh mix on top of the 2 or so gallons that sits in the bottom of the mixing barrel. The mag actually surprised me a little as I have had numerous buckets with mag that was quite a bit lower--closer to the 1200 ppm range.
 
I'm switching form RSCP to RS blue bucket. RSCP has too high calc and alk a little to high for my liking. Blue bucket looks to have nice levels that I can adjust with dosing if needed.
 
evo187 said:
I'm switching form RSCP to RS blue bucket. RSCP has too high calc and alk a little to high for my liking. Blue bucket looks to have nice levels that I can adjust with dosing if needed.
Click to expand...

I have been using the blue bucket for 4 months now and I couldn't be happier. Mag is low but I buffer using brightwell magnesion-p which is dosed accordingly. I was using tmpr before but had a couple faulty buckets back to back reading 4dkh and another reading 12dkh which crashed my tank because of huge swings. Never going back to Tropic Marin, plus im saving more money.
 
If you want to use zeovit why not use the salt designed for the system by kz reefers best salt.
Click to expand...
Unsure how a salt is designed for zeovit, all zeovit is bacteria and supplements, no different to any other supplement or system.
KZ reefers best is likely to rebadged salt,
 
I believe it was designed as a lower alk and high k option, back in the day there wasn't any salt similar like now a days there's lots of lower alk salts available
 
SneekaPeek said:
I have been using the blue bucket for 4 months now and I couldn't be happier. Mag is low but I buffer using brightwell magnesion-p which is dosed accordingly. I was using tmpr before but had a couple faulty buckets back to back reading 4dkh and another reading 12dkh which crashed my tank because of huge swings. Never going back to Tropic Marin, plus im saving more money.
Click to expand...

I am using Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt at the moment...I was using D&D h2Ocean, but changed to TMPR because the D&D had too much measurable phosphates in it.

TMPR salt is very good; mixes well, no phosphates, no residue etc. BUT I hate the extremely low alk! I mean if it was about 6.5dKH then it would have been perfect.

The odd thing is, the previous bucket had an alk level of around 6, but this new bucket is only 4dKH. And yes, I mixed the buckets well.

So...I am switching to Instant Ocean for my next salt. In most stores in the UK, IO and RC cost almost twice as most other brands...hence why I dont buy these two...but this week I located a couple of online places that sell it similar prices to other brand salts.
 
sahin said:
So...I am switching to Instant Ocean for my next salt. In most stores in the UK, IO and RC cost almost twice as most other brands...hence why I dont buy these two...but this week I located a couple of online places that sell it similar prices to other brand salts.
Click to expand...

Ugh that's Brutal half the reason why most of us use IO is because it's the cheapest salt! I would use hW if IO wasn't so cheap.
 
MammothReefer said:
Ugh that's Brutal half the reason why most of us use IO is because it's the cheapest salt! I would use hW if IO wasn't so cheap.
Click to expand...

I know man. 10 years ago I always used Reef Crystals...back then it was only slightly more expensive than other brands...
 
sahin said:
I am using Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt at the moment...I was using D&D h2Ocean, but changed to TMPR because the D&D had too much measurable phosphates in it.

TMPR salt is very good; mixes well, no phosphates, no residue etc. BUT I hate the extremely low alk! I mean if it was about 6.5dKH then it would have been perfect.

The odd thing is, the previous bucket had an alk level of around 6, but this new bucket is only 4dKH. And yes, I mixed the buckets well.

So...I am switching to Instant Ocean for my next salt. In most stores in the UK, IO and RC cost almost twice as most other brands...hence why I dont buy these two...but this week I located a couple of online places that sell it similar prices to other brand salts.
Click to expand...

Same here, i was using TM and end switching to Reef Cristals, since then My parms are way more stable and the most important is that my SPS are doing better than ever.
 
My latest readings from RSCP from yesterday 2hrs after mixing. I mix to their instructions 100%. This has been pretty consistent through the whole bucket. The only thing that is up and down a little is the Mag it's anywhere from 1300-1450. I'm not liking the high calc and high alk. Does anyone have a fresh test of RS blue bucket by chance?

Ca - 500+
KH - 9.5
Mg - 1400
 
evo187 said:
My latest readings from RSCP from yesterday 2hrs after mixing. I mix to their instructions 100%. This has been pretty consistent through the whole bucket. The only thing that is up and down a little is the Mag it's anywhere from 1300-1450. I'm not liking the high calc and high alk. Does anyone have a fresh test of RS blue bucket by chance?

Ca - 500+
KH - 9.5
Mg - 1400
Click to expand...

Blue Bucket latest test since Saturday...
400ppm calcium
8 dkh alk
1180ppm magnesium.
Im using salifert and the accuracy has a tolerance, but acceptable in most occasions. I like the calcium and alk value, but mag is a tad low so I bump that up pre water change.
 
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