Who has good results with IO salt and SPS

[Felixc]

Thanks for sharing Gary. I am sold, your corals are beautiful. Do you mind sharing what you supplement, feed, and maintanance schedule. It can't just be water changes with IO. Share your secret.

My parameters are?
ca = 400
alk = 10dkh
mag= 1350
temp = 77F
potassium = ? dose Potassium strong 4ml per week
nitrate = ?
PO4 = ?

By the way what is that green table? super cool.

 

[Canoe1]

IO is all i've ever used so i have nothing to compare it to...So i guess it must be good salt as i've had absolutley no reason to change.

 

[Ding2daDong]

So where are the tank pics of all the IO users in this thread? I have the same mentality as Felixc. I've been using IO for three years now and my corals do not stand a chance compared to most of the corals that are supplied with more expensive salt.

Is this a joke? You really think it's the salt that is making corals look better? I am sorry to say but that is entirely wrong. Basic husbandry and good water quality trumps the cheapest of cheap aquarium salts.

I don't think there is a need for pictures on this thread since it would soon have to split. lol


-Matthew

 

[IridescentLily]

Re: Who has good results with IO salt and SPS

is this a joke? You really think it's the salt that is making corals look better? I am sorry to say but that is entirely wrong. Basic husbandry and good water quality trumps the cheapest of cheap aquarium salts.



-matthew

^^^ +1

 

[M88A2]

Is this a joke? You really think it's the salt that is making corals look better? I am sorry to say but that is entirely wrong. Basic husbandry and good water quality trumps the cheapest of cheap aquarium salts.

I don't think there is a need for pictures on this thread since it would soon have to split. lol


-Matthew

hey man, the fact of the matter is that some of us just dont know any better. Thats why these posts are created. its so we can get input from successful individuals and apply it to our tanks. Perhaps there is an issue that we are trying to narrow down, which i think is good husbandry in that your trying to find out what is wrong. anyhow theres no need to be abrasive in your response. thanks for posting felixc, i was wondering this issue myself

 

[Ding2daDong]

hey man, the fact of the matter is that some of us just dont know any better. Thats why these posts are created. its so we can get input from successful individuals and apply it to our tanks. Perhaps there is an issue that we are trying to narrow down, which i think is good husbandry in that your trying to find out what is wrong. anyhow theres no need to be abrasive in your response. thanks for posting felixc, i was wondering this issue myself

Sorry if my post seemed abrasive.

-Matthew

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Thanks for sharing Gary. I am sold, your corals are beautiful. Do you mind sharing what you supplement, feed, and maintanance schedule. It can't just be water changes with IO. Share your secret.

My parameters are?
ca = 400
alk = 10dkh
mag= 1350
temp = 77F
potassium = ? dose Potassium strong 4ml per week
nitrate = ?
PO4 = ?

By the way what is that green table? super cool.

I don't know what species of Acropora the green table is.
Calcium, alk, and Mg are constantly in a state of flux (changing) in every reef aquarium so it's most important to keep them balanced with one another rather than shoot for a specific value on one or another.
FWIW your numbers look good.
I run a calcium reactor, topoff with kalkwasser and use DIY calcium, alk and/or Mg supplements if necessary. IO tests out really good lately and tweaks are minimal (if at all).
I don't dose anything else... but I feed rather heavily and I change out 50 gallons of water weekly. I also have a good skimmer and run a lit refugium with macroalgae that I harvest regularly.
IO is good stuff at the right price.

 

[reefsahoy]

i use RC and kept reading and thinking or interpeting that sps need little if any food because of photosynthesis. My colors was ok but not where i liked it. Even when i tried the zeovit/AA route i didn't get the results i was looking for. then i began target feeding every couple of days and my corals colors is now much brighter and colorful. What i'm saying is i don't think it's the salt but feeding the sps will make a huge difference if all parameters are correct and if you're not already doing that. I use frozen coral food and change it up every so often so they get a variety. BTW polyp extension has increased significantly too. Here's a pick of some of the corals and they are alot more colorful live.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

nice corals, reefsahoy. From your post it would be easy for someone to get the impression that feeding SPS makes them colorful and (IMO/IME) that is far from the truth- otherwise people that feed their SPS the most would have the most colorful SPS!

Without maintaining phosphates, nitrates, and DOC's at ideal levels SPS will brown out, fail to grow and (perhaps) even die.
Water changes are but one of the methods for controlling these factors and that's what this thread is about- water changes with IO saltmix.

I know for a fact that water changes in my aquarium have more to do with SPS coloration than what foods I feed the aquarium. (I don't target feed SPS.)

 

[reefsahoy]

nice corals, reefsahoy. From your post it would be easy for someone to get the impression that feeding SPS makes them colorful and (IMO/IME) that is far from the truth- otherwise people that feed their SPS the most would have the most colorful SPS!

Without maintaining phosphates, nitrates, and DOC's at ideal levels SPS will brown out, fail to grow and (perhaps) even die.
Water changes are but one of the methods for controlling these factors and that's what this thread is about- water changes with IO saltmix.

I know for a fact that water changes in my aquarium have more to do with SPS coloration than what foods I feed the aquarium. (I don't target feed SPS.)

Thanks. That's why i posted it. I really believe you should feed the corals in some way, shape, or form. IMHO if you under feed the corals, colors will not be that great. obviously you need to keep the water params in check and water movement, lights etc. but without feeding the corals IMO you won't have colorful corals. some people claim they don't feed their corals but i bet they feed their fish quite heavily and in doing so the corals get food. I went over to another reefer locally because i couldn't figure out how come all my parameters were in check but colors lacking then i watched him feed the fish and that was an eye opener to me. (i use to feed my fish lightly because trying to keep water Q high and i think i was under feeding the corals). i didn't change anything else except began to spot feed the corals using oyster eggs, and some frozen coral food melted in a cup of aquarium water then turkey baste them to and around the corals and i can tell you the coral polyps open up quite dramatically and since then, corals has colored up. but remember to keep WQ and all other parameters in check.

lol!!! i just read your post above and noticed you said you feed rather heavily then do alot of water changes! I think we were saying the same thing!

 

[Andrew Henry]

i use RC and kept reading and thinking or interpeting that sps need little if any food because of photosynthesis. My colors was ok but not where i liked it. Even when i tried the zeovit/AA route i didn't get the results i was looking for. then i began target feeding every couple of days and my corals colors is now much brighter and colorful. What i'm saying is i don't think it's the salt but feeding the sps will make a huge difference if all parameters are correct and if you're not already doing that. I use frozen coral food and change it up every so often so they get a variety. BTW polyp extension has increased significantly too. Here's a pick of some of the corals and they are alot more colorful live.

Those are nice some nice looking SPS reefsahoy!

 

[reefsahoy]

Thanks^

 

[AquamanE]

Here is a picture from a behind the scenes tour our club (Florida Marine Aquarium Society) was able to attend, in SEAWORLD ORLANDO . This is behind there 225,000 gallon stingray, and 12000 gallon reef tanks. Need i say more. Any Questions???

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Any Questions???

as a matter of fact, yes

Why aren't they using IO and what brand of soda ash is that on top of the Reef Crystals?

 

[AquamanE]

as a matter of fact, yes

Why aren't they using IO and what brand of soda ash is that on top of the Reef Crystals?

Dont know... to both questions.

 

[PowermanKW]

nice corals, reefsahoy. From your post it would be easy for someone to get the impression that feeding SPS makes them colorful and (IMO/IME) that is far from the truth- otherwise people that feed their SPS the most would have the most colorful SPS!

Without maintaining phosphates, nitrates, and DOC's at ideal levels SPS will brown out, fail to grow and (perhaps) even die.
Water changes are but one of the methods for controlling these factors and that's what this thread is about- water changes with IO saltmix.

I know for a fact that water changes in my aquarium have more to do with SPS coloration than what foods I feed the aquarium. (I don't target feed SPS.)

On a side note.... how much WC do you sugest for a SPS tank. I got a fuge and media reactors and my WQ is good and I can barely grow cheato so I wanted to do less water changes. I'm doing 20% every three weeks.... well I figured I should get back to smaller weekly changes. How much?

And my LFS uses IO and I have seen no reason to change. I will probably start making my own and due to this thread will probably keep using IO.

 

[tamarindthai]

i had been used IO for 7 years,,never sw to the other.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

On a side note.... how much WC do you sugest for a SPS tank.

every reef aquarium is different and unique so what's optimal for one reef aquarium might not be optimal for another.
Water changes are one means to an end. Strive to maintain optimal conditions for SPS. It might mean more or less water changes depending on how one runs their reef aquarium.

 

[swiftwing7]

Would it be possible that what we pay for with high end salts is consistency. I have heard of IO varying in content but not so much from higher end brands. Higher end salts might have better quality control so you get the same salt every time.

 

[CleveYank]

Dont know... to both questions.

I googled FMC Grade 100 Soda Ash and FMC and the datasheets for the soda ash comes up without a hitch.

I guess when baking the A & H baking soda becomes cost prohibitive might look into this soda ash.