Why use Tropic Marin salt?

[panic]

I came across enough of this to last me a year for cheap, so was considering using TM salt again. It works out to be even cheper than IO 200g boxes. Why is it supposed to be so good?

I use Oceanic and IO 50/50 mix now and run a calcium reactor and have a kalk reactor ready for setup. SPS dominated 180.

 

[Corn]

i use TM salt and i love it and have seen a vast improvement in the growth rate in my coral. where are you getting the salt from ?

 

[marine_freak]

For 1 it is what is in the mix.... TM tests higher in most of the essential elements, also it is so much easier to work with..... IO wants to clump badly when it sits, but TM keeps a powder like consistancy longer than IO..... Both are satisfactory for keeping all corals, but TM is just a better salt overall........ If you have questions about which is better check both with your test kits at the same salinity the results will speak for themselves. That is just my 2 cents..

 

[panic]

Corn - it's from a commercial venture that no longer needs it - is the "zoo" formula the same as Pro Reef?

 

[DitchPlains2]

elements

elements

We still don't have a true picture as to what other elements corals use, we know f certain ones, borate, calcium, strontium, carbonite/alk, but even in all my books, I couldn't find anything on any other elements being used on corals. I am no expert by far, but what's the use of a salt containing other elements not being used by our corals? Perhaps it has benefits to other life and spawning cycles that we are not aware of. I just never liked TM, always felt the calc was too low, and it took for ever to properly mix into solution. I never tried the reef pro version, perhaps thats more aiken to the calc levels of Oceanic. It's a matter of personal taste I guess. I say whatever works for ya.


interesting topic, salt discussions are always a good way to figure out exactly what is best for what we're keeping, I think the true question is does changing salt mixes have an effect on how sps obtain the elements they need, or do sps change the way in which the produce their skeletons in captivity as I have heard that dosing kalk can alter the way in which sps will create their carbonite skeletons. Not trying to hijack, bu t definately interesting thread topic.

David

 

[DrBDC]

I would hope it would be no where near the ca levels of oceanic!!!

 

[SPStoner]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7796319#post7796319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by panic
Corn - it's from a commercial venture that no longer needs it - is the "zoo" formula the same as Pro Reef?

FWIW, the zoo or bulk sized formulas sold to most zoos and institutions by most salt manufacturers is not their top end stuff. Typically, to get the business, especially from public institutions, it boils down to price. Not saying it is a bad product, just that I doubt it is pro reef.


To your topic, regardless of what you hear or read, use the salt that works the best for you, that makes your animals thrive. You will get many impassioned responses to a thread like this, people swearing up and down that this salt or that one is much better. One thing I have learned in close to 20 years of doing this as both a hobby and a profession is, there are many ways to do it right, many ways that work. This applies to methodology, filtration, lighting, salt.....you name it.

Not all salts are created equally, but most are good salts. For every person you find who says "Brand X" is the best, you will find another person who swears it killed all their corals, or is deficient in this or that. Don't pay as much attention to what the tests read as to what your animals are telling you.


Just my little Sunday sermon

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7795882#post7795882 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marine_freak
For 1 it is what is in the mix.... TM tests higher in most of the essential elements, also it is so much easier to work with..... IO wants to clump badly when it sits, but TM keeps a powder like consistancy longer than IO..... Both are satisfactory for keeping all corals, but TM is just a better salt overall........ If you have questions about which is better check both with your test kits at the same salinity the results will speak for themselves. That is just my 2 cents..

TM also tests higher than IO in copper, and a bunch of heavy metals.

 

[RalfP]

Hi all,
I use TM for some years now.
Normal TM salt has relatively high Alk. but low Ca and Mg (lower than nature),
TM ProReef has "normal" Alk. but high Ca and Mg (higher than nature) and also more traceelements as Tropic Marin states.
Ralf

 

[trueblackpercula]

I love it TMpro here

 

[LBCBJ]

TM keeps a thorough check on their salt, which makes it very consistent

 

[panic]

OK - the zoo mix must be the lower end product since it is in bulk. The pain of working to level out my alk is not worth saving $10 per month. Now, if TM Zoo has higher levels of copper and other heavy metals, why use r/o water in the first place. It sounds as if this mix is made for an institution that has fish only - which it does. Anything that sounds to good to be true most likely is.

DP-2 - the salt people use is about as personal as religion and politics after a few pints. I have finally grown to the level of reefkeeping that I can get my stonies to thrive. It would crush me to lose them just because I am a cheap bastard! I'm with you. I think changing that which works for me now is a stupid idea - especially to save a few bucks. Let me add up the money in little white skeletons . . .

 

[MIKE NY]

TM keeps a thorough check on their salt, which makes it very consistent

thats why I use it....and I have tried alot of other salts over the years. TM is low in mag, but being consistant I know how much to dose with every water change without any crazy fluctuations I was getting from other brands.

 

[snarfe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7796319#post7796319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by panic
Corn - it's from a commercial venture that no longer needs it - is the "zoo" formula the same as Pro Reef?

The zoo is just TM in a 200 or 300 Gal box that is meant to be all mixed at once, not just 10 or 15 gallons here or there.

 

[Philwd]

I'm on my 4th bucket of TM Pro. The levels I get are:

Ca 410-430
Alk 7.7-8
Mg 1300-1350
ph 8.2
undetectable no2, no3, po4, nh3
I don't test for Cu. But I will test my next batch. Thanks Rich.

I buffer the alk up to 9.0. That's it. I don't see the low levels of Ca and Mg Ralf mentioned. Nor have I seen the inconsistency within a bucket mentioned in another thread.

 

[Reefing102]

Hey Panic - can i ask why you mix the two salts?

 

[panic]

I mix the two because IO by itself doesn't have enough mag and Oceanic has too much calcium. My levels are all screwy if I use one or the other. I also follow my corals - they happy, I'm happy.

I still don't think that the "zoo" mix is TM Pro Reef, I think it is the regular stuff. I wonder how it would be mixed with Oceanic?

 

[jiggly75]

I use Tropic Maein pro reef. I had algae problems with instant ocean.

 

[RalfP]

Philwd,
tm PROREEF is fine on Ca and Mg, I refered to the standard tm (without proreef) salt with
low Ca and Mg.
TropicMarin themselves state, that it is not possible for them to create a good solutable salt
with Alk/Ca/Mg all high.
So there are the two products, one at the Ca/Mg high side (proreef) and the other on Alk side (standard).
If comparing Ca/Mg concentration of salts, it would be great to also support the s.g. or salinity it was dilluted to. Concentration of course depends on it.

Best,
Ralf

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7799772#post7799772 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by panic
OK - the zoo mix must be the lower end product since it is in bulk. The pain of working to level out my alk is not worth saving $10 per month. Now, if TM Zoo has higher levels of copper and other heavy metals, why use r/o water in the first place. It sounds as if this mix is made for an institution that has fish only - which it does. Anything that sounds to good to be true most likely is.

DP-2 - the salt people use is about as personal as religion and politics after a few pints. I have finally grown to the level of reefkeeping that I can get my stonies to thrive. It would crush me to lose them just because I am a cheap bastard! I'm with you. I think changing that which works for me now is a stupid idea - especially to save a few bucks. Let me add up the money in little white skeletons . . .

Its not just TM Zoo, its TM in general that has high copper, barium, and chromium.

Theres an Advanced aquarist article on it.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/11/aafeature1/view?searchterm=salt
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/12/aafeature1/view?searchterm=salt