One more salt question

Little Luey · 11-17-2005, 12:11 PM

How critical is to stick to a brand name/manufacturer of salt? I know some guys who do not use anything but their brand "X"
I have used Instant Ocean for a while but then I just got Oceanic since it was on sale. I like how fast Oceanic disolves but other than that my tank always seem to be ok. I just would not buy a no-name salt, I feel if I stick to a name that has been around I should be good, right?
Why is it that Reef cristals is more expensive than IO if they are made by the same company?
I plan on having softies and a few fish, some PP shrimp.
Why is it that the salt will only give a ph of around 8.0 but the water needs to be at 8.2?

Woodstock · 11-17-2005, 01:13 PM

I suggest you find a salt that your corals/fish like and stick to it. Whatever brand you choose, ALWAYS test (PH, alk, ca, po4, mg) new buckets/bags. It's important to know what your putting in your tank.

I use and test both IO and Oceanic; both are similar with the exception that Oceanic is high in Ca & mg, and low in alk.

gqjeff · 11-17-2005, 01:22 PM

Seachems new reef formula.. The last salt you will ever use.. Seriously disolves very fast and has great numbers as far as params.. I have used IO and Oceanic before this but will never go back to either after sechem gave me 3 bags to try out for them... Seriously great salt... This is my personal opinion though..

Jeff

BoomerD · 11-17-2005, 02:21 PM

I'm not going to advocate for any particular salt mix, but stick with one of the better ones. Changing mixes all the time subjects your livestock to changing chemistry, which is reported to be another source of stress, and many people have lost nice corals because of that change. IF you want to switch brands, do so slowly. 5% weekly changes with the new salt is the usual recommendation, so if you normally change 10% weekly, use half new salt, and half old salt.

Frankie · 11-17-2005, 02:44 PM

I read somewhere that its good to change out brands once and awhile because the trace elements vary between salt mixes.
I always used the same company though. when i was useing salt mixes I used Tropic Marine. After time though I slowly changed my tank over to nutri-sea water. I found this to be the best for me and my tank but costly.

Witfull · 11-17-2005, 02:52 PM

i saw some bottled salt water at the LFS the other day,,,YIKES 4.4gal for $23.99+tax. thats 25.43 a bottle or $5.78 per gallon!!

Little Luey · 11-17-2005, 04:23 PM

Thats more than the price of gas!
One other thread talks about using 2 different salt mix together, I guess this is to complement each other?

Frankie · 11-17-2005, 04:41 PM

Well I guess it is a bit costly. for me my friends owned the lfs so i didn't pay the full cost. i was just making a point of the best salt i used. I'll most likely stick to what i like and to hell with cost. When i got into this hobby i knew it was expensive and just rolled with the punches instead of being cheep. i can tell you all that i never had any water quality issue that im always reading about like briopsis, red slime and all them other things you get from useing tap water to mix salt even after you invest $$$$$ into ro systems ect....
even the algea growth on the glass was min. and i only had to clean my glass once every two weeks.

UnderWaterParadise · 11-17-2005, 05:43 PM

I would also advocate sticking with one brand...........IMO IO is the best for the $$$. I ried Oceanic for a while and it was a Phosphate disaster.....needless to say never again wil I use it!

gqjeff · 11-17-2005, 06:17 PM

I have a few friends having great success going 50-50 IO and Oceanic.. They tend to bring the params inline instead of 500 Ca with Oceanic and 12 alk with IO...

Jeff

UnderWaterParadise · 11-17-2005, 06:24 PM

I can tell you my expierence with mixing IO and Oceanic was a BAD one. I lost 3 Rare LPS and a couple SPS during the change. If you search the other Reef boards you will see a lot of people had problems switching back to IO after using Oceanic. I still cannot figure out why it would effect anything

gqjeff · 11-17-2005, 06:31 PM

Maybe you had a bad batch.. Some of the guys doing this have some of the best looking sps I have seen in person... MHPI...

Jeff

UnderWaterParadise · 11-17-2005, 06:41 PM

Possibly. I was having really High Phosphate reading in newly mixed batches of the Oceanic. Since I have switched back to IO no phosphate readings at all. I only went through 2-3 buckets of Oceanic before going back to IO

gqjeff · 11-17-2005, 06:53 PM

Yea for awhile many people complained about Oceanic.. Was it during that time frame many people had prblems with it ? I used Oceanic for a couple yrs with no problems but found that the new seachem reef formula is far superior for the params I am trying to keep in my system..

Jeff

cheeks69 · 11-17-2005, 06:56 PM

Quote:

I was having really High Phosphate reading in newly mixed batches of the Oceanic

Yes I have heard that also. I did try Oceanic for a while and never really had any problems but it is unbalanced so I decided to just use Crystal Sea. IO out of all the salts tested is lowest in PO4.

11-17-2005, 12:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Little Luey Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 432 View Gallery Karma Komment	One more salt question How critical is to stick to a brand name/manufacturer of salt? I know some guys who do not use anything but their brand "X" I have used Instant Ocean for a while but then I just got Oceanic since it was on sale. I like how fast Oceanic disolves but other than that my tank always seem to be ok. I just would not buy a no-name salt, I feel if I stick to a name that has been around I should be good, right? Why is it that Reef cristals is more expensive than IO if they are made by the same company? I plan on having softies and a few fish, some PP shrimp. Why is it that the salt will only give a ph of around 8.0 but the water needs to be at 8.2? __________________ Little Luey 20Gal, 30 lbs. Live rock. 1 yellow goby 1 firefish 1 rainsford goby 5 turbo snails 1 feather duster 1 devil's hand leather 1 sea grass colony 2 Zoantoids colonies

11-17-2005, 01:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 25,502 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: One more salt question I suggest you find a salt that your corals/fish like and stick to it. Whatever brand you choose, ALWAYS test (PH, alk, ca, po4, mg) new buckets/bags. It's important to know what your putting in your tank. I use and test both IO and Oceanic; both are similar with the exception that Oceanic is high in Ca & mg, and low in alk. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Victorious Battle with ICH* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistance conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

11-17-2005, 01:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
gqjeff Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question Seachems new reef formula.. The last salt you will ever use.. Seriously disolves very fast and has great numbers as far as params.. I have used IO and Oceanic before this but will never go back to either after sechem gave me 3 bags to try out for them... Seriously great salt... This is my personal opinion though.. Jeff

11-17-2005, 02:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,638 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question I'm not going to advocate for any particular salt mix, but stick with one of the better ones. Changing mixes all the time subjects your livestock to changing chemistry, which is reported to be another source of stress, and many people have lost nice corals because of that change. IF you want to switch brands, do so slowly. 5% weekly changes with the new salt is the usual recommendation, so if you normally change 10% weekly, use half new salt, and half old salt. __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

11-17-2005, 02:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,220 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: One more salt question I read somewhere that its good to change out brands once and awhile because the trace elements vary between salt mixes. I always used the same company though. when i was useing salt mixes I used Tropic Marine. After time though I slowly changed my tank over to nutri-sea water. I found this to be the best for me and my tank but costly.

11-17-2005, 04:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
Little Luey Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 432 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question Thats more than the price of gas! One other thread talks about using 2 different salt mix together, I guess this is to complement each other? __________________ Little Luey 20Gal, 30 lbs. Live rock. 1 yellow goby 1 firefish 1 rainsford goby 5 turbo snails 1 feather duster 1 devil's hand leather 1 sea grass colony 2 Zoantoids colonies

11-17-2005, 04:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,220 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: One more salt question Well I guess it is a bit costly. for me my friends owned the lfs so i didn't pay the full cost. i was just making a point of the best salt i used. I'll most likely stick to what i like and to hell with cost. When i got into this hobby i knew it was expensive and just rolled with the punches instead of being cheep. i can tell you all that i never had any water quality issue that im always reading about like briopsis, red slime and all them other things you get from useing tap water to mix salt even after you invest $$$$$ into ro systems ect.... even the algea growth on the glass was min. and i only had to clean my glass once every two weeks.

11-17-2005, 05:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
UnderWaterParadise my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Olivehurst, Cali. Posts: 425 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question I would also advocate sticking with one brand...........IMO IO is the best for the $$$. I ried Oceanic for a while and it was a Phosphate disaster.....needless to say never again wil I use it! __________________ AQUARIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS 135 REEF and jusreefin

11-17-2005, 06:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
gqjeff Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question I have a few friends having great success going 50-50 IO and Oceanic.. They tend to bring the params inline instead of 500 Ca with Oceanic and 12 alk with IO... Jeff

11-17-2005, 06:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
UnderWaterParadise my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Olivehurst, Cali. Posts: 425 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question I can tell you my expierence with mixing IO and Oceanic was a BAD one. I lost 3 Rare LPS and a couple SPS during the change. If you search the other Reef boards you will see a lot of people had problems switching back to IO after using Oceanic. I still cannot figure out why it would effect anything __________________ AQUARIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS 135 REEF and jusreefin

11-17-2005, 06:31 PM	#12 (permalink)
gqjeff Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question Maybe you had a bad batch.. Some of the guys doing this have some of the best looking sps I have seen in person... MHPI... Jeff

11-17-2005, 06:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
UnderWaterParadise my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Olivehurst, Cali. Posts: 425 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question Possibly. I was having really High Phosphate reading in newly mixed batches of the Oceanic. Since I have switched back to IO no phosphate readings at all. I only went through 2-3 buckets of Oceanic before going back to IO __________________ AQUARIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS 135 REEF and jusreefin

11-17-2005, 06:53 PM	#14 (permalink)
gqjeff Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: One more salt question Yea for awhile many people complained about Oceanic.. Was it during that time frame many people had prblems with it ? I used Oceanic for a couple yrs with no problems but found that the new seachem reef formula is far superior for the params I am trying to keep in my system.. Jeff

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