What salt? (1 Viewer)

[porkchop]

So, I have reached the bottom of my bucket of i/o and I am ready for a different salt. The i/o seems to precipitate or not dissolve and I am frustrated with it. I know everything in this hobby is personal preference but what salt should I try?

I am interested in salinity but the price seems high (maybe it makes more gallons...I haven't looked)

Other than that I have no idea. All I have ever used is i/o.

 

[steveb]

I like red sea pro.

 

[cacarnold3]

I really like Salinity. I am currently using Oceanic and just don't care for it as much. I also tried a bucket of Red Sea Pro a while back but it left a ton of residue in my mixing bin. Salinity mixed well and didn't leave the residue. It also seemed very consistent. I will return to Salinity when my Oceanic is gone.

 

[madehtsobi]

I've been using salinity but I mix it a week in advance and notice that the alk level drops 1-2dkh during that period... Weird that it drops so much with just mixing and it did leave his residue in my brute..

Just bought some Red Sea pro and so far so good.

 

[porkchop]

hmmm.... does the salinity cost more to use?

 

[neopterygii]

I use Salinity to.

 

[d2mini]

I've been using salinity but I mix it a week in advance and notice that the alk level drops 1-2dkh during that period... Weird that it drops so much with just mixing and it did leave his residue in my brute..

Do you keep it mixing?
They recommend mixing their salt for just a few hours. They said constant mixing will cause precipitation.

 

[madehtsobi]

Do you keep it mixing?
They recommend mixing their salt for just a few hours. They said constant mixing will cause precipitation.

Yep powerhead n mixing and my rodi water.

 

[steveb]

I really like Salinity. I am currently using Oceanic and just don't care for it as much. I also tried a bucket of Red Sea Pro a while back but it left a ton of residue in my mixing bin. Salinity mixed well and didn't leave the residue. It also seemed very consistent. I will return to Salinity when my Oceanic is gone.

How long did you mix it? Not supposed to mix more that 4 hours.

 

[porkchop]

I was always under the impression that salt had to mix at least 24 hrs and the longer the better.

I've been searching for info and (with salinity) they recommend 24 hours or less. Something about the longer it mixes, it draws in co2 and causes precipitation....I dunno.

Anyway. The seachem guy even said it was ok to add salinity when it was still cloudy. He said he mixed an hour or two max. Then lets it clear up in the tank.

 

[madehtsobi]

I was always under the impression that salt had to mix at least 24 hrs and the longer the better.

I've been searching for info and (with salinity) they recommend 24 hours or less. Something about the longer it mixes, it draws in co2 and causes precipitation....I dunno.

Anyway. The seachem guy even said it was ok to add salinity when it was still cloudy. He said he mixed an hour or two max. Then lets it clear up in the tank.

Yeh that's what I thought too, longer the better and to keep things agitated rather than stagnant... Guess not...

 

[steveb]

That is bad info from the past... at least for red sea salt and a couple of others that I am aware of...

e.g. http://www.redseafish.com/uploadimages/user manuals/10116 Coral Pro Salt manual a2012 4P.pdf

 

[Diesel]

This is a large discussion topic.
Why I drive Ford and the other redneck Dodge.............just saying.
What I'm saying more is if you are dosing it really doesn't matter what you use since you are adding the alk cal and mag yourself.
I've used all many of brands on my old 120 and now on my 202 reef tank and have found that it's cheaper to by the least expensive salt and just adjust your reagents.
Each company has a little more this, a little less that, but if you are adding your own the actual salt is your main concern.
I have awesome growth and color.

What salt brand are you guys using in your SPS dominated reefs?

 

[steveb]

No doubt about that.

 

[CBBSteve]

Not supposed to mix more that 4 hours.

What???

I'm sorry guys, but this makes no sense. So you can't mix it in your bucket more than 4 hours, but you can put in your tank where it gets mixed forever???? Did I miss something?

BTW, I use Reef Crystals. Mix it for an hour or 2 and into the tank it goes...no precipitate.

good luck,
Steve

 

[Ostentum]

Almost every salt I have used leaves some sort or residue. Salinity white Oceanic brown. I just deal with it. It's not that big of a deal since your not mixing it in your aquarium. I have been using salinity since it came on the market. Price per gallon is actually a little cheaper if you are mixing at 1.025. Salinity's lab tests on the label and gallons are based on 1.025 while a majority of the other salts this is not the case. I switched for Red Sea when 1 water change raised my alk from. 9.5 to. 12 with a 15% change. Haven't used them since and that was 7+ years ago. Salinity also makes 225g

 

[porkchop]

What???

I'm sorry guys, but this makes no sense. So you can't mix it in your bucket more than 4 hours, but you can put in your tank where it gets mixed forever???? Did I miss something?

BTW, I use Reef Crystals. Mix it for an hour or 2 and into the tank it goes...no precipitate.

good luck,
Steve

According to the responses from the seachem rep on atlantic reef forum I was reading, it has something to do with co2 and oxygen saturation levels and does very much matter if it mixes too long in a bucket or if you put it in the tank soon (as you are).

I am not sure if I believe this or don't. I in no way am in a position to argue as this is not my line of study/work. But I can say that it makes me feel better about the habit I have of mixing and using the water in less than 24 hrs.

 

[Diesel]

Maybe it should be "mix it for 4 hrs and put it than in your tank"
I mix my salt/rodi for days sometimes and do only 5 gallons WC three times a week.
Btw, if you have a WC station like a genesis, and you have it in your reservoir for a week or two..........that's not good.
As I have it in a 30 gal reservoir and take only 5 gal every other day out.
Only thing that I noticed is that my alk and cal drop a bit in the reservoir but with only 5 gal every other day WC and with a Vertex libra dosing system my ALK and CAL # don't change a bit.
Btw, I use IO RC, got 12 buckets for $25 each in a Dallas auction sale last year.

 

[d2mini]

I mix up 50-60g at a time which lasts me near two weeks. You definitely do not need to use ANY mixed saltwater within 24 hours.

 

[mwilliams62]

I use Kent Reef salt mix and E V S I-Bonic and neither one leaves a residue in my container.