Changing Salt Mixes

sbash · Aug 24, 2018

Well, apparently, IO Reef Crystals are not readily available where I live any more. What considerations should I make when switching? I'm going shopping tomorrow, I just used my last back of IO last week (there was a points promotions, so I stocked up a year ago and got about 400 gallons worth).

I'm thinking for my fish QT systems, I might as well go non-reef crystals (no point, right?). But I still want to do water changes on my 220, 150, and two 50 gallon frag tanks every now and then (the frag tanks are super important because I don't dose them) - haha, OR start dosing them...

Anyway, is it really such a big deal to change the brands up? especially since I do 10% max on my larger systems and 20% changes on the 50s?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 24, 2018

No, changing brands is no big deal. Just keep track of how it might impact the main parameters.

sbash · Aug 24, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
No, changing brands is no big deal. Just keep track of how it might impact the main parameters.

Thanks, Randy. I figured as much, but just for my own due diligence I thought I would check. I remember way back when (lol, on another forum), there were dramatic discussions about switching up mixes...

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 25, 2018

sbash said:
Thanks, Randy. I figured as much, but just for my own due diligence I thought I would check. I remember way back when (lol, on another forum), there were dramatic discussions about switching up mixes...

The only case I recall was when folks switched from "ordinary" mixes to Ron Shimek's preferred brand (Crystals Seas or some such name) that he claimed had lower toxic metals, and remarkably, some folks seem to have problems switching to the new mix. I have no idea if that was just coincidence or a real effect, but in general, there's no issue.