Clean Low Alk Salt?

[spsick]

Can anyone recommend a low alk salt (7-8.5) that doesn’t leave this crud in your mix tank? Cleaned it a week ago! Using Red Sea Blue bucket and I have to add potassium and mag to get to proper levels so would be fine paying more for something that meets my criteria. Looks like Brightwell or TM Pro Reef are the options, so I’d love to hear experiences and opinions. The TM is quite a bit more $ so to what benefit?

 

[Hitman]

Zero experience with it but I’ve been hearing good things on Fritz RPM blue box.

 

[domination2580]

I've always loved aquaforest.

 

[Antics]

BRS did a video on salts and basically said Tropic Marin's Pro Reef mixes incredibly clean. I can't remember which video but @Ryanbrs showed what a prefilter looked like after "other salts" and it was brown and then showed a new prefilter that had an entire bucket of Tropic Marin run through it and it was pristine looking in comparrison.

Here is the video - skip ahead to 15:20.

 

[Tanggy]

I've been using tropic marin pro reef for a while. It mixes clean with no residue. Alk is stable at 7.9 dkh.

 

[spsick]

Awesome! Thanks folks!

 

[sghera64]

I've been using tropic marin pro reef for a while. It mixes clean with no residue. Alk is stable at 7.9 dkh.

+ 1

 

[rushbattle]

BRS did a video on salts and basically said Tropic Marin's Pro Reef mixes incredibly clean. I can't remember which video but @Ryanbrs showed what a prefilter looked like after "other salts" and it was brown and then showed a new prefilter that had an entire bucket of Tropic Marin run through it and it was pristine looking in comparrison.

Here is the video - skip ahead to 15:20.

This. Tried lots of mixes, TM Pro is cleanest with reasonable alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, I've seen folks use normal instant ocean (which usually precipitates calcium carbonete like other high alk mixes), add muriatic acid to alk of 7 dKH, and when he did that, there was zero precipitate on the bottom from the usual calcium carbonate. While that deposit never concerned me, if it does concern you, it goes away by reducing the alk (and pH) of high alk mixes.

 

[Scorpius]

ESV's salt is in the 8.0 dkh range and mixes clean and clear for me every batch for the past five years. It's just a tad more expensive than most, but you get what you pay for.

 

[LetItReef]

I will have to try TM, what’s the MG and CA? Thanks!

I've been using tropic marin pro reef for a while. It mixes clean with no residue. Alk is stable at 7.9 dkh.

 

[Tanggy]

The Mg about 1305. Ca about 460 @ 1.025.

 

[rushbattle]

FWIW, I've seen folks use normal instant ocean (which usually precipitates calcium carbonete like other high alk mixes), add muriatic acid to alk of 7 dKH, and when he did that, there was zero precipitate on the bottom from the usual calcium carbonate. While that deposit never concerned me, if it does concern you, it goes away by reducing the alk (and pH) of high alk mixes.

Thanks Dr. H-F! This is great to know. Tropic Marin is very expensive. I might need to give this a shot.

 

[Hitman]

FWIW, I've seen folks use normal instant ocean (which usually precipitates calcium carbonete like other high alk mixes), add muriatic acid to alk of 7 dKH, and when he did that, there was zero precipitate on the bottom from the usual calcium carbonate. While that deposit never concerned me, if it does concern you, it goes away by reducing the alk (and pH) of high alk mixes.

How much effect does it do to ph?

 

[rushbattle]

How much effect does it do to ph?

It will depress pH while destroying alk, but then after it equilibrates with the air it should go back to whatever the ambient CO2 and resulting alk level determine it to be.

 

[rushbattle]

.

 

[jsker]

I second the Aquaforest salts, but would use the sea salt and dose there balling method 1+2+3+ mix your own

 

[domination2580]

Ive had really good luck with af probiotic but sea salt works just as well. Probiotic you have to use within 24 hour period

 

[Vin's Reef]

Pretty simple. Had the same issue with Red Sea salt. Switched to Tropic Marine Reef Pro salt. In 20 min everything is crystal clear and no crud. Remember that if the saltwater bin is heated and sits for more than 3-4 days you will get crud regardless of what salt you use.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Switched to live aquaria professional salt mix recently.

Has no residue thus far and priced near instant ocean. Mixed rather quickly. And has a dkh near what you are looking for.

Also do not use a pump to mix, there is intense heat produced on the blades of the pump that can cause some precipitation. At least according to red sea seminar i sat through.