IO vs RC Salt

[tehSAC]

Setting up a 10 gallon nano, and am going back and forth between salts. The Instant Ocean and the Reef Crystals. My plan is to mainly keep softies, a hammer, a frog spawn, some mushrooms, and possibly an acan down the road.

I have a friend who has some left over IO that he doesn't want. I'm thinking of taking it off his hands but if my corals down the road benefit better from the RC I will not go the IO route.

What would you suggest?

 

[dragon99]

IO should be perfect for that. RC might have too high of an ALK for a softie tank.

 

[Elementalj]

I second the reef crystals being high in alkalinity.

 

[mcarroll]

I have a friend who has some left over IO that he doesn't want.

Take it. RC = IO + extra Ca, Mg and alkalinity. You need the extra for a stony coral tank once it grows in a bit.

Once you get to that point, RC will keep levels within range in between water changes better than IO will.

There's no real benefit to RC if you aren't growing stony corals.

too high of an ALK for a softie tank.

There is no such thing as "too high of alk". That's a myth perpetuated by folks who carbon dose their tanks. Their corals are extra sensitive because their whole system is tweaked. It would be better thought of as "too much carbon dosing".

But regardless of that, you're right that RC would be overkill for a softie tank. No need.

 

[tehSAC]

So no worries about the Hammer and the Frogspawn?