Mixing salt as a strategy?

[bnord]

Have a Cade 180 as the main display and have used primarily TM Pro Reef for past 6 months. Like it and mixes like a dream. Have been on an AWC for the past 4-5 weeks.

I also have 340 pounds of 4 dogs on the farm. To afford to keep them well fed and healthy I buy 2 bags of different labels of Purina's best 40 lb bags and mix them in a brute trash can with the notion that either one of them provides 80% of their nutritional needs, so that a mix of them could get closer to 99%. Don't know if its true, but it works, and the dogs tell me to keep it up.

So the question is as I am doing AWC's, does it do more potential good than harm for me to alternate between high quality "like blends" i.e., TM ProReef - Brightwell NeoMarine and attempting to take advantage of the two formulations' near perfect constitutions?
I would not mix the different salts in a common vessel, but alternate between mixes.

Is this a well know idea? Is there good reason not to try the experiment?

What say you all?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Have a Cade 180 as the main display and have used primarily TM Pro Reef for past 6 months. Like it and mixes like a dream. Have been on an AWC for the past 4-5 weeks.

I also have 340 pounds of 4 dogs on the farm. To afford to keep them well fed and healthy I buy 2 bags of different labels of Purina's best 40 lb bags and mix them in a brute trash can with the notion that either one of them provides 80% of their nutritional needs, so that a mix of them could get closer to 99%. Don't know if its true, but it works, and the dogs tell me to keep it up.

So the question is as I am doing AWC's, does it do more potential good than harm for me to alternate between high quality "like blends" i.e., TM ProReef - Brightwell NeoMarine and attempting to take advantage of the two formulations' near perfect constitutions?
I would not mix the different salts in a common vessel, but alternate between mixes.

Is this a well know idea? Is there good reason not to try the experiment?

What say you all?

Do you have corals or do you have a FOWLR (fish only)?

If you already HAVE the different salt and you just want to use it up, then +1 vote use it (use whatever). FOWLR is much more forgiving (fish, maybe some inverts)

If you have coral(s), you are likely better off testing your various major components and dosing what is needed, because water changes are only going to put so much back in for you as the corals make use of those (calcium, etc etc)

Testing and tracking your trends will help you determine what and how much you may need to dose for corals. Consistency really helps corals grow

 

[blaxsun]

I don’t think there’s necessarily any advantage in mixing salt - and since different brands often have different parameters you might find achieving stability with water changes difficult. I’d get the brand of salt that you can budget for and stick with that.

 

[Arabyps]

The reef likes stability. I recommend you stick with one.

 

[X-37B]

I used ESV salt for the last 5 years, great salt.
Just went back to IO regular and see no difference.
I have used regular IO for 30+ years and will be sticking with it.
I would not mix 2 different salts and see no advantage.

 

[bnord]

Do you have corals or do you have a FOWLR (fish only)?

If you already HAVE the different salt and you just want to use it up, then +1 vote use it (use whatever). FOWLR is much more forgiving (fish, maybe some inverts)

If you have coral(s), you are likely better off testing your various major components and dosing what is needed, because water changes are only going to put so much back in for you as the corals make use of those (calcium, etc etc)

Testing and tracking your trends will help you determine what and how much you may need to dose for corals. Consistency really helps corals grow

Thanks and have a mixed tank with SPS that for the most part is doing well - trying to eek out the last little inches of performance

 

[bnord]

I don’t think there’s necessarily any advantage in mixing salt - and since different brands often have different parameters you might find achieving stability with water changes difficult. I’d get the brand of salt that you can budget for and stick with that.

Understand and agree with the need for stability - and test major permits and have done 3 ICP's and mostly find I have excess tin and silicates - and deficit in iodine, which I try to add manually . Well water with a big carbon block and a BRS 5 stage RODI

Thought of this also earlier in the summer when I couldn't get TM due to out of stock issues , and need a back up plan in case this happens again.

Selected Brightwell as as the potential back-up as it posts similar parameters to TM

Also feel the addition through AWC will not result in swings, rather a gradual minor shift

Thanks for your insight

 

[bnord]

The reef likes stability. I recommend you stick with one.

agree, sometimes I needs to tinker, but need to remember what I shouldn't tinker with

 

[blaxsun]

Switching salt brands is sometimes unavoidable due to shortages, etc. but generally speaking if you keep it consistent the reef seems happier long-term.

 

[homer1475]

Theres a reason I've used regular old purple box IO for decades.....

First it's been around for decades, second it can be had at any big box or mom and pop LFS around, third is it's dirt cheap!

I keep LPS and just in the last 3 years SPS dominant, I still have not seen a reason to convince me to switch.

These "salt of the month" expensive "coral" salts are just all gimmick, and marketing hype. Ever wonder why most of us that have been in the hobby for decades still use the salt thats been around for decades, and don't fall for the "salt of the month" club? When all these "salt of the month" fads wear off, guess what salt is still around.......

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It's fine to mix salts in the same barrel, or alternately, if that gets you something that you cannot find in a single mix. many people have done that in the past to get their target levels of alk or calcium or magnesium.

That said, I do not see any reason to think it is preferable or that such an alternate method will give your tank some ingredient that is missing in a single mix.