Salt anyone???????

[MrCollins219]

So I think that I made a mistake...….. I am currently running a 32 gallon biocube as my first salt water tank. My issue is that when I first ordered my salt I ordered reef crystals, stayed up with my water changes and periodic testing everything was good. I took my time but eventually got a diamond goby to try and keep my sand clean, fast forward a little bit and that guy has cleaned my tank soooo good. Problem is that it is time for another water change, no biggie I hop on amazon one night and order the 160 gal bucket of salt, unfortunately when it came in I messed up and ordered Instant Ocean. I have read on a few forums that said its ok and asked my friends that helped get me started and they said that I should absolutely not use it. So I am now asking for all of yalls input should I try and sell it on facebook since to return it to amazon I will only be getting 8 bucks back from my 49 or is it ok to be used with my fish and coral. I have maybe a cup and a half of reef crystals left from my original order.

Tank citizens are as follows:
1 mocha clown
1 regular nemo clown
1 diamond goby
2 emerald crabs

1 toadstool leather
2 GSPs
1 duncan
some zoas
some palys
2 little Yuma mushrooms
some clove polyps
and one stick thing that gets these little polyps on it

Thanks for the help and knowledge...……..question 2 coming soon to a forum near you!!!

--MrCollins219

 

[DSEKULA]

I'd mix some up and compare to your current parameters of it's close use it. If your doing lots of small water changes the changes will happen gradually anyway.

 

[Bryn]

Fist off, welcome to R2R... and congratulations on getting your tank up and running.

Not sure why your friend said absolutely no to the Instant Oceans salt. The big difference is the Alk, Ca, and Mg levels are different, in this case I believe lower. Many people use Instant Oceans and change the Alk, Ca, and Mg by hand. I would mix it up to your specifications and use it. I do it all the time.

 

[MrCollins219]

Fist off, welcome to R2R... and congratulations on getting your tank up and running.

Not sure why your friend said absolutely no to the Instant Oceans salt. The big difference is the Alk, Ca, and Mg levels are different, in this case I believe lower. Many people use Instant Oceans and change the Alk, Ca, and Mg by hand. I would mix it up to your specifications and use it. I do it all the time.

Awesome thanks!!!

 

[MrCollins219]

I'd mix some up and compare to your current parameters of it's close use it. If your doing lots of small water changes the changes will happen gradually anyway.

Good idea, my wife also said to try and mix my remaining reef crystals and instant ocean together as well. Just one fish LOL good one!!!!!

 

[Flippers4pups]

I've used Instant Ocean for decades. Never any issues. The only thing I dose is Kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) for alkalinity and calcium boost. The addition of Kalkwasser isn't really need with a small tank and or a tank with little to no corals.

Plus it's cheaper than the designer salts out there!

 

[NashobaTek]

Welcome to the team. Been using IO since the 70's see no reason to change now

 

[Gernader]

I use regular IO with no problems. I have different types of corals and fish. They are doing fine and happy!

 

[Hugh Mann]

I started with reef crystals and moved to regular due to a hefty price difference. Didn't bother my critters none, only difference is lower levels of the micronutrients in the regular. You'll just have to double check the same amount of regular yields the same SG of the crystals or not and adjust accordingly.

 

[Randallh99]

Your fish aren’t going to notice the difference between Reef Crystals and Instant Ocean. Your corals might, but probably not. Instant Ocean is a good salt with pretty high alk and calc for your corals. I would absolutely stick with it; if you had sps than it would be a different story.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I started out using Reef Crystals and over time found that some parameters were testing really high, presumably because there wasn't anything in my tank that needed them at those concentrations (just fish and softies). Switched to regular Instant Ocean and things settled back down.

 

[Casket_Case]

Instant Ocean is a bit underrated I mean the Georgia Aquarium uses it and I do and it’s great

 

[blasterman]

People who rail against IO are the same ones we seem to always forget to put a straw in the bag at the drive through.

Used it for decades. I've worked in chemical plants and seen enough tests on salt mixes to not buy into salt mix elitism. I just don't like RCs elevated alk.

 

[MrCollins219]

People who rail against IO are the same ones we seem to always forget to put a straw in the bag at the drive through.

Used it for decades. I've worked in chemical plants and seen enough tests on salt mixes to not buy into salt mix elitism. I just don't like RCs elevated alk.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Be careful using regular Instant Ocean in your reef tank because you'll have to frag your acros a lot more often.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Unless you want your tank to look like this I wouldn’t use Instant Ocean...