acropora4u
2500 Club Member
with all the different salts available, and with those salts the varying alkalinity ranging from 7.0 to 12.5 what range did you choose and why? also note your brand of salt and type of reef - MIXED, LPS, SPS ETC)
Salt choice for alkalinity
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acropora4u
2500 Club Member
I currently use tropic Marin and 7.5 alkalinity in SPS reef
Any of them. You can add acid to lower the alk to whatever you want. I use IO and lower the alk to 7.0. I like the consistency, price and availability of IO so I can take 30 seconds and add some acid to the mix and let it stir longer.
xabo
Valuable Member
I also use IO Reef crystals for my water changes and run ALK 7.5-8.5 or so. If I have to do a really big WC i will knock it down with acid.
To manage consumption, I dose ESV 2-part as well as 4 liters of Kalk each day/night.
To manage consumption, I dose ESV 2-part as well as 4 liters of Kalk each day/night.
mattdg
Well-Known Member
Instant Ocean (IO) for me. Don't really need to worry about what the alk / cal / mag / trace levels levels are. I run an AWC or AWES (auto water exchange system) probably the more accurate acronym, plus Jake would approve. 1.5 gallons / day on a 120 gallon SPS heavy, mixed reef. I dose tropic marin trace and part c separately and maintain my alk/cal/mag levels via doser. Figured I'd save money on the salt, not that IO is low quality or anything. Plenty of public aquariums use it. I believe alk is around 9 and cal around 400, when mixed, which is close enough to my target anyway. Actually just cleaned my 65 gallon AWC bin with a pressure washer, this weekend. Instant Ocean salt will deposit a hard crusty layer, over a few years of mixing. I haven't found that layer of hard sediment to be any issue at all, as far as my reef inhabitant health is concerned. Simply a minor yearly inconvenience, for a system that mainly does the heavy lifting for me.
Couldn't vote because I mix IO and reef crystals 50/50. I'll admit I have never tested my fresh mixed water. I started with IO and a few years ago bought some RC because it was on a super sale. Started mixing it and everything looked good so I just kept mixing it. I stock pile when ever I find one or the other on sale. It mixes dirty but the crap stays in the mixing container so I don't worry about that part. I'm running 3 systems with this mix. One a mixed reef with nems, lps and sps. Another sps and a hoddoni and the last sps and lps. I drip kalk in one tank along with 30ml 2part (220g total) and alk stays right around 8.3. The other 2 tanks get small amounts of 2 part as well with no kalk. Alk on those stays around 8.3 also. I do small frequent changes vs 10 or 20 % like most and things stay pretty stable and live stock look good.
TM cost is only partially a thing for me. In the US, it is not always available, it is bucket only so I have to dry mix it, there is never sales (price related) and I doctor it up a bit too. Then, price is also a problem. If I were in the EU where TM is available like IO/RC is here in the US, then I would use it.
I like IO since I can use the whole 50 gallon bag at once so no worrying about separation, dry mixing, etc., the price is good and the stuff is just really consistent batch to batch. Then, if you wait for some sales and stock up, you can get 200 gallon box for $30, or so.
I like IO since I can use the whole 50 gallon bag at once so no worrying about separation, dry mixing, etc., the price is good and the stuff is just really consistent batch to batch. Then, if you wait for some sales and stock up, you can get 200 gallon box for $30, or so.
My LFS will text me that he found a sale and we will share a pallet or two together cheap.
mike550
Valuable Member
I used TM Pro for about there years, and then when Covid hit we saw supply chain issues, and retailers just jacking the price up. Then TM had the salt manufacturing/quality issue that created sort of a “recall”. After all that I switched to IO. Partly on price but also availability and historical experience from so many reefers.
So far so good
It has been a few years, but I split a pallet for something like $22 a box - we got a couple. Not hard to get a few other locals onboard with this at 10-12 boxes at a time. I have never seen this with other salt brands. In case anybody was wondering, and I know that you are, a minivan full of IO barely makes it down the street - felt sorry for that dude whose tires were almost rubbing in the back. Bring a truck to a IO pallet party.
