Salt water mixes

[tim gib]

Issue Salt water mixes I've been in the hobby for 50 yrs. owned 2 retail fish stores, Started with Instant ocean moved on later to Reef crystals yrs later I have 3 salt tanks 75 gal 125 gal and 220 gal tanks goes without saying I use a lot of salt I've found if you store Reef crystals for more than 6 months parts crystalize and won't break down during mixing. I now use Pro-Reef by Tropic Marin and have been happy with it ever since corals luv this stuff. Just Sayin.

 

[Peace River]

#WelcometoR2R!!! Thanks for the input - I think you'll find several people around here that agree with you. If you are comfortable sharing, please consider stoping by the Meet & Greet forum to introduce yourself - we're glad you're here!

 

[Backreefing]

Red Sea blue bucket. Mixes to perfection. Death Crystals mixes at 13-14 DKH sheesh do a large water change with that

 

[1000rrstunna]

I feel like the tropic Marin pro reef mixes low.... what are you guys seeing. I’m at like 1100mg 400 ca and my dkh was 6.1

1.025 sg

Does it loose potency if let stand after mixed in a mixing station

I do not let it get aerated either as I read that kills alk values the pump returns water under the waterline no agetation

 

[Auquanut]

Welcome Tim! I switched from Fritz blue box to Brightwell Neomarine when I went to my AWC system because it mixes cleaner, doesn't precipitate nearly as bad over time, and matches my intended parameters a little better than Tropic Marin. Pretty happy with it so far. I'd love to hear your opinion (pros and cons) of one over the other if you have one. Sorry to pick your brain, but with your kind of experience, how can I not?

 

[Hemmdog]

I feel like the tropic Marin pro reef mixes low.... what are you guys seeing. I’m at like 1100mg 400 ca and my dkh was 6.1

1.025 sg

Does it loose potency if let stand after mixed in a mixing station

I do not let it get aerated either as I read that kills alk values the pump returns water under the waterline no agetation

I keep my salinity at 1.026 and it mixes out to ideal levels for my system. I love tropic marin pro!
Welcome to reef2reef!

 

[homer1475]

Issue Salt water mixes I've been in the hobby for 50 yrs. owned 2 retail fish stores, Started with Instant ocean moved on later to Reef crystals yrs later I have 3 salt tanks 75 gal 125 gal and 220 gal tanks goes without saying I use a lot of salt I've found if you store Reef crystals for more than 6 months parts crystalize and won't break down during mixing. I now use Pro-Reef by Tropic Marin and have been happy with it ever since corals luv this stuff. Just Sayin.

Not disagreeing with you on reef crystals(can't stand that salt), but I would think most salt we buy was made several months if not years in advance(do they even put "made on" dates for salt?). It was probably the way you store it, and not the length of time it was stored.

I'm also assuming you mean the dry salt in a bucket? You do realize salt is hydroscopic, meaning it will suck up the moisture from the air causing it to cake up. It needs to be kept air tight.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Issue Salt water mixes I've been in the hobby for 50 yrs. owned 2 retail fish stores, Started with Instant ocean moved on later to Reef crystals yrs later I have 3 salt tanks 75 gal 125 gal and 220 gal tanks goes without saying I use a lot of salt I've found if you store Reef crystals for more than 6 months parts crystalize and won't break down during mixing. I now use Pro-Reef by Tropic Marin and have been happy with it ever since corals luv this stuff. Just Sayin.

I personally do not think salt mix matters much as long as you use a decent brand and understand the pros and cons that every mix has. People have great tanks and struggling tanks with every mix. I used normal IO for 20 years and think it's a fine way to go.

 

[Dom]

I personally do not think salt mix matters much as long as you use a decent brand and understand the pros and cons that every mix has. People have great tanks and struggling tanks with every mix. I used normal IO for 20 years and think it's a fine way to go.

+1

I've been using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals since I got into the hobby. Only had a problem with it once when a box I purchased was only mixing to 6 dkh. Some supplementing and it was good to go.

I know several people involved in the hobby and all do well, but none use the same salt. I think success can happen using any salt. Just test before you put the new water in so that you really KNOW what's going in.

 

[madweazl]

I feel like the tropic Marin pro reef mixes low.... what are you guys seeing. I’m at like 1100mg 400 ca and my dkh was 6.1

1.025 sg

Does it loose potency if let stand after mixed in a mixing station

I do not let it get aerated either as I read that kills alk values the pump returns water under the waterline no agetation

Your salinity is likely lower than you believe it to be. With salinity a hair over 35ppt, I get:

Alk - 7.7dKh
Ca - 390
Mag - 1365

 

[mike550]

Your salinity is likely lower than you believe it to be. With salinity a hair over 35ppt, I get:

Alk - 7.7dKh
Ca - 390
Mag - 1365

I mixed and tested TM Pro Reef last night. At 1.026, my Alk was 7.7dKH, Ca - 400, Mg - 1350. Alk measurement was Hanna tester. Ca and Mg were Salifert titration. So about the same as @madweazl

 

[dohc97]

Red Sea blue bucket. Mixes to perfection. Death Crystals mixes at 13-14 DKH sheesh do a large water change with that

A long time ago I bought rc from a store already mixed and didn't check it, I did do a water change and I lost all my sps. That particular batch was tested at 16dkh...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

A long time ago I bought rc from a store already mixed and didn't check it, I did do a water change and I lost all my sps. That particular batch was tested at 16dkh...

Maybe they mixed it with tap water.

 

[dohc97]

Maybe they mixed it with tap water.

Not sure but after that issue and having continuous high all with that mix I switched to something that was more in line with what I like to keep my alk at.

 

[1000rrstunna]

I I used a Hannah alk checker and salifert tests so I dunno I will look into the refracometer being off..... check it with ro? Something must be off.... how long after mixing does yours stay at those levels

Your salinity is likely lower than you believe it to be. With salinity a hair over 35ppt, I get:

Alk - 7.7dKh
Ca - 390
Mag - 1365

I mixed and tested TM Pro Reef last night. At 1.026, my Alk was 7.7dKH, Ca - 400, Mg - 1350. Alk measurement was Hanna tester. Ca and Mg were Salifert titration. So about the same as @madweazl

 

[Backreefing]

I got this chart from R2R it shows many brands and where they mix at .

 

[dreamcatcherr9]

I got this chart from R2R it shows many brands and where they mix at .

That’s helpful! Thank you for sharing