Switching to Red Sea Coral Pro Salt..

[HexaReef]

Im currently running IO but the profile and reviews on the Coral Pro is outstanding. More CA and Mag!

Question; When switching salts, should i just do WC's as normal? Or?

 

[AdamNC]

Switch slowly as the IO is low on Alk (8-9 dKH?) and Coral Pro comes in about 11-12 dKH. I’d start by mixing 50/50 of each salt for a wc or 2.

 

[SPR1968]

Switch slowly as the IO is low on Alk (8-9 dKH?) and Coral Pro comes in about 11-12 dKH. I’d start by mixing 50/50 of each salt for a wc or 2.

I did exactly this when I went from Coral Pro to the standard Red Sea salt and basically used up all the Coral Pro with a 50% mix ratio with the new salt

There was no salt wastage and it made for a slow change over for the system as well.

 

[JoshH]

Switch slowly as the IO is low on Alk (8-9 dKH?) and Coral Pro comes in about 11-12 dKH. I’d start by mixing 50/50 of each salt for a wc or 2.

+2 on this, you're stepping into a salt that has much higher volumes of pretty much every element our reef needs compared to IO. We'll worth mixing 50/50 for atleast a few WC's and watch how your corals react to the new levels.

I use RSCP and think it's worth every penny, although on a much larger system the costs might be tougher to swallow

 

[HexaReef]

+2 on this, you're stepping into a salt that has much higher volumes of pretty much every element our reef needs compared to IO. We'll worth mixing 50/50 for atleast a few WC's and watch how your corals react to the new levels.

I use RSCP and think it's worth every penny, although on a much larger system the costs might be tougher to swallow

Luckily my tank is only 35g! Lol.. RSCP is 2.5 times more expensive, but from what ive gathered, its well worth it!

 

[AdamNC]

Luckily my tank is only 35g! Lol.. RSCP is 2.5 times more expensive, but from what ive gathered, its well worth it!

It’s worth the cost but I switched to the blue bucket as I run my Alk at 8. Been thinking of switching back to the Pro on my new tank which is all frags.

 

[Mark Gray]

I would do small water changes I use this salt and have been for at least 2 years

 

[JoshH]

Luckily my tank is only 35g! Lol.. RSCP is 2.5 times more expensive, but from what ive gathered, its well worth it!

Mine is roughly the same so it's not all that bad price wise.

It’s worth the cost but I switched to the blue bucket as I run my Alk at 8. Been thinking of switching back to the Pro on my new tank which is all frags.

I wonder if mixing 50/50 would work long term, might make keeping things stable a little trickier but who knows for sure.

 

[redeyejedi]

I did exactly this when I went from Coral Pro to the standard Red Sea salt and basically used up all the Coral Pro with a 50% mix ratio with the new salt

There was no salt wastage and it made for a slow change over for the system as well.

I know its a old thread but im thinking of changing from coral pro salt to the standard red sea salt as well because it would be more in line with where i keep my alk, around 8.3. What was your reason for doing the same and did you get any benefits doing so?

 

[SPR1968]

I know its a old thread but im thinking of changing from coral pro salt to the standard red sea salt as well because it would be more in line with where i keep my alk, around 8.3. What was your reason for doing the same and did you get any benefits doing so?

At the time I was following the Red Sea Accelerated Growth program which called for high foundation element levels (hence coral pro) and also raised nutrient levels

I was still learning at the time, and phosphate hit around 0.16 and a hair algae outbreak occurred because of the raised phosphate. I didn’t realise at the time, it sort of crept up on me, until I solved the problem with the use of rowaphos

So as a result I changed back to the standard salt and with full dosing to maintain more ‘normal’ levels.

And yes, in my opinion it was a good move and I’ve used it ever since in my S650 and from the start in my new ‘big tank’

 

[redeyejedi]

Thanks for your'e reply. That makes a lot of sense in your case. Ive used coral pro for years but because the alk is higher than what i maintain, im obviously getting spikes from a water change. So im thinking the blue bucket would be better for me.

 

[SPR1968]

Thanks for your'e reply. That makes a lot of sense in your case. Ive used coral pro for years but because the alk is higher than what i maintain, im obviously getting spikes from a water change. So im thinking the blue bucket would be better for me.

I think the idea with coral pro, is that it means many people can maintain a coral reef by just doing basic water changes of 10% a week and it will keep the parameters within ‘acceptable’ limits

Combine this with something like the skeletal elements ABC+ and you have a good basic method of maintaining a reef, not ideal, but for many people, and that’s probably their market.

As you learn, you realise it’s not perfect and then maybe move onto hopefully better ways, if you see what I mean

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

I’d never ever run that coral pro salt, that’s the worst salt around in my book. When I first started the hobby coral pro was the new hot salt out and the High alk faster coral growth deal was going on so I tried it and I had nothing but problems running my alk that high even with High nutrients. Sps was always having burnt tips and looked bad. I switched to regular blue bucket and have used it since and I’m very happy with my results and the collection I’ve built using regular blue bucket.

 

[pseudorand]

Switch slowly as the IO is low on Alk (8-9 dKH?) and Coral Pro comes in about 11-12 dKH. I’d start by mixing 50/50 of each salt for a wc or 2.

Assuming <= 20% water change, is that really necessary? I'm not familiar with the chemistry of alk, but assuming your going from 8.5 to 11.5 and the relationship is linear, a 20% gives you:

8.5*.8+11.5*.2=9.1dkh, or a swing of .6

This thread seems to imply that's fine according to most.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Thanks for your'e reply. That makes a lot of sense in your case. Ive used coral pro for years but because the alk is higher than what i maintain, im obviously getting spikes from a water change. So im thinking the blue bucket would be better for me.

I strongly suggest blue bucket to everyone if you haven’t given it a try.

 

[redeyejedi]

I think the idea with coral pro, is that it means many people can maintain a coral reef by just doing basic water changes of 10% a week and it will keep the parameters within ‘acceptable’ limits

Combine this with something like the skeletal elements ABC+ and you have a good basic method of maintaining a reef, not ideal, but for many people, and that’s probably their market.

As you learn, you realise it’s not perfect and then maybe move onto hopefully better ways, if you see what I mean

The thing is i dont dose anything i do water changes to keep things in check so im unsure what road to take. My tank can use upto .4 of alk a day.

 

[SPR1968]

The thing is i dont dose anything i do water changes to keep things in check so im unsure what road to take. My tank can use upto .4 of alk a day.

Your the target market then. If everything looks good with coral pro and water changes then stick with it. Maybe look into the ABC+ as a mid week addition between water changes if levels are dropping but just keep an eye on it and adjust as necessary

Its an easy way to maintain a reef tank (of less than around 90g for the ABC+ I think from memory), not perfect put possibly ok.

 

[stephj03]

Im currently running IO but the profile and reviews on the Coral Pro is outstanding. More CA and Mag!

Question; When switching salts, should i just do WC's as normal? Or?

What parameters do you currently maintain (Alk/Ca/Mag/No3/PO4). The question you need to ask is:. is RSCP closer to the parameters you keep than I/O?

If so you can transition fairly quickly.

If not and you keep the big three lower than I/O you'll need to go slow

Either way,. I would say it's unlikely that 10% weekly WC's with the new salt will be disruptive.

 

[stephj03]

Agree with above. Understand going into the switch that RSCP is geared towards those that don't dose a lot (use WC's to maintain the big three), or run old school levels where everything is elevated and there's a ton of fish poop in the water at all times.

If neither of these is you, you might want yo listen to Camaro on this and consider blue bucket (ie if you doses 2 part, don't do SPS/LPS or run the big 3 closer to NSW)

 

[redeyejedi]

Agree with above. Understand going into the switch that RSCP is geared towards those that don't dose a lot (use WC's to maintain the big three), or run old school levels where everything is elevated and there's a ton of fish poop in the water at all times.

If neither of these is you, you might want yo listen to Camaro on this and consider blue bucket (ie if you doses 2 part, don't do SPS/LPS or run the big 3 closer to NSW)

For me my alk is around 8.3. Ca off the chart for salifert test kit and mag.
Phos .1
Nitrate around 5.

I keep mostly lps and softie with one big plate coral. No other sps.