Time to switch salt mix... would like input, please...

PerplexyHexy · Oct 30, 2018

I know this discussion is plastered all over the forum, but Im looking to switch salt mixes. Im currently using red sea coral pro. I started my tank for 3 month with Scripps water and all levels were stable the whole time. Believe it or not... hahahahaha!! I know there are haters and believers. I did weekly 20 gallon water changes... I just recently switched over to coral pro and my levels have been all over. Im reaching the end of the bag and Im ready to move onto another brand. Im leaning towards Fritz RPM or Aqua Forest... I just wanted to get some input from everyone and see pros and cons of other synthetics everyone is using to help make my decision. I have a red sea xl 425 mixed reef...

pdxmonkeyboy · Oct 30, 2018

i like fritz rpm, the basic stuff. they high alk stuff is just asking for trouble in my book.

it really doesnt matter though.

...but Io was starting to test all over the place so i ditched it.

Tastee · Oct 30, 2018

BRS Investigates have some good videos looking into various salt choices. Personally I use the Aquaforest Reef salt in my Reefer 250 and are very happy with it.

PerplexyHexy · Oct 30, 2018

2 responses... wow... guess ill be doing research... hahahah

DHill6 · Oct 30, 2018

Went from using Tropic Marin Pro Reef , approx. 8 yrs., to Sed Sea Blue, going back to TMPR. The water seemed clearer and mixed cleaner. Just my opinion. I switched because the CA was so high in the last 100g buckets. This time I went with a smaller bucket, 34g tank.

Leslie Tabor · Oct 30, 2018

PerplexyHexy said:
2 responses... wow... guess ill be doing research... hahahah

Most people are probably still at work and or like you said, this topic has been beat to death. There was also a vote done recently about which salt is most popular. You will get 100 different responses based on personal opinion. It really is a personal choice and what works for your tank. If there was a perfect magic salt, everyone would use it and we wouldn't have so many choices!

mattgsa · Oct 30, 2018

I'm follow along, also considering switching salt.

KJAG · Oct 30, 2018

Alot of this decision depends on what corals you keep. I like to have a lower Alk when I mix Saltwater and control as needed, rather than a higher level when I make a batch. kH in Coral Pro was too high for me so I went to Red Sea Blue Bucket. I switched from Reef Crystals. Love this salt. Easy to mix, no residue, all variables come out in the mid range and I just dose as needed.

PDR · Oct 30, 2018

PerplexyHexy said:
2 responses... wow... guess ill be doing research... hahahah

Not very patient are we?

I would like to know why your levels "have been all over" with rscp. That is a very good salt and should not be causing issues like that. I doubt changing salt brands would solve that problem. I have used several salts over the years and have never noticed a major difference between them. Go with the cheapest option that matches your target parameters the closest.

pdiehm · Oct 30, 2018

i use Instant Ocean in my biocube. Red Sea Blue Bucket for my 120.

andyg1960 · Oct 30, 2018

Oh boy, another thread about changing salt.......

acro-ed · Oct 30, 2018

I have been using regular Instant Ocean the past 6 months on my 300 SPS tank and am totally happy with it. It's cheap and the results are just as good as when I was using premium salt brands.

PerplexyHexy · Oct 30, 2018

I have a brand new bucket of reef crystals in the garage... was thinking of just using that...

Js.Aqua.Project · Oct 30, 2018

Can you be more specific about what you mean by "all over the place"? I have been using RSCP for the past 2 years and the parameters have been very stable and usually very close to the advertised parameters.

WVNed · Oct 30, 2018

PerplexyHexy · Oct 30, 2018

Here are test results from the start of my tank... mixing at 35.0 ppt. I was doing 10 gallon water changes, but the last water change was 20 gallons on Friday... magnesium is getting consumed like crazy... Im dosing b ionic alk and ca... was dosing 5ml each a day to see where levels were and just recently bumped it up to 10 ml... Been hand dosing 27g of magnesium twice a week to make up for the depletion. Been doing that for 2 weeks now using this...

PerplexyHexy · Oct 30, 2018

Switched to rscp on oct 7th

Pntbll687 · Oct 30, 2018

I switched from reef crystals to regular instant ocean, and have zero complaints.

I also switched from buying the buckets to the 200g box, and I have noticed less residue in my mixing station. One of the latest BRS videos talked about stratification of minerals in larger batch buckets, never knew this was a problem.