Tropic Marin Pro Reef, bye bye

[ReefHog]

Does anyone know if TM changed the 'recipe' for Pro Reef? I have used the salt for a while and mixed in a white bucket with never any residue. I am now on a new bucket and I am getting a coating of brown gunk on all surfaces of the bucket and on the mixing pump. I can even see the water has a brown/orange tint to it once the salt dissolves.

Yup. Me too. I thought I was having a flashback from my Reef Crystals days. I keep my Alk at 7.5 an like to store 55 gallons for a few weeks which is the main reason I use TM Pro. But I don't enjoy spending 20 minutes cleaning my storage container. I'm gonna see what other salts have lower Alk and can be stored.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

Cmon. BRS doesn't lie when they say something is best ……

I don't think salt is ever an issue with quality salts that mix clean, and is always available. That rules out Fritz, Tropic M and Brown Sea.

You will do well with IO, Reef Crystals (leaves a little precip), Brightwell, 2 Lil fish……

 

[Spare time]

I’m tired of the stress of not being able to get this salt and am ready to change brands. Looking for recommendations from those who have had success changing. What did you change to and how was the transition?

Red Sea mixes very fast and is cheap. I use coral pro (though I don't do water changes anymore and haven't in a while so it's a special occasion when I do a water change).


I would never spend the money on tropic marin salt especially since I don't want to have to choose between minimum alk or minimum calcium. If I want fancy salt I'd go with aquaforest probiotic or something but still no one is failing in this hobby because of their salt.

 

[TCoach]

I just use standard IO. Super easy to get, and reefers have been using it for several decades with great success.

Plus Petsmart and Petco are both close to my house and will match their online prices!

 

[Drendo]

Does anyone know if TM changed the 'recipe' for Pro Reef? I have used the salt for a while and mixed in a white bucket with never any residue. I am now on a new bucket and I am getting a coating of brown gunk on all surfaces of the bucket and on the mixing pump. I can even see the water has a brown/orange tint to it once the salt dissolves.

Absolutely, I noticed this on my last two buckets and it has never happened before. I would love to hear someone at TM explain this.

 

[rmcrom]

I just contacted TM about it so I will see if they can answer.

 

[Frogspon]

I too am getting brown build up in my mixing container with Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt now. I don't let a batch sit for more than a week or two.

There is so much brown residue coating the entire mixing container that I thought it was an algae bloom the first time it happened.

 

[rmcrom]

I'm getting the residue after just an overnight mix. I do 15 gallons and it kind of looks almost a dillute tea color once dissolved.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

They must have borrowed some salt from IO to make up for the back log

 

[NashobaTek]

Been using IO since the 70's, no reason to change unless I really wanted to waste money.

 

[Reef.]

They must have borrowed some salt from IO to make up for the back log

This may not be that far from the truth.

 

[X-37B]

Yup. Me too. I thought I was having a flashback from my Reef Crystals days. I keep my Alk at 7.5 an like to store 55 gallons for a few weeks which is the main reason I use TM Pro. But I don't enjoy spending 20 minutes cleaning my storage container. I'm gonna see what other salts have lower Alk and can be stored.

Try a small bag of carbon when mixing and the just leave it in the 55. I do not store mixed salt but mixing 15g's in a brute with a 1/4 cup of rox in a nylon sock eliminates the IO brown residue.
It might be worth a shot and cant hurt.

 

[ReefHog]

Try a small bag of carbon when mixing and the just leave it in the 55. I do not store mixed salt but mixing 15g's in a brute with a 1/4 cup of rox in a nylon sock eliminates the IO brown residue.
It might be worth a shot and cant hurt.

Just filled the cleaned container with RODI and added salt this morning. I will try the carbon in a bag and see how it works.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I too am getting brown build up in my mixing container with Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt now. I don't let a batch sit for more than a week or two.

There is so much brown residue coating the entire mixing container that I thought it was an algae bloom the first time it happened.

Same

 

[GillMeister]

I switched from TM Pro to Red Sea Blue due to the jacked up prices and lack of supply. It sounds crazy, but i see coral growth about 2X what I had with TM. I also find that I've really had to increase my dosing to maintain alk and calcium levels. The additional growth has made me step up my water testing regimen. I know people say salt doesn't matter but I won't argue with the results I'm seeing.

 

[rmcrom]

Does blue bucket mix clean and clear?

 

[GillMeister]

Same

That's more than a couple people that have observed this now. Lack of residue was the most popular reason for using TM Pro for most people. I have residue with Red Sea too, but it costs less and I can get it any time I need it. If this is true TM Pro is just a more expensive Red Sea blue that you can't buy when you need it.

 

[GillMeister]

Does blue bucket mix clean and clear?

No. I do get residue with Red Sea. I just don't get too wound up about it anymore.

 

[torresj36]

FWIW. I switched to Brightwell NeoMarine when both TM and AquaForest were nowhere to be found. My corals could not be happier, plumper and with greater extension. No knock on TM or AquaForest as NeoMarine is not without its flaws. For example, slow mixing and odor when mixing with Neo vs fast clean mixing with TM and AquaForest but the results I am getting coupled with it's availability make this my go to salt.

 

[Duffer]

@Lou Ekus