What salt are you using?

[Reefbuds]

I use instant ocean reef crystals. Have since day one, I want to switch to the new liveaquaria reef salt. But like peiple have said, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[Sandroni]

I use instant ocean reef crystals. Have since day one, I want to switch to the new liveaquaria reef salt. But like peiple have said, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I didn't know live aquaria made salt??

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I didn't know live aquaria made salt??

It can be traded product and they just apply their name and logo!

 

[Reefbuds]

I didn't know live aquaria made salt??

It's very new, still on back order from foster and smith. Sounds very good tho, I'm seriously considering the switch. Only because liveaquaria has such high standards. This new product must be pristine to apply to their standards.

 

[Reefbuds]

I didn't know live aquaria made salt??

this HTML class. Value is http://m.drsfostersm

I can't get it to post correctly. But go to drfosterandsmith.com and search salt.

 

[Sandroni]

It's very new, still on back order from foster and smith. Sounds very good tho, I'm seriously considering the switch. Only because liveaquaria has such high standards. This new product must be pristine to apply to their standards.

Hmm, that's probably why I haven't heard of it... if you switch let me know the growth/progress.

 

[Newb73]

I did (and many others do) water changes many times every day, using an automatic and slow water changing method.

With that method, everything is "stable" (at least with respect to the water change) and the new water need not match the tank in any aspect, including salinity or temperature.

^^^^This.

Switching to continuous water changes solves all these problems.

The only left is figuring out what to set the 2 part pumps at and dose some trace elements.

So it comes down to your individual set up.

Right now i like Fritz because it A) Is only a few more bucks than Reef Crystals B) Has a lower alk (I had problems with ph running too high and C) I like the high mg, I find it helps reduce nuisance algae, buffers against precipitation and is like rocket fuel for zoas abd other soft corals.

It doesn't get to mg toxic levels, for that it would have to hit 1800 or more.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I wrote to Red Sea Tech Support to see if they have a plausible explanation for the directions.

I wrote to Red Sea Technical Support to ask why their directions seemed to suggest that aeration should be avoided.

The answer I got back is technically incorrect chemistry, so I explained the issues I had with it and asked them to double check with their Head Chemist since they may not want that explanation to be their public position on this issue.

I'll post back with the exact issues and final answer, whatever it is.

 

[DSC reef]

I wrote to Red Sea Technical Support to ask why their directions seemed to suggest that aeration should be avoided.

The answer I got back is technically incorrect chemistry, so I explained the issues I had with it and asked them to double check with their Head Chemist since they may not want that explanation to be their public position on this issue.

I'll post back with the exact issues and final answer, whatever it is.

I don't understand the big deal about not throwing an airstone in the bucket while mixing. Lol. I've never had an issue for over 7 years now, that's a lot of salt. Why not just follow directions instead of trying to prove them wrong? What's the point? They obviously know what there doing and I trust there chemists as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't understand the big deal about not throwing an airstone in the bucket while mixing. Lol. I've never had an issue for over 7 years now, that's a lot of salt. Why not just follow directions instead of trying to prove them wrong? What's the point? They obviously know what there doing and I trust there chemists as well.

It's not a big deal. If you want to be a lemming and do what your suppliers say without question, go for it.

What they say on the package doesn't make sense and I wanted to understand what they actually intend. The explanation they gave me is totally bogus. That leads me to not have trust in what they say, just as many other hobby companies obviously (to me at least) do not warrant trust.

To be clear, they did not say don't throw in an airstone, and their answer back to me did not specify airstones either.

I do expect they have a reasonable explanation. I hope it is also a correct one.

 

[DSC reef]

I guess I'm a "lemming" because I haven't had an issue since I've used there salt. The rep told me using an airstone or other means of aerartion than a power head. Maybe it has to do with the extra alk and calcium? I'm not a chemist but saying not to aerate has nothing to do with the quality of the salt or what your getting in a product. To question there product quality or the company red sea because they write do not aerate on there bucket seems a bit excessive to me but its just my opinion. Reef crystals says to aerate is an option, doesn't mean I question there product. Hopefully they give you an answer you can agree with.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I guess I'm a "lemming" because I haven't had an issue since I've used there salt. The rep told me using an airstone or other means of aerartion than a power head. Maybe it has to do with the extra alk and calcium? I'm not a chemist but saying not to aerate has nothing to do with the quality of the salt or what your getting in a product. To question there product quality or the company red sea because they write do not aerate on there bucket seems a bit excessive to me but its just my opinion. Reef crystals says to aerate is an option, doesn't mean I question there product. Hopefully they give you an answer you can agree with.

OK, let's not get too worked up. I've never said there's anything wrong with their salt mixes, and to claim I questioned their product quality is just misleading.

I have a serious issue with manufacturers making false statements or incorrect claims. It is very common in the reef aquarium hobby and many of the big name companies have done it. I have spent decades correcting these issues, sometimes with success, getting manufacturers to alter their claims, and sometimes not (at least not immediately). Brightwell, Seachem, Boyd, etc, and those are just some that many people trust, and frankly, companies that make many fine products. That doesn't mean every one of their products or claims meets the sniff test.

The Red Sea Tech Rep most definitely made incorrect statements (though I have no doubt she believes them). The salt mixing directions are logically confusing, but not provably incorrect without knowing what the company really meant with directions that could just be poorly written.

 

[DSC reef]

No worries and not worked up at all. Just trying to have a discussion. I don't think I'm misleading randy, it's how I took your reply. No biggie, just trying to understand. I didn't name call either. Lol. Like I said, I trust them. You should invite red sea to this discussion so we can all see the conversation.

 

[Richard baker]

I have been using instant ocean reef crystals for 9 years no ill effects this week I just purchased a bucket of Red Sea pro just to try it so now I'm curious about there mixing instructions as for my reef crystals I sometimes leave for several days mixing been times it's been mixing for a week with a airstone yea I get the residue but it's really never bothered me I have a mixed mostly sps dominated tank

 

[RussiReef]

I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt with a great success

 

[Caliguy1983]

For years I used instant ocean but a year ago I made the switch to Fritz pro with a new build. My LFS uses it in all his tanks and he's a heavy reef store with a massive amount of coral. He gives me a great deal on it. It mixes really well and has been extremely consistent. I think most salts will work as long as you stick with one.

 

[Danny Venditti]

I have used TropMarin, IO reef crystals, IO, Red Sea(both) and HW-Marinemix(both)in the past 20+years. I’ve had reefs good and bad, right now bad. Got some hair algae about a year and half ago. I can’t seem to totally get rid of it. Nothing seems to get rid of it so breaking tank down after Christmas and starting over. Back to the post, I have had the best results with HW-Marinemix Reefer and regular. I currently use HW Reefer. No preference between the two. Mixes quick and very clear in a very short time. Never thought to check it after mixing since I only change 5 gals at a time in my 90. I drip back over a 30 minute time frame. I don’t know the mix results and I will check on the next change. TropMarin is next favorite, then IO. I don’t care for RedSea at all. Mixes inconsistently and you can’t aerate for a long time, it precipitates a component in its mix. Algae problem seems to happen when I started using a combination of their products. Hopefully a coincidence.

before you restart it... I had the same issue with also a mix of red slime. I put in a phos reactor for a few weeks with a small separate pump. all gone now. the phos ban worked really well with wetter skim too boot.

 

[srad750c]

before you restart it... I had the same issue with also a mix of red slime. I put in a phos reactor for a few weeks with a small separate pump. all gone now. the phos ban worked really well with wetter skim too boot.

I will try PhosBan, I used PhosGuard for a while didn't seem to work. I got a fox face tang in there 2 weeks ago, he's doing an excellent job. I have a huge stand of halimeda algae growing also. Seems to be working very good. Breaking tank down to get a Reefer XXL625. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Danny Venditti]

I will try PhosBan, I used PhosGuard for a while didn't seem to work. I got a fox face tang in there 2 weeks ago, he's doing an excellent job. I have a huge stand of halimeda algae growing also. Seems to be working very good. Breaking tank down to get a Reefer XXL625. Thanks for the advice.

ok well I have a Reefer 350 so the algae aside I am now jealous lol

 

[burtonboy182]

I used to use Red Sea coral pro and loved it except for the high dkh. I switched to fritz because I heard great things about it. The last bath I had I had so much buildup that it was a pain to do a water change and then clean up the equipment. Any way to stop or decrease this?
Might try instant ocean or Red Sea blue bucket.