what salt mix is best for sps?

[Circa916]

So this may be a newb question but a large number of threads ive read about sps say that the majority of people keep their dKH between 8-9. it seems that the majority of salt mixes are in the 11-13 range. ive been using red sea coral pro which is 12.2. I plan on expanding to higher end sps but I want to make sure that I am doing this thing right before going down that road. I know that I'm going to need to start dosing at some point as well but would prefer to get a solid baseline of where I want to be. Any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA

 

[David osborne]

Blue bucket red sea

 

[Eric23]

Blue bucket red sea is good but if you're keeping nitrates in the 5-10 range I would go with tropic marin pro and keep alk between 7-8

 

[Jeremy Luke]

Fritz RPM is a good low Alk salt. It mixes up about 8.5dkh. I was using Red Sea Blue Bucket but I can get the Fritz a good bit cheaper and it seems to work well for me.

 

[skiergd011013]

The answer to your question is going to be what everybody is personally using. Any reputable reef salt would work. Reef crystals, tropic marin, red sea coral pro. I personally love the r.s.c.p. It is the easiest and quickest mixing salt I have ever used.

 

[LetItReef]

Fritz RPM is a good low Alk salt. It mixes up about 8.5dkh. I was using Red Sea Blue Bucket but I can get the Fritz a good bit cheaper and it seems to work well for me.

How's the MG on Fritz RPM? I am currently using Red Sea blue bucket and MG around 1200 ish. Thanks!

 

[Jeremy Luke]

How's the MG on Fritz RPM? I am currently using Red Sea blue bucket and MG around 1200 ish. Thanks!

I'm on my third 200g box and I'm finding it to be consistent with their published parameters:

https://fritzaquatics.com/product/rpm-reef-pro-mix/

 

[Circa916]

Fritz RPM is a good low Alk salt. It mixes up about 8.5dkh. I was using Red Sea Blue Bucket but I can get the Fritz a good bit cheaper and it seems to work well for me.

this is what I was contemplating going to but ive heard mixed things about the numbers being consistently off

 

[Circa916]

The answer to your question is going to be what everybody is personally using. Any reputable reef salt would work. Reef crystals, tropic marin, red sea coral pro. I personally love the r.s.c.p. It is the easiest and quickest mixing salt I have ever used.

and you haven't had any issues with the alk being that high for your sps?

 

[Jeremy Luke]

The Fritz RPM is $63.99 with free shipping at SaltwaterAquarium.com. I can purchase it locally for $49.99.

 

[skiergd011013]

and you haven't had any issues with the alk being that high for your sps?

I actually got away from sps. But I had one frag of pavona and it was growing alarmingly fast. I actually had to get rid of the whole rock it was on. So, Yes, the salt will grow sps.

 

[Jeremy Luke]

and you haven't had any issues with the alk being that high for your sps?

Not my post.. but if you've got good consumption, doing a 10% WC with high Alk shouldn't matter. You just figure in the water changes with your dosing. When I used Reef Crystals it would raise my Alk a half a point. Now I just prefer to keep my Alk at 8.5dkh what the Fritz mixes to and dose appropriately.

 

[Circa916]

Not my post.. but if you've got good consumption, doing a 10% WC with high Alk shouldn't matter. You just figure in the water changes with your dosing. When I used Reef Crystals it would raise my Alk a half a point. Now I just prefer to keep my Alk at 8.5dkh what the Fritz mixes to and dose appropriately.

thanks man I appreciate the insight. Ive only kept more "hardy" sps and didn't really have any issues but I want consistency before I start spending real money

 

[Eric23]

I was using red sea coral Pro for a years but when I started with sps I kept getting burnt tips which would eventually get algae and eventually take over the entire frag. The high alk just didn't work for me. Also if you look at the trace element levels in rscp they're low because it's meant to be used with the red sea trace element dosing line.. The tropic marin pro works for me not only because the ALK is lower but also because the trace elements are all in line. Fyi red sea blue bucket has higher trace elements then red sea coral Pro with a little lower alk but still to high if your trying to stay in the 7-8 dkh range

 

[Jeremy Luke]

I'm not the resident expert but I think there is a direct correlation between light intensity, nutrient level and Alkalinity level. I Have a lot of light in my tank. If you keep you PO4 lower than .04ppm and you have a lot of light, you need to keep you Alk below 8. I keep my PO4 around .08ppm and my Alk can go as high as 9.5dkh before I start having issues (burnt tips). Of course every tank is unique, these are based on observations I've had running my current tank which has a lot more PAR in it than my previous tank did.

 

[Eric23]

This is only my experience but the picture of the dying frag is from my system using RSCP running with a dkh of 9.5-10 with nitrate at 10 ppm, phos at .06 and fairly high par and was typical of what would happen to any sps frags over a month. The picture with the healthy frags is my system using tropic marin pro running a dkh of 7.5-8 with nitrate at 10 ppm, phos at .06 and a little lower par.. The only change was lower alk and a little less light and the results were amazing. Every tank is different and people find a groove that works for them in their system but ultimately I think lower dkh with lower nitrates and phosphate seems to be a winning combo that most have success with

 

[Eric23]

Full disclosure I've killed loads of sps frags and im still trying to dial in my system so I'm no expert

 

[Jeremy Luke]

Full disclosure I've killed loads of sps frags and im still trying to dial in my system so I'm no expert

You and everyone else.

 

[BoomCorals]

this is what I was contemplating going to but ive heard mixed things about the numbers being consistently off

There was an issue a while back but since then has been solid.

And the answer to the question has to do with whether you use water change as part of your way to replenish Alk/CA or not.

 

[Anirban]

I earlier used Tropic marin Pro and I just loved it. Then I started using Aquaforest reef salt and I loved it too. Tropic marin is bit costly so I shifted. They both comes in the 7-8.5 Alk range and works great. But it all depends on personal choices.