Has anyone ever blended two dry salt mixes to make a combo batch of dry mix?

[ZoWhat]

Has anyone ever blended two dry salt mixes to make a combo batch of dry mix?

Meaning....

Take a bucket of expensive Tropic Marin Pro and a bucket of more economical salt.... then mix the two dry mixes together 1:1 into a single dry mix?


.

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

I don't think that would work I've heard your not supposed to mix salts

 

[Gtinnel]

I don't think that would work I've heard your not supposed to mix salts

I had never heard that. Any idea of the reason why?

 

[windemerejack]

Mix some up, make some saltwater with it, test it, if you like the results then happy days for you.

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

I had never heard that. Any idea of the reason why?

I think its because different salts have different levels of stuff and it could not work well together

 

[windemerejack]

I don't think that would work I've heard your not supposed to mix salts

I have mixed salt in the past with no issues when i changed from brightwell to tmpr as my lfs stopped stocking brightwell.

 

[3sgterror]

many people mix Instant ocean and Reef crystals together to balance out some of the higher levels in reef crystals. I have also heard the same with red sea blue and black buckets.

It all depends on the target numbers you are shooting for.

 

[coralfishreef]

What are you trying to do by mixing the 2 different salts? Is it to save money?

 

[LegendaryCG]

Yea I call it red sea purple salt. 1/2 black 1/2 blue buckets. Ends up with about a 9.5 alk

 

[Gtinnel]

I think its because different salts have different levels of stuff and it could not work well together

I would've thought it would just average out the levels of elements based on the ratio of how much of each brand is used, but idk that was just an assumption on my part.

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

I would've thought it would just average out the levels of elements based on the ratio of how much of each brand is used, but idk that was just an assumption on my part.

I just remembered you are not supposed to mix natural salt with artificial salt

 

[mattdg]

Sure, salt will mix with any salt, far as my experience is concerned. It is best to add it to your tank via AWC, as to not throw off your current parameters with one large WC.

 

[Anirban]

I did but not exactly dry mix. I used to and still like to run my tank with tropic marin pro and aquaforest pro salt together. I generally mix them in 3:1 ratio. The Af salt has some amino and probiotic bacteria which helps in maintaining the nutrient balance.

 

[bigdrew]

Didn’t want to waste some Instant Ocean my brother gave me. When I do a 5 gallon water change, about 1/5th of the water change salt is Instant Ocean. The other 4/5ths is Red Sea Coral Pro. No ill affects that I have noticed, aside from mixing up to a slightly lower alk level.

 

[Greybeard]

I suppose... when I switched from one salt type to another, there would be one barrel where I used the last of one salt and the first of a new salt. Getting ready to do it again... quitting on the TM Classic and returning to good old IO.

If you include different production lots in your definition of 'different' salt mixes, then I suppose I do it pretty regularly.

Never seen it cause a problem.

 

[Nano sapiens]

My current mix has three: Tropic Marin Classic, Red Sea Blue Bucket and IO. I typically buy TMC and RS BB and mix 50/50, but found some old (but still good) IO so added some of that in, too. IME, as long as the mix mixes up to the parameters you want, it's all good.

BTW - The most I've ever blended together was four different salt brands

 

[Fezbearer]

When my last bucket to TMP got low, I started doing a 50/50 mix of TSM and ESV B-Ionic.

 

[ZoWhat]

What are you trying to do by mixing the 2 different salts? Is it to save money?

Its taking the pharmaceutical grade elements of Tropic Marin and the economical properties of a salt thst costs half the price and mix together to HOPEFULLY strike a balance

My thinking is take a great salt and mix it with a good salt and render smthg that lies btwn good and great at a decent price

 

[ApoIsland]

Has anyone ever blended two dry salt mixes to make a combo batch of dry mix?

Meaning....

Take a bucket of expensive Tropic Marin Pro and a bucket of more economical salt.... then mix the two dry mixes together 1:1 into a single dry mix?


.

I use 3 different salts every time I do a water change. I figure if there is a bad batch somewhere along the lines the effects will be minimized. Also they all contain different chemicals/elements so why not add it all?

Usually change either 45 or 60 gallons and the ratio as follows:

45 gal change = 1 part I/O regular, 1 part I/O reef crystals, 1 part Coralife

60 gal change = 2 parts I/O regular, 1 part I/O reef crystals, 1 part Coralife

I chose these three because they are the cheapest I can find.

 

[kingjoe]

I'm alternating TM Pro and IO for my water changes, with my fish and coral quarantine tanks getting a heavier dose of IO. I'm doing this primarily because my system is relatively new and because I'm doing frequent water changes in my fish QT due to medication regimens. The greater percentage of salt in my display tank is TM. In the future I'm planning to use TM Pro exclusively, though availability issues may demand that I change salts altogether.