Hi I am new to reefing and just set up a nano 10 gallon. I sent my hubby to get rodi water and he came back with it presalted from lfs. I am sure they probably used regular salt. I picked up instant ocean regular salt, then I thought i read if I used reef salt that would mean I would have to dose later when I add corals. So I ordered that too, was going to return the regular. I have been reading about corals need dosing, (although I will start with softies and not for months) is it true I wouldnt have to dose with reef salt? I am not sure what to do now since he picked up presalted. I know I have to do lots of water changes before I add corals. Like weekly since I have a nano, no skimmer ect. Since it will be months b4 corals ,If I keep adding reef salt when I add water from water changes will I eventually be mostly reef salt and not have to dose. Big mistake buying presalted!
Instant ocean salt versus reef salt
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Salt is salt. Keep that in mind.
Many reef tanks use regular old IO. Many right here on R2R, including my own.
Dosing won't happen until you add corals, and usually several weeks to months after that. Regular IO mixes up to roughly Alkalinity 10DKH, Calcium 400, and Magnesium around 1300. These are fine for starting parameters in a reef tank(ALK is a slightly high).
The idea behind dosing is when you add corals they use up the big 3(ALK, CAL, MAG) as they grow. You change water removing nasty stuff that has accumulated, and refresh with fresh water. Tis will also increase the big 3. When your water changes can no longer keep up with your coral consumption, you start dosing.
Hope this clears some stuff up for you.
Many reef tanks use regular old IO. Many right here on R2R, including my own.
Dosing won't happen until you add corals, and usually several weeks to months after that. Regular IO mixes up to roughly Alkalinity 10DKH, Calcium 400, and Magnesium around 1300. These are fine for starting parameters in a reef tank(ALK is a slightly high).
The idea behind dosing is when you add corals they use up the big 3(ALK, CAL, MAG) as they grow. You change water removing nasty stuff that has accumulated, and refresh with fresh water. Tis will also increase the big 3. When your water changes can no longer keep up with your coral consumption, you start dosing.
Hope this clears some stuff up for you.
Have you checked the parameters of the premix? IO is perfectly fine to start with. Whether or not you have to dose will depend on how much your corals use up. That will depend on what corals you have. You will have to monitor parameters to see how much they use.
Yes, if you switch salts it's best to do it over a series of water changes. BTW, you don't need to do a bunch of water changes before adding coral. Also, plenty of people use premixed saltwater for nanos.
Edit: what the other guy said while I was slow typing lol
Yes, if you switch salts it's best to do it over a series of water changes. BTW, you don't need to do a bunch of water changes before adding coral. Also, plenty of people use premixed saltwater for nanos.
Edit: what the other guy said while I was slow typing lol
I change salt all the time. As I said salt is salt. You do not have to do several water changes to switch salt.
When did this become a thing? People switch salts all the time. Unless you buy something with organics in it(IORC, tropic marin, Red Sea coral pro, and a couple others), just mix it up and throw it in the tank. Stuff with organics in it, needs to be used right away as the organics tend to foul the water when stored. Only thing different in different salt mixes is what the parameters they mix up to, and whether they have organics in them or not. They all try to emulate the ocean, and whats in it's salt content, so they all are pretty much the same.
Having to do several small WC if your switching salts is actually quite laughable.
When did this become a thing? People switch salts all the time. Unless you buy something with organics in it(IORC, tropic marin, Red Sea coral pro, and a couple others), just mix it up and throw it in the tank. Stuff with organics in it, needs to be used right away as the organics tend to foul the water when stored. Only thing different in different salt mixes is what the parameters they mix up to, and whether they have organics in them or not. They all try to emulate the ocean, and whats in it's salt content, so they all are pretty much the same.
Having to do several small WC if your switching salts is actually quite laughable.
Last edited:
Make it simple.
Top off with RO.
Use whatever salt mix you prefer. IO is a great product.
Change 10% monthly or bi monthly.
Dosing is way way down the road.
Welcome
Top off with RO.
Use whatever salt mix you prefer. IO is a great product.
Change 10% monthly or bi monthly.
Dosing is way way down the road.
Welcome
45ZoaGarden
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+1. You can use any salt you’d like. You don’t have to worry about dosing yet. You probably never will have to worry about dosing. I use normal instant ocean and dose. My tank is full of stony corals and I rarely do wc’s. You probably would be fine with normal instant ocean salt. It’s just a personal preference imho
Hollywoodwater617
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I’m a newbie too with a 15 gallon simple HOB filter setup. The salt I cycled the tank with was instant ocean, then got a bucket of reef crystals for 22.00 happy dance. I added 2 corals (zoas and sinularia leather) within a week. I went salt crazy for a few days thinking I really went the cheaper route with reef crystals salt. Yes, I could have purchased “better salt” some will swear by, but Honestly I’m happy because it’s not about the salt at 1st, testing is everything to a reef tank! Understanding alk, cal, mag is key. Because I was able to get a bucket of salt for $22 I invested in a Hanna alk checker. Testing the Alk With easy twice a week in the tank, 10% water (with 2 gallon buckets) and testing my fresh salt mix. I understand what the coral are taking in thru out the week. After a few test I realized dosing isn’t down my road any time soon. Alk about 8.5-8.7 I’ll be getting the other Hanna checkers soon they are easier and fast. I’m tired of reading color charts and feeling like a scientist. Lol #happytanking
lilgrounchuck
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Unless coraline explodes. I totally underestimated how much that stuff consumes. Get an urchin to help alleviate that problem.Make it simple.
Top off with RO.
Use whatever salt mix you prefer. IO is a great product.
Change 10% monthly or bi monthly.
Dosing is way way down the road.
Welcome
45ZoaGarden
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You do realize that you don’t have to check those numbers with soft corals right? They don’t consume cal, alk, mg...
Radman73
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With a 10g nano you're prob better off just doing water changes vs dosing. When you get your first corals, get alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium test kits too. Test your tank 2-3 times a week and see how much those levels drop. I'd almost be willing to bet 1-2 1gal water changes per week would be sufficient vs having to manually dose tiny amounts or the cost of investing in a dosing system.
45ZoaGarden
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Yes it would be cost effective but it wouldn’t be as stable as dosing. And With a tank full of corals, wc’s don’t keep up.
Buy the salt that matches your budget. I dont use RC because the dkh is a little high for me personally. Salt choice wont be the reason for success vs failure.
I've used pretty much every brand of salt made over the years. Whatever is on sale, generally. Now that I can get IO/IORC delivered to my door (poor fedex guy - I order 6-8 cases at a time) that's pretty much what I use.
As for dosing - you probably won't have to worry about it for at least a year or two, perhaps never if you stick with soft corals and LPS. Water changes will be able to keep on top of it easily. I didn't have to dose until I started keeping SPS, and especially, clams. Even then it was several months before there was enough growth to worry about.
As for dosing - you probably won't have to worry about it for at least a year or two, perhaps never if you stick with soft corals and LPS. Water changes will be able to keep on top of it easily. I didn't have to dose until I started keeping SPS, and especially, clams. Even then it was several months before there was enough growth to worry about.
Radman73
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I started with a 29gal biocube. Never dosed, only water changes. I even grew and maintained primarily LPS and SPS. Stability was fine as long as water changes were done regularly. I did 3gal's per week on the BC29. So it can easily be stable enough. I ran the BC for 3 years before upgrading to a 60 cube.
Hollywoodwater617
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Im personal testing because I also want to understand for myself what’s everyone’s issues with IO and RC. So I want to see as I go what’s the changes and issues I’ll see as my tank mature.
The problem is they are too cheap, and you know, if it's cheap in this hobby, it usually means garbage.
I stand by my comment of "salt is salt". Some of the most gorgeous reef tanks I've ever seen run on IO, and thats good enough for me.
Shedd's Aquarium has used IO exclusively for as long as I can remember. Call me a crazy risk taker, but I'll continue with IO/IORC as long as they are at a good price point.
tehmadreefer
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IO is cheap therefore an inferior product, which will cause all your livestock to die... jus sayin
Hollywoodwater617
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Lol yea I see you gotta
lol yea that’s why Im stucking with it, I gotta see for myselfb I’ll see the issues everyone
lol. Yea that’s why I’m sticking with the bucket.. I gotta see for my myself bc I seeing people have that “cheap issue” and I’m not trying to get caught up in the hype. Finding what works for you and your tank is my new model to tanking.
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