Salt mix opinion please

[cardgenius]

Azurel, is the Red Sea your using the Coral Pro?

 

[impur]

I used Oceanic after I got a hold of a bad bag of Reef Crystals and got that same algae issues, this was shortly after it came out though. I know for a fact that it was the salt as I went back to using Reef Crystals and it went away and I never had the algae issues again. I can't say if I switched back that it would happen but I know I didn't have that slimy algae issue when I switched from the Reef Crystals, in fact I didn't have any algae before I switched only after......They might have gotten better about their quality control, I know a buddy of mine like Oceanic and never had any issues like I did.

But you can't prove it was the salt. It could be a myriad of things. Without proper testing there is no way to come to that conclusion.

Borneman's salt study never once had those algae issues with Oceanic. But IO had cyano for the entire duration of the study, the entire time. Now should everyone who has cyano and using IO go and blame the salt? Do you see threads on RC at all blaming IO? No, but Borneman just proved that IO has issues with cyano, he proved it with a scientific study. I still don't think that will deter IO users, its the most popular salt on the market.

I'm not saying one salt is better than another. I'm of the opinion that with good LR and proper husbandry any salt can lead to a successful reef.

 

[Azurel]

Sure there is, the only change was the salt. No change in the maintenance that I have done exactly the same for almost 20 years. I have only had cyno once in that time only had diatoms once in that same time period. The lighting was exactly the same water change schedule was exactly the same nothing changed but the salt. Now was it the combination of mixing the salts could be. But the fact that it went away after changing back to the original salt and hasn't showed up since tells me that it was something in the salt that caused it. You have your opinion and that is fine, use Oceanic I know people that do and love it, but when I tried it I had the brown slimy algae outbreak. Wither it was a myriad of thing is not the point the point is as soon as I began to use it, it happened. Believe what you want it still happened and went away once a switched back. Now if I set the tank up with Oceanic might it have happened I can't say the tank was up for 5 years previous to changing. I am under the assumption that it would not have happened as a lot of the people that I have talked to that set up their tanks with it it never showed up. I personally think it was the mixing of the salts that caused it and the reaction of Oceanic with other salt mixes. It was hit or miss afar as who it effected and who it didn't. I liked the fact that it has really high Ca. But one thing stand true is as soon as I switched away from it it never returned and has never been seen again even when I switched to Red Sea Pro.

In that study you can assume also that IO has a propencity to create the right conditions for cyno then you can blame the salt or some combonation of something in the salt.....It doesn't bother me either way I have never used IO for the majority of my reefing hobby.

I also never said one was better then the other what ever works for you use it. It didn't work for me so I don't.

 

[msman825]

thats what worrys me, is the mixing brands together. I'm affraid that it might have a impact of some sorts

 

[Azurel]

Well when I switched this time I did real small water changes 5 gallons at a time on my 40 gallon. Then I waited about 2 weeks inbetween.

 

[impur]

What kind of scared me out of the study was that Oceanic had the highest variation in Ca and pH. Sometimes it mixed up with 700+ Ca and 9.0+ pH!! I don't know how mine measures out, i haven't tested NSW recently. But i think even if it has those high readings it won't cause much trouble since we are only changing a small percentage of the water in the tank.

Maybe they fixed the problems they were having, i know its a relatively newer company (within the last few years).

Anway i'm glad things got turned around for you quickly. I wonder when someone will actually do a chemical analysis of some of these salts...

 

[Azurel]

I really liked the idea of the high Ca with clams and a few LPS, with Ca that high I didn't have to dose just do a water change........Hopefully it will happen and a better study then the S-15 report with a little more objectivity......I'm sure they have or they wouldn't be in business this long, we reefers are or can be a finicky bunch when our tanks are on the line.....

 

[msman825]

I'm getting there :) http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ..._-Salt_Mixes&ref=3969&subref=AA&N=2004+113009

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I used Oceanic on my 125 with no repercussions that I know of. Growth and color was great!

 

[Azurel]

Hope you get great growth out of it.....

 

[impur]

I'm getting there :) http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ..._-Salt_Mixes&ref=3969&subref=AA&N=2004+113009

Good call ;)

 

[msman825]

cheap as i found so fair. plus i needed 4 M/j's to mod for a freind

 

[[email protected]]

Tagging along....I am going to give th eRed Sea a shot. We were using IO, and switched to Oceanic....we went from diatoms with the IO to Cyano with the Oceanic. We just got rid of the Cyano (we are now running a phos reactor and used the ultralife remover). Now if I can just find the Pro, all I am finding is the regular Red Sea.

 

[[email protected]]

I found some red sea for $38, but they wanted over $30 to ship! Does anyone else get a better deal?

 

[msman825]

I would get a little cyno a while back, a spot on the sand about the size of a baseball in my 75 with 8-54w T5's i cut back to 5 hours on my photoperiod,and stopped using flake food and removed the spot sand and all. never had it again. knock on wood