Salt mixes.....???

[Captain Nemo]

Ok so I am using ReefCrystals and have been since I started the tank, I have since started to have a low ca and alk level. So I had the thought that my salt may need to be changed. I was thinking about the NeoMarine by Brightwell, any thoughts about this salt mix? Suggestions about any others? Thanks!

 

[DBarsotti]

I switched from Marine Enviroment to Trpoic Marin Pro and couldn't be happier... well i take that back, the price of TMP is stupid.

 

[Speg]

http://dualuseless.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/IMG_1287.jpg

I went with Kent a while back..no more issues with low calcium....also, keep in mind that a low salinity can lead to a low calcium reading...make sure that your salinity is in check and that your refractometer/hydrometer is cleaned & calibrated.

 

[nice_corals]

ive used h2ocean ive never had any problems they say its the best salt to use but i dont know

 

[thewackyreefer]

I've been using Brightwell exclusively on my 60g and love it.

 

[Captain Nemo]

Thanks guys! I keep the salinity at .026 in my tank measured with a refractometer. It seems its kind of a personal opnion sort of thing, right?

 

[phi delt reefer]

my two cents...

buy the cheapest mass produced salt you can find (ie reef crystals). buy it in the bucket and give it a good shake (rolling it down your basement stairs works well :D) then mix a batch. Do your water change, test the water and dose the missing calc/alk/mag. its way cheaper this way and you will have more stable water conditions. Regardless of the manufacturer, batches of salt vary from bucket to bucket even within the same batch.

you can buy c/a/m in bulk from brs for dirt cheap and it will last a long time vs really expensive salt that will probably have to still supplement somewhat.

 

[Speg]

Thanks guys! I keep the salinity at .026 in my tank measured with a refractometer. It seems its kind of a personal opnion sort of thing, right?

Make sure the refractometer is recalibrated once in a while....I had a low salinity once and it was because my calibration was off :)

 

[Captain Nemo]

I calibrate before every use, so I know my salinity is on spot. :bigsmile:

 

[beaslbob]

regardless of the salt you use you will have to dose calcium/carbonate/magnesium

 

[Captain Nemo]

See thats what I wanted to know, wether one mix had more than another, or if they were all the same and had to be dosed. Does one mix require less dosing than the others?

 

[Speg]

regardless of the salt you use you will have to dose calcium/carbonate/magnesium

Totally don't agree with this.

Go to that link I originally posted...that should compare some of the top brands for you.

 

[beaslbob]

See thats what I wanted to know, wether one mix had more than another, or if they were all the same and had to be dosed. Does one mix require less dosing than the others?

Probably.

In order to expain assume you have a tank the consumes say 1ppm calcium per day, the salt mix is 400ppm calcium and you do water changes which are 1% of the tank /day or multiples therefore. (10% every 10 days, 20% every 20 days etc etc) . What is the value of calcium after enough changes what bee conducted so that the value just before the water change is constant change to change?


Answer 300ppm calcium.

10% 300 before change 310 after 300 next change. 20% 300 320 300. 100% every 100 days 300 400 300.

So if the salt mix was say 350 you would just have to dose more calcium to keep it up to 400 then if the mix was at 400. But either way you have to dose.

the axtual formula is

% before water change=(change between water changes)/(fraction of water change) + new water amount

So the tank conditions build up to where the fraction of the water change removes that build up. With a 1/10 water change the tank builds up to 10 times the between changes. 1/5 5 times and so on.

my .02

 

[phi delt reefer]

Totally don't agree with this.

Go to that link I originally posted...that should compare some of the top brands for you.

where is the write up explaining that chart - higher/lower than what?

comparing top brands is not a good measure of salt content - they flucate from batch to batch (there is one brand that has an indepentent lab test each batch then posts the results online so you can see how your current tub is mixed)

you may not need to dose inially due to a higher concentration of x in y brand of salt, but your tank will eventually deplete that resource and x will need to be dosed to maintain parameters. Dosing basic elements such as calcium, mag, etc. is MUCH cheaper than buying a salt that is two to three times more expensive than reef crystals.

your other option is to do larger water changes more frequetly but you are going to go through salt like TP at a chili convention.

 

[Speg]

Ah sorry, this chart is a comparison chart to natural levels of minerals found in actual seawater. So higher means that the amount found in these salts are higher than those that are found naturally..and lower would be the opposite.

Here's the page/article.

Comparison Table of Primary Elements in Some Top Brand Name Sea Salt Mixes

 

[Guerry]

I use salinty It's banch specific, guaranteed analysis and asfar rolling around, shaking or other wise kind of tough I buy it by the barrel