Differences between salt-mixes are the salts used. technical grade, natural sources, the way the salt buffers the water. About parameters after being mixed with RODI water, commercial salt-mixes all result in good seawater, close to natural parameters. Some contain so called "probiotics" etc.., . A comparing test.
What if no RODI water is used? Do we need expensive RODI water to set up a new tank?
A clean new glass tank is filled with fresh made seawater and cycled. Nothing else is added. Pumps are turning and enough light is available to complete the first step, bringing in carbon, fixing CO2. The tank walls and bottom turns brown, diatoms and other micro algae are consuming the nutrients and building materials available. The growth of bacteria is limited. Algae growth and carbon input will be limited by the availability of one or more nutrients ore and essential building materials, the energy source is unlimited if enough light.
What difference will the favored salt-mix make on this process?
After a period of patience, the brownish will disappear , sometimes slowly, sometimes fast, grazed and reminerelized by bacteria. Most of the carbon is cycled, released as CO2, the first carbon cycle is completed. From now on algae growth will have to compete with bacterial growth.
What difference will the favored salt-mix make on these processes?
The water used to make the favored salt-mix , what difference will it make?
Managing a closed system, what is used from the water column will not constantly be replaced.
How the favored salt-mix will support cycling the tank? And what will be left over of the favored parameters in the chosen mixture after completing the first carbon-cycle?
Till now only natural carbon is introduced, nothing else is added, only what is and was available in the water is used. Usable nitrogen is limited available, diatoms are favored for fixing carbon as they are the only photo-autotrophs having an ureum cycle. They may get competition for the limited available nutrients by nitrogen fixing cyano, very effective in fixing phosphorus. What happens in the first cycle and what is favored is meanly driven by the limited availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in fresh made seawater.
Nothing is added, the tank is yet not cycled. And certainly not conditioned.
Some may now add so called " life rock", not a small piece but fill up 1/3 of the tank. What about the ideal parameters of the preferred salt-mix?
My opinion, a salt-mix used for starting up a new tank should support cycling the tank in a way it may support essential primary growth.
Salt-mixes for to be used in an established tank, for water changes, should they be different? The conditions and needs are completely different.
What if no RODI water is used? Do we need expensive RODI water to set up a new tank?
A clean new glass tank is filled with fresh made seawater and cycled. Nothing else is added. Pumps are turning and enough light is available to complete the first step, bringing in carbon, fixing CO2. The tank walls and bottom turns brown, diatoms and other micro algae are consuming the nutrients and building materials available. The growth of bacteria is limited. Algae growth and carbon input will be limited by the availability of one or more nutrients ore and essential building materials, the energy source is unlimited if enough light.
What difference will the favored salt-mix make on this process?
After a period of patience, the brownish will disappear , sometimes slowly, sometimes fast, grazed and reminerelized by bacteria. Most of the carbon is cycled, released as CO2, the first carbon cycle is completed. From now on algae growth will have to compete with bacterial growth.
What difference will the favored salt-mix make on these processes?
The water used to make the favored salt-mix , what difference will it make?
Managing a closed system, what is used from the water column will not constantly be replaced.
How the favored salt-mix will support cycling the tank? And what will be left over of the favored parameters in the chosen mixture after completing the first carbon-cycle?
Till now only natural carbon is introduced, nothing else is added, only what is and was available in the water is used. Usable nitrogen is limited available, diatoms are favored for fixing carbon as they are the only photo-autotrophs having an ureum cycle. They may get competition for the limited available nutrients by nitrogen fixing cyano, very effective in fixing phosphorus. What happens in the first cycle and what is favored is meanly driven by the limited availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in fresh made seawater.
Nothing is added, the tank is yet not cycled. And certainly not conditioned.
Some may now add so called " life rock", not a small piece but fill up 1/3 of the tank. What about the ideal parameters of the preferred salt-mix?
My opinion, a salt-mix used for starting up a new tank should support cycling the tank in a way it may support essential primary growth.
Salt-mixes for to be used in an established tank, for water changes, should they be different? The conditions and needs are completely different.
Last edited: