Switching salt brands

[Mitsie]

Hello,

I have a question about changing my current salt brand to Aquaforest, for example. My LFS (Local Fish Store) is telling me that Tropic Marin salt is better than the Aquaforest one. I'm a bit stubborn and want to see for myself. What's the best way to handle this? Like doing small water changes every week with the new salt, or doing a 50% change all at once? I don't have any experience with this, so I'd like to hear the options. Also, what's your opinion on Aquaforest?

Kind Regards,

Mitch

 

[rtparty]

What problem are you trying to solve? Is there something wrong with the AF salt that makes you want to switch?

Or is your LFS just looking to sell something? Or do they have better margins on TM salt?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for trying new salts and testing different things. Hence, the Ultimate Salt Test you can find in my signature. I really like TM salt but I also like AF salt. I don’t think either will provide different results in the tank

 

[Mitsie]

What problem are you trying to solve? Is there something wrong with the AF salt that makes you want to switch?

Or is your LFS just looking to sell something? Or do they have better margins on TM salt?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for trying new salts and testing different things. Hence, the Ultimate Salt Test you can find in my signature. I really like TM salt but I also like AF salt. I don’t think either will provide different results in the tank

"I'm not trying to solve something. I want to try something different, especially since someone told me it's not going to be better. It's good to hear you've tried both or are using both.

 

[BryanM]

"I'm not trying to solve something. I want to try something different, especially since someone told me it's not going to be better. It's good to hear you've tried both or are using both.

If you're not having issues today with your current salt I wouldn't switch.

 

[SPS2020]

If you're not having issues today with your current salt I wouldn't switch.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[SPS2020]

Many folks (including me) jumped off of the Tropic Marin train during the "Turkish Blend" issue. I changed to NYOS and have been happy with it. I use other AquaForest products, but never tried their salt. I'd think it would be just fine and if you have no issues there's no reason to change and potentially rock the boat. Seemingly innocuous, but I don't like taking chances with my Acros.

 

[Harpo]

I'm in the process of switching from Reef Crystals to Aqua Craft

 

[Pistondog]

Have used tm salt, switched to af years ago due to price. No 2nd thoughts.

 

[Aquarist76]

I've tried many types of salt brands over the years and have never found one to be better than the other. The key is consistency. I finally settled on Reef Crystals because it's the cheapest (which isn't saying much these days with the crazy increase in salt prices over the last several years). Works in FOWLR and reef tanks just fine. I also do daily AWC of about 1-2%.

If you are going to switch, do it slowly.

 

[Quietman]

If your tank is well established and long running and very stable. Switch it out with very small water changes over weeks/months. Stable tanks hate change. If it's only been a few months and everything still maturing you can get away with being a bit more aggressive. If you notice anything bad, stop. Wait. And start again.

Not sure there's a need to switch salt from one excellent brand to another. When I started HW Marine was highly recommended so that's what I've used for over 5 years now. No plans on switching. The cost difference taken over time really isn't that much and as has been pointed out. Nothing is cheap anymore. If you don't like your salt or your just curious...go ahead and switch it out.

 

[underwaterwonders]

We mix about 500 gallons a week, and have done a lot of work on choosing the right mix. We like tropic a lot, but the parameters mix up a bit low and in our opinion need to be boosted. You will see 6-6.5dkh on the alk which is a touch low, and 1200ish on the mg, also a bit low. We prefer this to the sky high dkh of reef crystals which is usually around 10. Not great for someone water changing a nano tank and maintaining a dkh of 7.5.

Currently we are super happy with two little fishies salt “accurasea” it mixes at 8 dkh, 1350 mg, 420ca, and has decent fluoride levels which others tend to lack. Also, Julian is a good dude and we like to support him.

Overall though I think finding a salt that matches the parameters you like to keep will prevent you from shocking your tank if your ever needing to do large water changes.

 

[Kasrift]

Tropic Marin Pro and Aquaforest Hybrid pro salt mix to similar parameters. I swap back and forth between them regularly based on price. AF is always cheaper, but if Tropic Marin is on some sale and $20 off I'll grab that.

 

[Mitsie]

Thanks alot for the replies! i apriciate all the opinions and answers!

 

[Uncle99]

All the change is going to do is upset the system.
In Canada, Tropic Marin is $180, Red Sea $120, and Instant Ocean $80.
The best tanks I’ve ever seen used Instant Ocean.

Salt brand is meaningless. The reef keeper makes the difference.

Tropic Marin has learned well, and in a short time, how to take big $ out of your pocket with unproven claims.

Stick with what’s very available in your area and at a price, you can sustain.

 

[Kasrift]

All the change is going to do is upset the system.
In Canada, Tropic Marin is $180, Red Sea $120, and Instant Ocean $80.
The best tanks I’ve ever seen used Instant Ocean.

Salt brand is meaningless. The reef keeper makes the difference.

Tropic Marin has learned well, and in a short time, how to take big $ out of your pocket with unproven claims.

Stick with what’s very available in your area and at a price, you can sustain.

We can partially agree. Reefer does make the difference, however I use salt with blends for specific things.

For example, I use the base Aquaforest salt (FOWLR version) for phytoplankton cultures. It mixes with calcium at 350 and I want lower calcium since it causes phyto to not fall out of suspension as fast. I've found that Rhodomonas Salinas cultures settle really fast and was reading a research paper that said higher calcium causes the phyto to precipitate out of suspension quicker.

I also use salt like the Aquaforest hybrid pro for my quarantine tanks since I want the added bacteria to help with the nitrification process when I do water changes.

Lastly, I said I use the Tropic Marin Pro, but I typically buy the one with the bio-actif in it for carbon dosing. I use that at either a mixed blend with AF salt or once a month during water changes. As mentioned, their alk is the same as the AF and their calcium and magnesium levels.

 

[Uncle99]

If mix parameters are the same, not as much as an issue.

 

[Jimbo]

I’ve switched salts a few times without any issue. I changed over quickly too. Unless there’s a huge Alkalinity difference between the old and new I’m not sure why people are suggesting this takes months to do??

 

[rtparty]

Tropic Marin has learned well, and in a short time, how to take big $ out of your pocket with unproven claims.

What claims do they make?

 

[reely989]

"I'm not trying to solve something. I want to try something different, especially since someone told me it's not going to be better. It's good to hear you've tried both or are using both.

I don't think salt makes much difference. I swapped to Tropic Marin only because it doesn't seem to cake up my saltwater storage container nearly as much as Instant Ocean so I don't have to clean it out. I consider swapping back to instant ocean all the time for the cost savings.

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

Many folks (including me) jumped off of the Tropic Marin train during the "Turkish Blend" issue. I changed to NYOS and have been happy with it. I use other AquaForest products, but never tried their salt. I'd think it would be just fine and if you have no issues there's no reason to change and potentially rock the boat. Seemingly innocuous, but I don't like taking chances with my Acros.

Curious about the “Turkish blend” issue can you educate me lol