I'm going to switch to Tropic Marin Syn-Biotic salt shortly. WC/integration will start next week, since there isn't a great deal of info on this salt, I've decided I'm going to document any changes and experiences I have with it long term. The tank will be my work nano tank (12 gallons).
Reasons for switch -
1. currently using Coral Pro and having issues maintaining stable ALK. Losing .3 - .5 ALK a day, without much impact on Ca and Mg. Coral Pro is very high in ALK and knowing the "see saw" type relationship between ca vs. ALK, my assumption is the super high Ca is fighting the ALK number? WHO KNOWS. My goal is an ALK of 8-9....current ALK as of today is 9.1 and I usually dose to keep it above 8. Using Alkalin8.3 - P by Brightwell as primary dosing method. 1tsp per day-ish.
2. I don't store water here. I mix it, I use it. I run it through my lil' 50 GPD ROBUDDY unit and then mix it up and dump it in. Run the tap water through the RO around 80 degrees and blammo.
3. This is a "new-ish" tank established with existing live rock (about 20-30% from a prior nano) - I plan on adding more livestock in the future
4. It gives me the opportunity to be snobby about using Tropic Marin salt. LOOK AT ME, I MUST BE GOOD AT THIS....I USE TROPIC MARIN.
5. Phosphates - my phosphates climb. Sales pitch on the bucket says it'll help "establish" lower "nutrients" in the tank. I'm not a huge fan of dosing, so if the salt can do my dosing for me....GREAT. My understand is this has REEF ACTIF in it, with some other STUFFS.
Here's my parameters as of yesterday (Take all test results with a grain of salt, as we all know....everything is a lie)
SALINITY - 1.025
PH - 8-ish (I say this because I have a dirt cheap PH stick that I just check and see for swings...it usually reads around 8.1)
ALK - 9.1
Ca: 430
Mg: 1270
Phosphates - .6 ppm
Nitrates? No where to be found. Always seems weird to me, but I use a Red Sea test kit and it's consistently shown .2 ammonia EVERY TIME I use it....so who knows. I have a Hanna nitrates checker, but ahhhhh "NO" not using that. SO WE WING IT.
I've tried to use Phosphate removers, liquid and granular, but on this small tank I have no media reactor and liquid dosing seems to really tick off my softies.
Tank is about 2 months old
My coral is growing, good encrusting from my war coral, porites, psammacora....all are starting to "wrap" the plugs. Montipora digitata is showing a "growth bump"....Zoas sprouted another head....so that seems "good"
Livestock - pistol shrimp/yellow watchman goby, 2 emerald crabs (including an absolute UNIT crab), 3 turbo snails, 2 nassarius snails and some hermits.
FLOW - I use a IM wavelink usually tinker around with settings just to spice things up.
I generally feed mysis shrimp to the goby - I'm obviously overfeeding. I'll use pellet food too.
"CHANGE A SALT WHAT NOW?"
THE UNIT - gotta be 1.5" across the carapace. He doubled in size last molt....somehow.
Anyways, Hopefully I can provide some insight into this new salt and it'll improve my tank (reduce need for "tinkering")
Thanks.
Ryan.
Reasons for switch -
1. currently using Coral Pro and having issues maintaining stable ALK. Losing .3 - .5 ALK a day, without much impact on Ca and Mg. Coral Pro is very high in ALK and knowing the "see saw" type relationship between ca vs. ALK, my assumption is the super high Ca is fighting the ALK number? WHO KNOWS. My goal is an ALK of 8-9....current ALK as of today is 9.1 and I usually dose to keep it above 8. Using Alkalin8.3 - P by Brightwell as primary dosing method. 1tsp per day-ish.
2. I don't store water here. I mix it, I use it. I run it through my lil' 50 GPD ROBUDDY unit and then mix it up and dump it in. Run the tap water through the RO around 80 degrees and blammo.
3. This is a "new-ish" tank established with existing live rock (about 20-30% from a prior nano) - I plan on adding more livestock in the future
4. It gives me the opportunity to be snobby about using Tropic Marin salt. LOOK AT ME, I MUST BE GOOD AT THIS....I USE TROPIC MARIN.
5. Phosphates - my phosphates climb. Sales pitch on the bucket says it'll help "establish" lower "nutrients" in the tank. I'm not a huge fan of dosing, so if the salt can do my dosing for me....GREAT. My understand is this has REEF ACTIF in it, with some other STUFFS.
Here's my parameters as of yesterday (Take all test results with a grain of salt, as we all know....everything is a lie)
SALINITY - 1.025
PH - 8-ish (I say this because I have a dirt cheap PH stick that I just check and see for swings...it usually reads around 8.1)
ALK - 9.1
Ca: 430
Mg: 1270
Phosphates - .6 ppm
Nitrates? No where to be found. Always seems weird to me, but I use a Red Sea test kit and it's consistently shown .2 ammonia EVERY TIME I use it....so who knows. I have a Hanna nitrates checker, but ahhhhh "NO" not using that. SO WE WING IT.
I've tried to use Phosphate removers, liquid and granular, but on this small tank I have no media reactor and liquid dosing seems to really tick off my softies.
Tank is about 2 months old
My coral is growing, good encrusting from my war coral, porites, psammacora....all are starting to "wrap" the plugs. Montipora digitata is showing a "growth bump"....Zoas sprouted another head....so that seems "good"
Livestock - pistol shrimp/yellow watchman goby, 2 emerald crabs (including an absolute UNIT crab), 3 turbo snails, 2 nassarius snails and some hermits.
FLOW - I use a IM wavelink usually tinker around with settings just to spice things up.
I generally feed mysis shrimp to the goby - I'm obviously overfeeding. I'll use pellet food too.
"CHANGE A SALT WHAT NOW?"
THE UNIT - gotta be 1.5" across the carapace. He doubled in size last molt....somehow.
Anyways, Hopefully I can provide some insight into this new salt and it'll improve my tank (reduce need for "tinkering")
Thanks.
Ryan.