Considering a salt switch

[acroholic]

tonymission;989863 wrote: Find it amazing that no one else uses the four part ESV mix. Full control over parameters and a 10 minute mix. Ready to go, no residue, no rolling buckets around to mix up components. Consistency in mix is amazing, you could do 100% water changes.

In the container of ESV you use, how much does the mix cost delivered to you, and how much water does it produce?

 

[ringo®]

Bcavalli;989848 wrote: I did want to mention that they use reef crystals at the Atlanta Aquarium in their entire system.

They use Instant Ocean.

 

[acroholic]

Bcavalli;989848 wrote: I did want to mention that they use reef crystals at the Atlanta Aquarium in their entire system.

Rit's place or the Georgia Aquarium? I don't know about Rit's place, but the Georgia Aquarium has always used Instant Ocean, unless things have changed there.

 

[ringo®]

Acroholic;989891 wrote: Rit's place or the Georgia Aquarium?

Whoops. Read that as GA Aquarium. I have no idea what Rit uses.

 

[acroholic]

Ringo®;989893 wrote: Whoops. Read that as GA Aquarium. I have no idea what Rit uses.

Common mistake.....Rit gets calls all the time from folks thinking he is the GA Aquarium.

 

[tonymission]

Acroholic;989889 wrote: In the container of ESV you use, how much does the mix cost delivered to you, and how much water does it produce?

I get two at a time so free shipping. Get about 193 gals with 1.026. Same price as TMPR without the +-3.0 ALK swings. My Params are literally identical every time. And I love just mixing and doing a WC... tweeking the formula has also allowed me to have it mix exactly where I want which no other mix can offer.

Adam with Battlecorals talked me into it and I'm so glad he did.

Edit -- I put about 20 frags from the frag tank in 100% new water (30g build) and they've never looked better. In fact I'm seeing some PE on pieces that didn't even have it under the halides.

 

[indecloudzua]

you've definitely piqued my interest in the ESV..used kent for a year good salt cept i could never keep my alk high enough..been using red sea coral pro and have been liking it so far..

 

[bcavalli]

Ringo®;989890 wrote: They use Instant Ocean.

Ringo. Yes, I was referring to the Georgia Aquarium. I was having an issue with a batch and emailed back and forth with tech support and they really wanted a sample to see if there was an issue with the production line. I found multiple issues with different boxes but the same lot number. She mentioned that they take their reef crystals very seriously as they use that salt mix at the Georgia Aquarium.

 

[acroholic]

tonymission;989896 wrote: I get two at a time so free shipping. Get about 193 gals with 1.026. Same price as TMPR without the +-3.0 ALK swings. My Params are literally identical every time. And I love just mixing and doing a WC... tweeking the formula has also allowed me to have it mix exactly where I want which no other mix can offer.

Adam with Battlecorals talked me into it and I'm so glad he did.

Edit -- I put about 20 frags from the frag tank in 100% new water (30g build) and they've never looked better. In fact I'm seeing some PE on pieces that didn't even have it under the halides.

I think it is important you like whatever salt you use, whichever brand it is. Sounds like you are a big ESV fan.

 

[marquiseo]

tonymission;989863 wrote: Find it amazing that no one else uses the four part ESV mix. Full control over parameters and a 10 minute mix. Ready to go, no residue, no rolling buckets around to mix up components. Consistency in mix is amazing, you could do 100% water changes.

I may just try it. I use RSCP now but I have to order it online or get it from bob's tropical fish in Augusta when I am there.

 

[tonymission]

indecloudzua;989904 wrote: you've definitely piqued my interest in the ESV..used kent for a year good salt cept i could never keep my alk high enough..been using red sea coral pro and have been liking it so far..

Do some google searches... No one that I can find has anything bad to say about it. Only comments I've seen from people who've stopped using it are related to the price and they got a huge tank or had to cut back or something. Never product related.

 

[tonymission]

Acroholic;989920 wrote: I think it is important you like whatever salt you use, whichever brand it is. Sounds like you are a big ESV fan.

Liking my brand just comes down to wanting to know exactly what my water is mixing at. I've invested too much for some CSR to tell me they had a bad batch or something like that. My only other experience was TMPR and sometimes Id have Alk at 5 and sometimes at 9... Just not acceptable.

 

[rk4435]

I mentioned a possible algae bloom because I think I read that somewhere regarding switchign salts, but it would have been two years and my brain is not at peak performance right now.

If I go with Reef Crystals would I need to add anything else to my dosing or testing regimen?

I currently test PO4, Nitrate, Mag, Calcium and Alk.

I have been dosing Alk for the last few weeks. I believe it got really low because I buffered Calcium when I didn't need to due to a bad test kit. Aside from that I have not been adding anything aside from trace elements for my corals because all parameters have been good except for high PO4 and Nitrates, unrelated to my salt.

 

[bcavalli]

It really depends on how often you do water changes and your tanks usage. I dose 70 ml of alk and calcium daily. I also dose 20 oz of magnesium monthly. I do weekly water changes which compensates for the slightly lower dosing.

 

[pkaugusta]

I just started using Kent (so can't comment on long-term usage) . its much cheaper . So far Amazon has good reviews on it. The 58 box comes in about 5 bags which is neat .

 

[indecloudzua]

I used Kent for over a year. Always had problems with alk

 

[mikesmith34]

There are so many products on the markets and a huge amount of differant husbandry practices. I think the important thing is to find a product that you have confidence in and use it. If it works for YOU then it works great and that's all that really matters.

 

[rk4435]

I went with Reef Crystals, we'll see how it goes. I'm wondering if my last bucket of Tropic Marin Pro was off somehow because my parameters got way out of whack.