Salt Question

[mikesmith34]

This may seem like a silly question but I have always used Red Sea Pro. Its just to much of a pia to get it. The local stores only stock IO salt. Is their anything I should know when switching salts like that or just roll with it

 

[acroholic]

I have used IO for the last few years. Randy Holmes Farley, the father of modern reef chemistry and author of a gillion articles on reef chemistry (accolades out of the way), uses IO.

Main thing with salt is what are the KH, Calcium and Mangesium levels?

My personal opinion to follow:

I think sea salt is more of a commodity than something necessarily "better" from one brand to another. The differences seem to be varying levels or bicarbonates, calcium and magnesium. The only time that I might think it a good idea to buy an expensive brand, say for example, one that has "verified" or "tested" levels of ingredients is when you are using it as the sole means of chemical control in your tanks, meaning you do not dose or use a calcium reactor etc, perhaps in a nano reef or something very small.

It is just too easy to inexpensively adjust calcium, KH, and magnesium independently of the salt mix to justify paying $90 for a 150 gallon bucket of Deltec sea salt vs buying a 200 gallon box of Instant Ocean for $39 and adjusting it for $1 in raw chemicals and a few minutes of your time.

I cannot think of any other reason why I would buy an expensive brand of salt over good old Instant Ocean.

I would use up your Red Sea then just start with the Instant Ocean.

 

[mikesmith34]

Bassett22;959866 wrote: Don't mix them, if you only have enough Red Sea left to mix a few gallons, don't mix half Red Sea and half IO.

I'm not mixing them. I was talking about switching brands. Thanks tho

 

[mikesmith34]

Acroholic;959869 wrote: I have used IO for the last few years. Randy Holmes Farley, the father of modern reef chemistry and author of a gillion articles on reef chemistry (accolades out of the way), uses IO.

Main thing with salt is what are the KH, Calcium and Mangesium levels?

My personal opinion to follow:

I think sea salt is more of a commodity than something necessarily "better" from one brand to another. The differences seem to be varying levels or bicarbonates, calcium and magnesium. The only time that I might think it a good idea to buy an expensive brand, say for example, one that has "verified" or "tested" levels of ingredients is when you are using it as the sole means of chemical control in your tanks, meaning you do not dose or use a calcium reactor etc, perhaps in a nano reef or something very small.

It is just too easy to inexpensively adjust calcium, KH, and magnesium independently of the salt mix to justify paying $90 for a 150 gallon bucket of Deltec sea salt vs buying a 200 gallon box of Instant Ocean for $39 and adjusting it for $1 in raw chemicals and a few minutes of your time.

I cannot think of any other reason why I would buy an expensive brand of salt over good old Instant Ocean.

I would use up your Red Sea then just start with the Instant Ocean.

So I should anticipate needing to adjust those levels. I also may need to make adjustments as I go to my doser yes?

 

[acroholic]

Mikesmith34;959879 wrote: So I should anticipate needing to adjust those levels. I also may need to make adjustments as I go to my doser yes?

Well, you could do it one of two ways. You could adjust the new saltwater to your desired or current tank parameters before you do a water change. Or

You could just adjust your tank KH, Ca and Mag levels once a week a day or two after your water change, basically keeping your dosing regimen the same, as long as you are dialed in on your tank's daily calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate consumption. I would probably do this if I dosed.

I do a daily 1% automatic water change (4.6 gallons) with a dual head peristaltic dosing pump. I use a calcium reactor, and I use Kalk, and my system is dialed in so I usually only adjust my calcium and magnesium levels once a month, and then they are not off by very much.

Adjusting your tank levels once a week is just a suggestion. Depending on the mag, calcium and KH levels of the incoming new water, you might be able to extend this interval. It just depends on how dialed in your dosing is, how often you test, and how often you do water changes. I generally test once monthly now, but when I was in the first couple years of the hobby, I tested weekly and always recorded my levels.

 

[mikesmith34]

Got cha. Thanks guys. Right now I test 1-2 times a week. I've had the doser online for a couple of months now. Funny thing is automation seems to worry the crap out of me. Also seem to have a problem with air backing up into the dosing tubes. I'm not 100%'convinced that I'm getting the exact amount every time. My water change is done every 2-3 weeks. 15 gallon changes on 90 gallon tank.

 

[snowmansnow]

i don't think there would due a problem with swapping salt. I've done it several times. As long as it isn't a major (80%) water change or anything I think you'd be fine.

B

 

[mikesmith34]

SnowManSnow;960017 wrote: i don't think there would due a problem with swapping salt. I've done it several times. As long as it isn't a major (80%) water change or anything I think you'd be fine.

B

Thanx man. Glad to see ya staying in game (for now). You have always had exceptional corals:up: