I'm currently using reef crystals and thinking about switching. What is the best way to switch out salt?
Switching out salt?
- Thread starter ZapataInc
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You should be fine to just start using the new salt with your next scheduled wc. What salt are you switching to? recently switched from Reef Crystals to HW Marinemix Reefer.
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Ya just change with your normal water change schedule. That has always worked for me
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That's what I use! That or Tropic Marin Reef Pro.
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I wouldn't be concerned about changing salts. I would be aware of what the content for the big three measured out. In switching salt you may find that your new salt contains less calcium or whichever. Meaning you should keep an eye on your params in case you need to dose or raise/lower dosages. I haven't used Reef Crystals in a while. They used to advertise their levels as this: a SG of 1.026/ 35 ppt for calcium = 455 and magnesium = 1345.
Yup, ditto. If you wanna switch, just do it in the next water change. And make sure that you mix the correct salinity, and keep a close eye on your Alk and other parameters for the first month or so. You may have to dial down/up your dosing for each compound.
I'm not entirely sure which one yet. Lol
I am using reef crystals. Is there a reason I should plan to switch my salt in the future?
I used RC for a year and a half and my tank did great. I switched to see if my lithium and sulfur levels would go down after having high levels of them in my ICP test. After a 120% water change over a month, my lithium levels went down to normal levels and sulfur went down about 130 mg/l. According to RHF, high levels of lithium and sulfur is not a big deal. I just switched to HW because it matches my parameters, it's completely synthetic, and it mixes clean and fast without leaving a brown residue like RC did.
What is HW?
Nvm, HW is exactly HW salt. Haha I just looked it up.
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I've been using Fritz blue box with great results. Well I was till I sold all my coral lol I'll still be using it in my FOWLR set up. I'm still a reefer at heart damnit!
I know some people have issues with Brightwell S a company but best salt we’ve used is Brightwell’s NeoMarine. Absolutely clean, zero residue and mixes and stays very stable in the 55 g drum
My $0.02.
Pick a salt that closely matches where you keep your big three parameters. Really doesn't matter which one. For me, I went with LA salt, which is basically Fritz Pro Blue box. It pretty much matches right up with where I like my big 3. At the time I switched from RC, I did use Seachem's Vibrant for a short time but couldn't stand the stuff, Fritz had some batch issues and I figured LA would hold them to a high standard. You could also get some swinging deals from DR's F & S at the time, but they're gone now and so are the deals. I wouldn't hesitate to go with Fritz Blue at this point. It'll come down to which one will offer the best price on a pallet. I've got 8.5 boxes of LA left but I'll go through them pretty quick once I get up and running.
FWIW, IO and RC have very high lithium and it's due to where they mine their salt from. I believe it's in Louisiana and there's just a lot of that element in that area for some reason. Most experts say it's nothing to worry about, I'd just rather err on the safe side. I will be using some of both to cycle the tank but will switch over immediately afterwards.
Pick a salt that closely matches where you keep your big three parameters. Really doesn't matter which one. For me, I went with LA salt, which is basically Fritz Pro Blue box. It pretty much matches right up with where I like my big 3. At the time I switched from RC, I did use Seachem's Vibrant for a short time but couldn't stand the stuff, Fritz had some batch issues and I figured LA would hold them to a high standard. You could also get some swinging deals from DR's F & S at the time, but they're gone now and so are the deals. I wouldn't hesitate to go with Fritz Blue at this point. It'll come down to which one will offer the best price on a pallet. I've got 8.5 boxes of LA left but I'll go through them pretty quick once I get up and running.
FWIW, IO and RC have very high lithium and it's due to where they mine their salt from. I believe it's in Louisiana and there's just a lot of that element in that area for some reason. Most experts say it's nothing to worry about, I'd just rather err on the safe side. I will be using some of both to cycle the tank but will switch over immediately afterwards.
My mixing station at the time was a pretty high flow in a 55 gallon Brute. It had a bulkhead directly on the bottom and the flow was enough that a vortex would form. For what ever reason that salt did not like that much current, I have no idea why. It would never mix clear, even the next day it would still be cloudy. RC would clear up in a couple hours and LA is clear in a half hour.
I learned real quick in my reefing endeavor to add the salt slowly, I actually almost put it in painfully slow. So I know that wasn't the cause with Vibrant. Even with RC it would take a year before I needed to clean the brute can and even then I didn't get a whole lot of the brown buildup others see. Several other members never had that problem with Vibrant, so I gave what I had left to one of them.
My new mixing station should have a similar flow level. I don't like salt settling on the bottom, it's just not good and can lead to precipitate, among other issues.
