Salt mixes?

[mattowen]

What type of salt mix does everyone use and where do you get it from?


I have been using the Instant Ocean Reef Crystals since day one but am open to trying something better if it is advisable.

Do people do group buys of salt mix? If so is anyone planning one, or getting low and might be persuaded to start one?

Thanks

Matt

[cardiffgiant]

I was using the regular instant ocean for years. Just started using reef crystals. So far so good. I got 1 bucket for about $40-44 delivered from big als online.

I'd be up for a Buffalo group buy on salt mix any time someone wants to do one.

[mattowen]

Yeah its $42 ($31.99/bucket and $9.99 S&H) delivered from www.drsfostersmith.com but still wondering if thats the best deal and even if its the best mix

[otiso777]

I use Seachem reef salt. I've never had any problem with it and it mixes to good levels, pH = 8.1, Ca = 400 ppm, alk = 3 meq/L. I've read that some people have issues with this salt but I've never had a problem. I'm also interested in what everyone else uses, and why they use one particular brand over the others.

Also I would be interested in a group buy. Anything to save a little $$

[Lanceafer]

I use the Instant Ocean as well and have had good results. Like others have said I'm open to new ideas. If there is a group order I would be interested in getting in on it as well.

[KurtsReef]

The only salt I have used that seemed to give me a lack of stability was Red Sea's brand.

I use Reef Crystals mostly and buy it in bulk when its on sale online for around 31./bucket + free shipping or cheap shipping. Thats 1/2 or better than 1/2 of what you can buy it from local stores for.

[jfl14609]

reef crystals here I usually get it at MO

[mattowen]

KurtsReef, what constitutes "cheap shipping"? And from whom do you order it from? Thanks for the tip about Red Sea

[tmz]

I use Coral Life and have since I started. It is high in calcium and magnesium which works for me since I have a large number of corals to consume it. I but mine in 300g boxes at Salt Water Paradise.

[Gary Majchrzak]

FWIW I regularly use Reef Crystals, Instant Ocean and/or Oceanic.
I've tried many other brands.

[thriceanangel]

reef crystals -never had a problem (at least that I'd attribute to salt)

[KurtsReef]

Cheap shipping is either Free (Occasionally offered by DFostersmith and another online company I cannot think of at the moment) or standard rate no matter how much you order...which is Dr. Foster Smith's normal shipping rate. When you order 10 buckets divided between the 10 it works out to be pretty cheap.

[Gary Majchrzak]

the 160 gallon bucket of IO at Petsmart for $35.99 is a hard deal to beat. It's the everyday price online. You can save on shipping charges by picking up the salt at the store yourself but there's one catch: you need to print out the $35.99 online price and take it to the store with you.

I need to do an experiment to see how much kalkwasser it takes to mix up a bucket of IO to the levels found in RC. (Probably less than a dollars worth of calcium hydroxide!)

[mattowen]

Great!! thanks for all the responses and I think I'm gonna try the petsmart w/ coupon deal. So you just buy non-reef crystals and then add lime?? I have a ton of Mrs Wages that I got from wally world on clearance. So if you figure out how much of that to add to say a five gallon bucket of saltwater and get back to us it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
matt

[Gary Majchrzak]

Matt: It's not that cut and dry simple. I would mix up the new saltwater and test it. Every batch of salt can vary and it usually does (within tolerances allowed by the salt manufacturer). Drip limewater as makeup water into the aquarium itself- don't add it to the freshly made up seawater.
Remember- limewater raises pH, alk and Calcium.
It's better to tewak freshly made up seawater with other things.
Since every reef aquarium with growing corals needs a calcium/alkalinity dosing scheme you should be testing the aquarium water itself and using something to replenish calcium and alkalinity.

[doryarlin955]

the 160 gallon bucket of IO at Petsmart for $35.99 is a hard deal to beat. It's the everyday price online. You can save on shipping charges by picking up the salt at the store yourself but there's one catch: you need to print out the $35.99 online price and take it to the store with you.

Thats how I get my IO, all I do is print out the page from their website and they'll honor the price in the store

[mattowen]

Gary, how silly of me to think anything in this hobby is cut and dry or simple. I am new to dripping limewater and have been putting 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs Wages in a gallon of rodi water in a jug over my sump with some air line stuck through the side about an inch from the bottom. It drips in pretty close to the evaporation rate. I do not have a Ca or Alk test (shame on me and I'll go buy one today) so I have been going lighter on the lime in hopes of not overdoing it and just testing pH (I need to get a meter) Is this a good, bad or indifferent plan??

The "other things" you tweak with your freshly made up saltwater are what?

What do you recommend for Ca and Alk testing?

Thanks for any help/clarification you can provide

Matt

[Gary Majchrzak]

I would recommend getting alkalinity and calcium test kits- a Mg (magnesium) test kit would also be good to have. I use Salifert tests.

To tweak pH, Ca, alk etc. independently of each other kalkwasser is not a good choice because it won't work- it raises them evenly. To independently adjust those levels you need to use something else- like calcium chloride, baking soda or a two part like B-ionic (other choices are listed on the calculator site below). Magnesium should also be monitored and replenished. There's a number of Mg supplements available.
Save this online reef chemistry calculator to hone in on the target values for reef aquarium water parameters:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[jimmer]

petworld in greece has 200 gallon io salt for $42.00.alot of the time they have a 10% off special.no bucket tho it comes in a box with 4 bags.

[bjromaine]

Reef Crystals here, no problem and usually get it at LFS

[SkiFletch]

Plain old IO here. Figure I have to dose anyways, so the slightly lower calc/alk doesn't bother me

[acdraindrps]

I use Oceanic.

[Capt_Cully]

Reef Crystals

[mattowen]

Cool link there Gary, I will be using that I'm sure.

Thanks for the input everyone.