i want to change salt

FishMachine · #1 04/22/2006, 03:52 PM

I am cycling my 12 gallon cube and i have used coralife salt. I have heard bad reviews for this salt. How can i change salt without giving my tank a shock. I want either instant ocean, tropic marin pro reef, or reef crystals.

Thanks
FishMachine

aural · #2 04/22/2006, 05:28 PM

there isnt any shock involved. you can change to or mix different kinds of salt whenever you want. all you have to do is make sure you get your salinity levels matching and make sure its not too cold/warm to add to your system.

many people rotate or mix different salt because the different brands bring different trace elements to the party. experiment away.

FishMachine · #3 04/22/2006, 05:47 PM

what brand does everybody think?

jenlovesty · #4 04/22/2006, 05:53 PM

I use reef crystals and love it. It disolves very nicely.

aural · #5 04/22/2006, 05:55 PM

i've used instant ocean, coralife, and oceanic. never had issues with any of them

Jpharr · #6 04/22/2006, 07:07 PM

I personally love oceanic!

vanmo92 · #7 04/22/2006, 07:29 PM

i like instant ocean

beard · #8 04/23/2006, 12:14 AM

REEF CRYSTALS if you use reef crystals there is no need for additives the salt mix replaces them with your water changes. have been using it on my 10gal nano for about 7 years and never added any addatives. I have some new stuff in the tank 1 being a branching hammer that I got about 3 weeks ago and has went from 3 heads to 7 heads. 2. A pompom xenia I got a week ago and has split from 3 heads to 5 and a 6th that has completly split off the main coliony. Even my sps frags show new branches in just a few weeks. Reef crystals works great for me Thats my 2 cents.

FishMachine · #9 04/23/2006, 02:24 AM

thanks, does anybody have experiance with tropic marin pro reef because everyone says it is good but they dont get it because ofthe high price. Does instant ocean have enough trace elements for a reef?

FishMachine · #10 04/23/2006, 02:27 AM

Also, i am going to get a di unit from dfs so will the salt be enough to add all the required elements. I have never had a ro or di unit. I just use 5 gallon water jugs.

spsdude · #11 04/23/2006, 02:55 AM

I use Instant Ocean. Have been using it for over 15 years with great results.

Pillz · #12 04/23/2006, 09:35 AM

Go with IO, if a big place such as the GA aquarium uses it, then its got to be good. right?

FishMachine · #13 04/23/2006, 12:34 PM

but i thought that IO was not made for use in reef aquariums.

beard · #14 04/23/2006, 01:46 PM

Instant Ocean lacks the trace eliments and is not designed for reef tanks thats not to say it cant be used with good resaults if you dose the tank. Instant Ocean and reef crystals are made by the same company for to types of tanks fish only and reef tanks. With reef crystals if you do a 10% water change weekly dosing trace is not nessassary the salt mix takes care of it for you. As for tropic marin pro I have not used it myself but did look into it and everyone I talked to that used it told me they wernt impressed by it and switched back to REEF CRYSTALS. I dont recomend Instant Ocean for reef tanks expecialy for a nano reef! .................................................................................................... .Go with IO, if a big place such as the GA aquarium uses it, then its got to be good. right?....................................................
................................................................................................... No A big tank is much different then a nano reef not to say it cant be done but for a few dollars more reef crystals is a much better mix and it is made for reef tanks. If cheap is what you are looking for then IO will work but for a few bucks more you get the peice of mind that your mix is giving you a good mix of trace elements.

FishMachine · #15 04/23/2006, 03:17 PM

thanks, i think i will use reef crystals.