salts

[jones02]

So I beenn using RC from day 1. Annd after doing a little bit of research tonnight there is a lot of reefers that dislike this stuff. A lot are saying they won't use salt mixs that add all this stuff inn it due to bad minerals and such. And after reading repeated TOTMs and darryls and so on are usinng just plain IO. I been thinking on switching over. What are all you guys n gals using annd what do you rather use?

 

[davesolo29]

I had always used just IO previously.  Just switched to RC recently.  I am only using it in a QT tank at the moment so i cant say how it will work as of yet.  Give me a few months and i will let you know.

 

[teebone110]

IO all the way, have always used it.

If it's good enough for Darryl's RC TOTM, it's good enough for me

 

[Darryl_V]

IO or RC or even another brand....lots work fine.

 

[spyd]

I've been using RC since day 1 and have not had any issues with it whatsoever.

 

[jroovers]

So I beenn using RC from day 1. Annd after doing a little bit of research tonnight there is a lot of reefers that dislike this stuff. A lot are saying they won't use salt mixs that add all this stuff inn it due to bad minerals and such. And after reading repeated TOTMs and darryls and so on are usinng just plain IO. I been thinking on switching over. What are all you guys n gals using annd what do you rather use?

I think you answered your own question - if it works for them, it works for me.  IO. 

 

[unibob]

Reef crystals at the moment.

 

[BIGSHOW]

I think you should buy your salt based on your needs. If you are dosing and you run a full blown acro tank then I suggest a salt that is already tests high for the BIG three (alk/calc/mag)

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

I w a IO user then went to RC when bill had the year end sale ..but i ran out of RC. Now im using salinity salt  ..no dosing needed

 

[Darryl_V]

I think you should buy your salt based on your needs. If you are dosing and you run a full blown acro tank then I suggest a salt that is already tests high for the BIG three (alk/calc/mag)

ha...i have the opposite view.  If your dosing already than its not a big deal to dose a bit more to make up for lower ca,alk or mg. But if your running a tank with only a small demand on the big three than a salt mix with elevated levels could let you get by with out dosing.

Biggest thing i think is to find something that works and stick to it....changing salt brands all the time is not a good idea IMO.  I will also add that IO is the most widely used salt... Even public aquariums use it so i feel a little safer that it has a long history with out bad batches that nuke tanks.

 

[chuckm]

Stay away from Kent, had better luck with reef crystals, tropic marins good too, but i have deep pockets and short arms and can get rc really cheap.

 

[BIGSHOW]

You have to work out the cost factor.  It does not work out in my favour to buy cheap salt and dose significantly.

I use B-ionic for dosing and it is not cheap (and NO, I won't switch from B-ionic)

 

[Darryl_V]

What ever works for you Dave...bionic is tried and true.  Besides...its not my wallet  8)

 

[Victoss]

I'v been using the Aqua Vitro Salinity salt which is $$$ and I was very pleased with my first bucket (although at the time I did not have good test kits for the 3) but the latest bucket I'v been using is just terrible. It creates a film on the mixing bucket/pumps and also a surface film (almost looks like dust on the water) in the tank. I guess it must be a bad batch but I'm not sure, my test for this one too have been 1600 magnesium :? and cal/akl have been slightly low. I haven't started dosing yet which may be part of the problem but I plan to start soon so I may just make the switch back to IO. (haven't tested newly mixed water so I might try that next WC to see if it is the salt)

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

I'v been using the Aqua Vitro Salinity salt which is $$$ and I was very pleased with my first bucket (although at the time I did not have good test kits for the 3) but the latest bucket I'v been using is just terrible. It creates a film on the mixing bucket/pumps and also a surface film (almost looks like dust on the water) in the tank. I guess it must be a bad batch but I'm not sure, my test for this one too have been 1600 magnesium :? and cal/akl have been slightly low. I haven't started dosing yet which may be part of the problem but I plan to start soon so I may just make the switch back to IO. (haven't tested newly mixed water so I might try that next WC to see if it is the salt)

i i am using the salinity  and my tank testes are wacko. So i been testing my new water batch and we also did all 3 testes at dukes  the new water batches test perfect

 

[copperkills]

Duke has 3 testes?? Lol

 

[jones02]

i do dose a little now so i was thinking why pay the extra on salt when i can get the cheaper stuff and dose a little more liek darryl said. i dose by hand tho since it isnt that much, when you guys mix up your water using just IO do you dose the new water before adding it to your tank in WC?

 

[Darryl_V]

i do dose a little now so i was thinking why pay the extra on salt when i can get the cheaper stuff and dose a little more liek darryl said. i dose by hand tho since it isnt that much, when you guys mix up your water using just IO do you dose the new water before adding it to your tank in WC?

I have done that in the past but not any more.  What I do is dose an amount (on dosing pumps) slightly under my maintenance amount on a daily basis than  I test my parameters once a month and bump up the values.  I know my tank pretty good though.  So in the end I make adjustments manually once a month.  Its stable enough this way.  I usually have to bump the alk 1dkh and the calcium 60ppm or so.  Seems like a lot of calcium but calcium doesnt have to as stable and IO is lower in calcium.