Help choosing salt

[smitas5]

Hey,

Most of us who started our hobby, by visiting lfs, probably had a choice of 2-3 different salts from what was in stock at the time and probably stuck to it for some time.

I used H2Ocean for couple years, just because this was recommended to me by the store I shopped at. But after water change I always had to work around the doser just to get the chemistry to where I want to.

Now I'm on Reef Crystals ( just because I had a plan to go fish only, but that changed and I'm back to mixed reef), but couple more pails later I will have to make decision and find salt that hopefully after a water change will not dissrupt parameters and I can keep dosing as I was.

Now I read article 'salt, salt, salt' and did not see salt there, that could be simmilar to so called normal parameters... either Alk sky high or most of parameters on a very low side.

The idea is to find salt that would be at same level as the tank. Any ideas? thanks

My tank runs at:
salt: 1.026
Alk: 8-8.5
Ca: 420-440
Mg: 1380-1410
T: 80F

[kyl]

Aquaforest Reef Salt is probably going to consistantly give closest to what you're after.

http://aquaforest.eu/en/product/reef-salt/

Bonus is it mixes fast and is ready to use in ~20 minutes or so, and every container has a batch test result on it.

[smitas5]

how much difference between batches? How long are you using it?

according to their website LPS based tank should be running at 1.025 or 33ppt salinity, at which salt gives 7.3-7.7dKH? isn't it way too low?

[WarDog]

according to their website LPS based tank should be running at 1.025 or 33ppt salinity, at which salt gives 7.3-7.7dKH? isn't it way too low?

Nope.

Not trying to be rude, but it seems you are focusing on 'chasing the numbers'. Having a successful tank is more about consistency then having your readings spot on.

[smitas5]

yes so I'm trying to stay consistent.. And after water change parameters are knocked off track, so I'm trying to avoid that. What do you recommend? cause judging by your post (salt, salt, salt) you are a numbers guy too. What was the verdict?

[WarDog]

yes so I'm trying to stay consistent.. And after water change parameters are knocked off track, so I'm trying to avoid that. What do you recommend? cause judging by your post (salt, salt, salt) you are a numbers guy too. What was the verdict?

I was a numbers guy, but have come to learn that chasing 'perfect' numbers is not practical... besides, I have seen awesome tanks where the Alk has dropped from 8.0 to 5.5 at times.

The thread Salt, salt, salt (http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=116180) is simply a database for our community, and is merely a guideline to record various brands mixed parameters.

If you are having problems with inconsistency during water changes then I recommend you test your tank and freshly mixed water together. If my tanks Alk measures at 8.0 and my fresh mixed water tests at 7.7, then I do the math and add Alk to the fresh water to bring it up to 8.0. I do this with Alk, Cal and Mg before every w/c. I am also dosing BRS big 3 with a Libra.

...and for the record, I'm using AF Reef Salt, and I think its fantastic. However, that being said, IO is still the best bang for the buck.

[smitas5]

Thank you, I will try and pick different salt. And make it work

[Myka]

I think you're doing the right thing by picking a salt mix that closely matches the parameters you want to keep in your reef. That's the smart thing to do.

according to their website LPS based tank should be running at 1.025 or 33ppt salinity, at which salt gives 7.3-7.7dKH? isn't it way too low?

As far as I know, the only reason salt companies make their parameter claims at 33 ppt is because then they can claim their salt mix makes more gallons of saltwater. It seems so silly. There is no reason to keep your tank at lower salinity than the ocean which averages 35 ppt where most of the fish and corals are harvested for our tanks. Red Sea is higher.

Looking at my last bucket of AF Reef Salt, the Quality Certificate says the following:

Salinity: 35 ppt
Ca: 420 mg/L
KH: 7.7 dKH
Mg: 1350 mg/L
K: 390 mg/L

This is probably the closest salt mix for you. If you really want to, you could add some calcium and alkalinity to get closer to your tank water.

OR

What I used to do is use H2Ocean and add muriatic acid to drop the alkalinity. You could do this with whichever salt you want to use. It has to circulate for several hours after the addition of the MA for the pH to get back to normal though, so that's a PITA, unless you like to mix salt up the day before or week before the change. I used to add the MA to the RO/DI, and then add the salt mix, seemed to affect pH less for some reason. At first, pH will be something like 6.5 pH.

[smitas5]

Looking at my last bucket of AF Reef Salt, the Quality Certificate says the following:

Salinity: 35 ppt
Ca: 420 mg/L
KH: 7.7 dKH
Mg: 1350 mg/L
K: 390 mg/L

Would these parameters work for mixed reef? leathers, zoas, torches, couple sps?
I could just try and lower the parameters over the next 3 months before I introduce AF..

As for 33ppt, yes, thats what it looks like. they claim they make so much water with the bucket and turns out a chunk less.