LF: Cheap Instant Ocean Salt

[TimT]

Originally Posted by --lmao--

whats your guys take on instant ocean reef crystals compared to the regular instant ocean. is it alot better? i use regular IO and i manually dose. would reef crystals reduce my doseing?

If I remember correctly RC just has elevated levels of Ca and Alk. If you switch to RC your going to have to figure out a new dosing regime and your Alk and Ca will fluctuate. To my way of thinking it is better to keep doing what your doing as stability is best for reef aquariums.

Something else to consider is what Gregzz4 got from his last test.

Originally Posted by gregzz4

FWIW, my current bucket of IO is giving me 12.10, 470 and 1305, but only after a lot of rolling

I don't think switching is needed because his #'s are what I think I remember RC used to be.

Ideally you should be testing your parameters and then using an online calculator to figure out how much to add to get the proper levels.

[--lmao--]

Okay thank you for the quick reply

[AquaAddict]

I have been using H20 salt for a few years and my 20 gal garbage can also has a coating but it's not very thick. I never thought it was a problem. I use to rinse briefly with fresh water but I don't even bother doing that any more.

If this is some kind of organic sludge, what stays in the water mix and ends up in the aquarium?

I always have an algae problem and have to use Io nitrate reducer and also dose with Brightwell Reef Bio Fuel to keep it under control. Yes bio lode is low: 5 small fish, 1 medium in 100 gallons, 20 gal sump because nothing bigger will fit under a corner tank.

AquaAddict

[GoFish]

Originally Posted by Madreefer

Here in PG a pail of IO is $69 and at one time I paid $119. I have pics to prove

Holy crap, $10 bucks is nothin then eh?!

Just had a read through THIS. Mixing salt can get quite technical apparently

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

I usually mix overnight but in a pinch, I'll mix for 2-3 hours till its all clear and the right temp.

[Madreefer]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

I usually mix overnight but in a pinch, I'll mix for 2-3 hours till its all clear and the right temp.

Well Anthony this is not directed at you.

People in this hobby really do worry way too much and also fiddle around too much as well. I'm no expert but 15yrs and not one tank crash. I had problems when I fiddled. Sorry fellow reefers but rolling buckets and mixing SW for a week is laughable to me. I find this hobby consumes up far too much time that well.....you just can't get back. I'd rather spend my time sitting watching my inmates in my tank than working on it.
Wish me luck but no excessive mixing or constantly mucking around in my tank nor my clients tank. I bought all the Hanna checkers a year ago cuz I hadn't had any test kits in years. Well the checkers are still in the package. People quit worrying, it's a pretty easy hobby.
Ok sorry BACK ON TOPIC

[Aquattro]

Agreed. My most recent batch of salt mixed for 20 minutes. Rolling salt is silly. It moves in a laminar motion within the bucket, it hardly mixes at all. But ya, stop making things difficult everyone!!

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Madreefer

I'm no expert but 15yrs and not one tank crash.[...] People quit worrying, it's a pretty easy hobby.

After 15 years I'm sure it IS easy, but don't try to fool us that your tank was awesome 15 years ago! Mine sure wasn't, but then again I was still in highschool and was still winging it because I was the only person I knew that had a saltwater aquarium!