Reef Salt Brand

[Tony Vargas]

Originally Posted by marie

For me I started using IO because it was the only thing available to me at the time and I keep on using it because of the price, it is still cheaper then other salts after adding the cost of the extra Mg and cal

Marie,

Thank you for your cander, it’s good to see that it’s all about practicality. It’s all about, what makes it convenient to the hobbyist!

Therefore, your decision is more about price and not about product. If the price were more in line, would you try other salt brands? In addition, if you were to try other salt brands, which would, they be?

[Veng68]

If I knew were to track down all of the components (without buying 500+ pounds of the stuff) ...... I'd make my own salt.

http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/v...hp?f=233&t=271

Cheers,
Vic

[marie]

Originally Posted by Tony Vargas

Marie,

...If the price were more in line, would you try other salt brands?...

Probably not. After all, as I have said earlier, I have been using IO with no problems for 15 yrs and to be honest I'm not sure what "better" results I could get from a different brand of salt.

[Myka]

I'm in the same boat as Marie having used IO since the early 90s. I've tried others, and haven't noticed any improvement in any organisms, so I always go back, plus as Marie said it's still cheaper to buffer the IO than buy premium salt. The only salt that calls my name these days is D-D H2Ocean simply because it is natural seasalt. That is my only draw to it. I am considered trying it out, but I have 1 1/2 buckets of IO to use up right now.

I just moved to this area, and around here D-D is $85 and IO is $65, so the price is closer than BC where D-D $80 and IO is $40-45. Both IO and D-D make similar amounts of mixed product seawater. I know I definitely have a hard time paying $65 for IO!! So I guess that's also a draw to D-D.

[no_bs]

Wow $100 for a pail of IO. Wish we could get it out there for less. $39 all the time.

[TonyR]

When adjusting a non balanced salt you do have to take into account ionic balances though. A balanced salt will have the correct chloride/sodium/sulphate ions. Adjusting a non balanced salt might throw the ionic balance out of wack. Short term not a problem but if using two part additives long term you could shift ionic values out of desirable ranges.
Using a balanced salt will help bring ionic levels back into line via regular water changes.

[banditpowdercoat]

Originally Posted by TonyR

When adjusting a non balanced salt you do have to take into account ionic balances though. A balanced salt will have the correct chloride/sodium/sulphate ions. Adjusting a non balanced salt might throw the ionic balance out of wack. Short term not a problem but if using two part additives long term you could shift ionic values out of desirable ranges.
Using a balanced salt will help bring ionic levels back into line via regular water changes.

And which salts are ballanced?

[TonyR]

Hiya
Any salt that when mixed delivers levels at or close to NSW. IO for instance needs adjusting so that means adding chlorides,sodium and Sulphates from the bucket.
So we mix up our salt to 1.025, check the levels and find we are low. We then add Calcium chloride,Sodium Bicarb/carbonate and Mag Chloride/Sulphate to the mix. Chlorides then get bumped up thus increasing salinity, sulphates and sodium(due to the Sodium Bicarb) also increases.
Now add to that a two part additive regime and one could find those ionic levels slowly creeping up over time.
As for a balanced salt then H20 pretty much hits the spot with regards to NSW levels out of the bucket.
Ive never been a fan of two part dosing due to the fact that without water changes chlorides, sodium etc can become elevated over time. How long might it take? I couldnt tell you but seeing as you cant tell or test then its pretty much a lottery imo.
The chlorides used in H20 are slightly lower, this allows for the addition of chlorides such as Magnesium Chloride or Calcium chloride if you choose to use as a two part method for your Ca/Alk regime.

[TonyR]

Hi peeps

I realise that its been a while but thought you all might be interested in a recent article by Practical fish keeping (a very popular aquatic magazine in the u.k)

5 salts were tested, these being D-D H2O,Reef crystals,Tunze,Tetra and Red sea coral pro.

The salts were tested by an accredited laboratory and D-D was found to have a formula that was closest to Natural sea water with no additives needed to buffer the salt.

Further reading can be found here although the full article is only available in the magazine which may not be available in Canada.

http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/h...ines-best-test

All the best Tony

[burtonpj48]

I currently use salinity, aquavitro salt. Its actually really good, I was using d-d h20cean, I like it too. Althou aquavitro has very good element levels. The only thing i dont like about aquavitro, is the salt has to be in the display for about 30 min to 1hr, after a 24 hr aeration, for it to clear up.