Reefers Best Salt

Binare · #1 11-09-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intarsiabox

No better eh? I'm using Seachem Reef Salt right now and it's OK but I don't like my alk readings from it. Also even with 2-pt dosing my corals are growing very slow IMO so I thought I would try something new. What brand are you using now? Seems like I should just go back to IO and continue dosing.

What kit are you using to test your alk with seachem? I use seachem as well and love it. Anything other then a seachem test kit will report way low. Seachem I believe is the only kit that tests for borate, the major contributer to alk in their reef salt, and in the ocean. Its a great salt with an odd albeit natural quirk.

intarsiabox · #2 11-10-2009, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Binare

What kit are you using to test your alk with seachem? I use seachem as well and love it. Anything other then a seachem test kit will report way low. Seachem I believe is the only kit that tests for borate, the major contributer to alk in their reef salt, and in the ocean. Its a great salt with an odd albeit natural quirk.

I didn't know that the Seachem test kits would compensate for the borate in their salt. I have been using an API kit to test but I must admit I'm not having any problems with my fish or corals (other than what I think is slow growth) and no nusance algae to speak of. I just thought I would try something new to see if it had a positive reaction in my tank. The only thing that I think died on me in the last 10 months is a Dragon goby, which is my fault as I switched tanks awhile back but put all new sand in so I think I starved him. Never saw a body though so maybe there's hope. I work at the UofA so I stopped in to talk to the marine biology guys and found they use seachem reef salt but they most only have fish, sea apples and anemones not so much in corals.

imisky · #3 11-10-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intarsiabox

No better eh? I'm using Seachem Reef Salt right now and it's OK but I don't like my alk readings from it. Also even with 2-pt dosing my corals are growing very slow IMO so I thought I would try something new. What brand are you using now? Seems like I should just go back to IO and continue dosing.

Ive been using seachem for a good year now and i love the stuff, alk comes out constantly at 9dkH as long as u mix the bucket before you scoop and its also within the zeovit parameters in terms of alk, alot of people on the zeo forum actually use it on there system instead of RBS. You have a good salt and as stated by all the others the salt is not what makes the tank, there's about a hundred other factors that contribute. imo...salt is just salt, eventually your tank will stabilize at a set of parameters before you have to start dosing and if you can get it to constantly stay at that "magical number" parameter then you got it. you'll end up dosing anyways....so an expensive salt is just that...an expensive salt go for what you feel your moneys worth and if its the $110 or whatever RBS costs then go for it!

fragNplug · #4 11-10-2009, 08:34 AM

Porches are the same as dodges then i suspect.
They both do forward and backwards, one just costs more??
Im on the side of you get what you payfor.
And seachem is still a good salt just reefers best probably drives alot faster.

imisky · #5 11-10-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fragNplug

Porches are the same as dodges then i suspect.
They both do forward and backwards, one just costs more??
Im on the side of you get what you payfor.
And seachem is still a good salt just reefers best probably drives alot faster.

are porches and dodges both not cars(sounds like you are saying they are different)? if they arent then prove me wrong please

from talking to the reefers around who have used RBS i havent heard of a person who said that once they switched to RBS they got faster growth, more coraline algae, and more color. in fact most of them have switched back to whatever salt they were using before they switched as they found nothing different after using RBS, as they all had reactors or was auto-dosing 2 part to (and would be crazy if you didnt while doing SPS tanks)

just food for thought, if you are on the side of you get what you pay for, would using NSW collected a distance away from the coast be "slower" than the RBS when used? although i agree that RBS is probably one of the better brand salts out there, there are other brands which do just as good of a job with a few additives (Mg,Ca buff) before adding it into the tank and it'll be just as good imo..but thats just me

fragNplug · #6 11-10-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imisky

although i agree that RBS is probably one of the better brand salts out there, there are other brands which do just as good of a job with a few additives (Mg,Ca buff) before adding it into the tank and it'll be just as good imo..but thats just me

im done here on this.

fishytime · #7 11-10-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imisky

although i agree that RBS is probably one of the better brand salts out there, there are other brands which do just as good of a job with a few additives (Mg,Ca buff) before adding it into the tank and it'll be just as good imo..but thats just me

This is exactly the point......all salts will work.....with the less expensive brands, you will need to dose more... premium brands will cost more to begin with but you will need to dose less...plain and simple....independent studies have proven this...

shrimpchips · #8 11-10-2009, 04:32 PM

Has anyone tried the new Brightwell's salt? I'm wanting to try it (over my next choice DD), as apparently the mix is 100% synthetic, apparently assuring a more consistent mix from batch to batch.

As for quality of salts, I'm sure the difference between is a small one, but if that 5% or whatever difference is worth it to you, then go for it. I for one figure that the $30-$50 difference is a cheap one gallon to gallon considering the cost of just about everything else that's needed to maintain the tank.

For me, I'll pay to play with the more expensive salts - if they're worth the extra money for my system is my opinion, just like the justification for just about everything else that I buy/do to my system.

At the end of the day, if I'm happy with it, and not doing anything outwardly wrong, then to hell with all of your opinions

globaldesigns · #9 11-10-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime

This is exactly the point......all salts will work.....with the less expensive brands, you will need to dose more... premium brands will cost more to begin with but you will need to dose less...plain and simple....independent studies have proven this...

+1, Before Reefers Best what did you all use, and you would of said it was the best also, at that time... So I agree with FishyTime...

I use Reef Crystals, it works for me and I have a nice tank... I also state that is it the Best, probably/maybe not, but again it works for me, and yes I dose.

The problem with forums, and I am at fault at times also, is that everyone is so reactive to get their point of view in there, so much that it comes across as bashing... We all need to take a step back and remember that we are all in this hobby because we love it, and I don't think anyone here really wants to hurt anyone else. Everything is a point of view, right or wrong, and someones mistake can hopefully save someone else, but someones find can again help others.

Have fun all!