What salt does everyone use?

Adrock

Adrock

2
#41
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
6,626
Likes
25
Points
0
Location
Long Beach
#41
there a lot more things that absorb alk and ca live rock is one of them and coralline algae is another but I would be careful doing a water change with salt water mix that has a high dkh may not be a good thing for the long term, I don't think you are taking everything into consideration the cost of alk and ca is pennies on the dollar compared to what you have invested in the live stock don't cut your nose of to spite your face you need to look at the big picture
 
rayray

rayray

Member
#45
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
2,682
Likes
41
Points
48
Location
.
#45
Im upgrading or leaving this hobby outright (guess ill be upgrading)

TMP is my main salt unless carx is offline, then reefcrystals (pronounced "rohv Kris-tahl"s, because im high class)
 
Adrock

Adrock

2
#46
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
6,626
Likes
25
Points
0
Location
Long Beach
#46
lets see you must be talking about coralline algae , it sucks to scrape off the front of the d.t. but its a good bio and will over compete nuisance algae for nutrients its not a bad thing other than it will grow every where and make it hard to see if you don't clean weekly and will absorb ca mag alk and trace/minor element. so it is good and bad but I personally feel the good out way the bad but that is just me , my opinion
 
watchguy123

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
#47
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#47
Seems like most of you are really familiar with salts but I would find it great to know some of the differences between tropic marine pro, Red Sea pro, d-d, instant ocean and tropic marine like:
1) dKh
2) high or low trace elements
3) ease of mixing
4) basically pros and cons of each brand
5) any of these brands have a previous recall to be worried about
6) consistency

If anybody can fill in the blanks, I would appreciate the info
 
rayray

rayray

Member
#48
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
2,682
Likes
41
Points
48
Location
.
#48
try them all!

2009 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505

2005
part 1 http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/11/aafeature1
part 2 http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/12/aafeature1

part of the 2005 conclusion

Specific issues of concern are:
•Instant Ocean, Crystal Sea MarineMix and Crystal Sea Bio-Assay all mix to an unnaturally high pH. A major water change followed by the addition of kalkwasser or the rapid addition of a buffer additive could create an undesirable pH peak.
•Oceanic Sea Salt has abnormally high levels of Aluminum, Manganese, Nickel and Zinc. It also has a Strontium deficiency, but is otherwise similar to the other salts. Some type of metal contamination seems a possibility.
•Bio-Sea MarineMix has unusually high levels of Aluminum and Vanadium.
•Crystal Sea MarineMix has high levels of Antimony, Boron, Lithium, Lead, Palladium, and Titanium. Like Oceanic, it is also deficient in Strontium.
•AquaMedic Sea Salt has Barium levels roughly double the other salts, as well as notably high Bismuth, Cobalt, Lead, Selenium and Titanium.
•Omega Sea Marine Salt has the highest levels of Copper, Chromium, and Arsenic of all the salts tested. Its Vanadium levels are similar to Bio-Sea MarineMix.
•Tropic Marin Sea Salt has high Copper and ties with Omega Sea for the highest Chromium levels.
•Instant Ocean has the highest Titanium level. Its Aluminum level is also high, but less than half of the highest salt mix (Oceanic).
•Kent Marine Sea Salt shares the Aluminum levels of Instant Ocean and Crystal Sea Bio-Assay, it is high, but less than half of the worst level for that element. Its Antimony and Chromium levels are also high.
•Crystal Sea Bio-Assay has the highest Lithium and Nickel levels of any salt tested. It shares the moderately high Aluminum levels of Instant Ocean and Kent Marine, and also matches Kent Marine in high Antimony and Chromium.

•Bio-Sea MarineMix and Crystal Sea Bio-Assay do not have significantly lower heavy metals than Instant Ocean. In many cases, Instant Ocean is actually lower in toxic metals. The root cause of Dr. Ronald Shimek's bio-assay results remains unknown.
•The manufacturer's data for Bio-Sea MarineMix and Crystal Sea Bio-Assay used in Dr. Shimek's study does not accurately represent the elemental composition of these salts. However, a far larger discrepancy was found with the 1999 Atkinson and Bingman data for Instant Ocean. It is believed that this difference is due to formula changes in Instant Ocean since the 1999 study.
•No salt in this study is an accurate simulation of natural sea water. All salts had at least one toxic heavy metal that was far in excess of NSW levels. When all factors are considered, Tropic Marin, Instant Ocean, and Kent Marine score the best, but such a score can not be arrived at without some amount of subjective judgment in evaluating the pertinent factors.


watchguy123 said:
Seems like most of you are really familiar with salts but I would find it great to know some of the differences between tropic marine pro, Red Sea pro, d-d, instant ocean and tropic marine like:
1) dKh
2) high or low trace elements
3) ease of mixing
4) basically pros and cons of each brand
5) any of these brands have a previous recall to be worried about
6) consistency

If anybody can fill in the blanks, I would appreciate the info
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top