instant ocean or reef crystals??

[byrself]

i have always used instant ocean, but recently heard about reef crystals reef salt. the reef crystals are supposed to have more trace elements for corals over regular instant ocean. is the reef crystal salt better for reefs than the instant ocean? would it hurt to try it out, starting with my next water change and incorporating it into the tank little by little? please help if you have experience. <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[nm reef]

My understanding is that they are made by the same manufacturer....with the reef crystals having more trace elements for reefs....the reef crystals are more expensive.....I've used instant ocean since day one with no ill effects...so I'm staying with IO.........

 

[fshhub]

they are just as you said, the same salt and same manufacturer, with the exception of added trace elements, the only thingis the cost is a bit more and i think that you get the same thing for a little less if you use io and add your own suppliments
HTH

 

[volitan]

I agree, fshub. I use Instant Ocean too. My LFS recomends reef crystals. She says the price is worth it, but I figure I'm adding trace elements into my tank twice a week, and what the instant ocean lacks, I'm providing.

 

[richard rendos]

If the only way you add trace elements is by doing water changes then use Reef Crystals. But most people with reef tanks are adding supplements of some sort. No need to add trace elements in two different ways.

 

[ed d]

I also use instant ocean. My LFS is very outspoken about problems he has experienced with I O. My LFS claim it is the cause of my low PH in one of my tanks. It is consistanly around 8.0. IS 8.0 to low? Has anyone heard of a PH crash?
I use I O and RO water. I do a 10-15% water change every 2 weeks.

 

[fshhub]

if you aren't using a buffer, it is probabaly low because your using r/o water, not the salt, boy is that a good one,
don't get me wrong you should use ro but you may need to add buffer or alkalinity to it, no big deal i use IO and have had no problems with it at all
jsut out of curiousity, which salt is he reccomending
just check the alkailinity and if it is low, then adjust it accordingly, (and calcium) these will affect your ph too, 8.0 is not real low, but i would raise it a tad, and as i said, if it is not staying up then i owuld check those things
HTH

 

[chevron tang]

i would just stick with the instant ocean.

 

[ed d]

I was hopeing to be lazy and not add another test. The LFS store is recommending any salt besides IO. They also claim I do not need to test for alkalinity or calcium.
How risky is it to start adding buffer at the recomended amounts and only test for PH. I know it takes upto a week to increase PH. Can adding recomended rates put too much buffer into a system? Any reccomendations for what buffer to use?
The suppliment I use are Kent Tech I and Sea Lab #28. My tank is a 58G with 60lbs of live rocks, some mushrooms, ricordia and a two small leathers.
Fish loading is 2 clowns, yellow tang, mandrin goby, coarl beauty and a 6line wrasse. Pluse clean up crew and shrimps. Filtrations in a large wet dry and seaclone protein skimmer.

 

[msd2]

I also use IO, tried oceanic a few times but the salt mix is inconsistant and caused a major ca spike in my tank several times before I thought about the new salt bringing the problem (assumed I was overdosing kalk). I use kents kdh superbuffer and turbo ca when needed if it out of whack. When restablized I go back the the kalk. I personally like Kent's products, very consistant output. If your running a reef you will for certain need to test for both calcium and alk and need to be balanced. do a search for balancing table and u will understand why u need to test em Salifert tests are a good comprimise between cost and accuracy imho

 

[dragonboy]

I heard the sea crystals was a slight increase of trace elements from what the IO has in it.

 

[mwaraxa]

I started with IO and decided to switch to Kent Sea Salt. My LFS recommended it. . . No problems so far. . .

 

[the claw]

IO IO its off to work I go

 

[buzzword]

Kent salt. Like it, no probs at all.... yet

 

[essop3]

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...ght=salt+brand
The chart he posted is hard to read but has good info

 

[cadbury]

CAll me mixed up, but I like them both, so I actually mix the two together and been doing it for years. I like what they both have to offer.

 

[misfit]

OK well i've been mixing my own salt now for about 2-3 months with RO/DI water with IO and i really have no problem,but before that i was buying salt water from my LFS.
I do not add any trace elements to my tank.when i was using the LFS water i had coraline growing great no problem,now that ive been doing my own water changes with IO the coraline stopped.I have now found out that myu LFS uses reef crystals.
that was a little info mabey a little confusing but it puts the point across
my question is I guess im gonna go to reef crystal,can any one tell me how long it will be before i see a change,or recommend what trace elements i should add to use up this bucket of salt.
I would like to start keeping some more diferent corals and inverts
have 125 tank 2 x 250 mh 10000k
100 lb LR

 

[dragonboy]

I have no problems with instant ocean and my coralline growths great but when you do a salt change you do need to take it slow. But I do add some extra drops of trace elements as I heard its low on some of the elements.

 

[misfit]

What Do You Add