Is there a difference in Salt Mixes?
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birdy
Active Member
Anytime you open a new bag or bucket of salt you should mix up some makeup water and test, pH, Alk, Ca. Any salt company can have a mistake, IO has been around a long long time and honestly I think they still have one of the best salts around.
I don't like Oceanic, Ca too high, alk and pH too low.
I don't like Oceanic, Ca too high, alk and pH too low.
milomlo
Active Member
Originally Posted by drea
dammit, so is oceanic ok then, thats the brand i just switched to from io
I was just told on another thread to mix Oceanic and IO 50/50 and you will get just about perfect calcium, ALK, and ph. I may do that as I just bought a new bucket of Oceanic.
I say that is what we all do. Birdy just posted that Oceanic's calcium is too high and alk and PH is to low.
Why don't we have a thread where everyone posts what they find with newly mixed salts from all brands.
Is that a good idea? This is the information I myself would like to know.
I can say I was using Corallife Salt mix and it's calcium is also very high - so I switched to Oceanic (I am now mixing my first batch using some Oceanic with the last bit of my corallife).
After 24 hours here are the results
3 gallons of water 1 cup Corallife 1/2 cup Oceanic
SG 1.025
PH 8.0
Calcium 640
dKH 9.0
Anyone else have information to add? Should we start another thread about this or is anyone even interested.
dammit, so is oceanic ok then, thats the brand i just switched to from io
I was just told on another thread to mix Oceanic and IO 50/50 and you will get just about perfect calcium, ALK, and ph. I may do that as I just bought a new bucket of Oceanic.
I say that is what we all do. Birdy just posted that Oceanic's calcium is too high and alk and PH is to low.
Why don't we have a thread where everyone posts what they find with newly mixed salts from all brands.
I can say I was using Corallife Salt mix and it's calcium is also very high - so I switched to Oceanic (I am now mixing my first batch using some Oceanic with the last bit of my corallife).
After 24 hours here are the results
3 gallons of water 1 cup Corallife 1/2 cup Oceanic
SG 1.025
PH 8.0
Calcium 640
dKH 9.0
Anyone else have information to add? Should we start another thread about this or is anyone even interested.
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by milomlo
I was just told on another thread to mix Oceanic and IO 50/50 and you will get just about perfect calcium, ALK, and ph. I may do that as I just bought a new bucket of Oceanic.
I say that is what we all do. Birdy just posted that Oceanic's calcium is too high and alk and PH is to low.
Why don't we have a thread where everyone posts what they find with newly mixed salts from all brands.
Is that a good idea? This is the information I myself would like to know.
I can say I was using Corallife Salt mix and it's calcium is also very high - so I switched to Oceanic (I am now mixing my first batch using some Oceanic with the last bit of my corallife).
After 24 hours here are the results
3 gallons of water 1 cup Corallife 1/2 cup Oceanic
SG 1.025
PH 8.0
Calcium 640
dKH 9.0
Anyone else have information to add? Should we start another thread about this or is anyone even interested.
I'm intersted but what I think we are all going to find is manufaturing practices make these tests vary from time to time.
My husband works for a major food and pet food manufacturing facility and what we have found out in his 30 years of employment (with a lab onsite) is as technology changes and as the price of certain additives change, companies compensate by cutting costs where they deem appropriate - and the public is seldom informed of those changes. If the companies put "new and improved" on a label, they would be changing it multiple times a year due to demand in ingredients and changes in manufacturing which ultimately change scientific results and values. I believe that is part of the reason the FDA allows a certain amount of latitude when it comes to food.
One thing I also wonder if water quality has something to do with the results everyone would receive if they tested an identical product. Also, one must factor in incorrect reading of tests and the different testing product brands on the market that make precise readings virtually impossible and would be open to a lot of interpretation.
While I am no scientist by any stretch of the imagination, I cannot help but wonder if temperature and quality of water will have something to do with the results as well.
Another thing to think about, is the higher priced salts that are on the market are not sold in the volume the less exdpensive priced ones are. When market share has a hold on the public, the public tends to hear more negative news or reviews on the major player than they do the minor player in any chosen market when doing a comparison such as this.
I would venture to guess Kent and the rest of the products out there have also had problematic batch problems - the difference is sales are much lower therefor they do not grab the attention of the typical hobbiest or LFS.
Denise M.
I was just told on another thread to mix Oceanic and IO 50/50 and you will get just about perfect calcium, ALK, and ph. I may do that as I just bought a new bucket of Oceanic.
I say that is what we all do. Birdy just posted that Oceanic's calcium is too high and alk and PH is to low.
Why don't we have a thread where everyone posts what they find with newly mixed salts from all brands.
I can say I was using Corallife Salt mix and it's calcium is also very high - so I switched to Oceanic (I am now mixing my first batch using some Oceanic with the last bit of my corallife).
After 24 hours here are the results
3 gallons of water 1 cup Corallife 1/2 cup Oceanic
SG 1.025
PH 8.0
Calcium 640
dKH 9.0
Anyone else have information to add? Should we start another thread about this or is anyone even interested.
I'm intersted but what I think we are all going to find is manufaturing practices make these tests vary from time to time.
My husband works for a major food and pet food manufacturing facility and what we have found out in his 30 years of employment (with a lab onsite) is as technology changes and as the price of certain additives change, companies compensate by cutting costs where they deem appropriate - and the public is seldom informed of those changes. If the companies put "new and improved" on a label, they would be changing it multiple times a year due to demand in ingredients and changes in manufacturing which ultimately change scientific results and values. I believe that is part of the reason the FDA allows a certain amount of latitude when it comes to food.
One thing I also wonder if water quality has something to do with the results everyone would receive if they tested an identical product. Also, one must factor in incorrect reading of tests and the different testing product brands on the market that make precise readings virtually impossible and would be open to a lot of interpretation.
While I am no scientist by any stretch of the imagination, I cannot help but wonder if temperature and quality of water will have something to do with the results as well.
Another thing to think about, is the higher priced salts that are on the market are not sold in the volume the less exdpensive priced ones are. When market share has a hold on the public, the public tends to hear more negative news or reviews on the major player than they do the minor player in any chosen market when doing a comparison such as this.
I would venture to guess Kent and the rest of the products out there have also had problematic batch problems - the difference is sales are much lower therefor they do not grab the attention of the typical hobbiest or LFS.
Denise M.
stanlalee
Active Member
I've been using instant ocean since the mid 90's and is all I've ever used. Until I have a problem with it personally I wont use anything else. there are bad batch mistakes in all forms of products from car recalls to supermarket products, that kind of stuff unfortunately will happen from time to time until man and machine become perfect. can you shed any light on how many times they've had a "bad batch" or was it one incident of a bad batch?
1journeyman
Active Member
One way to go about this is to look closely at your LFS reef tanks.
If they look great, ask what kind os salt THEY use.
If they look great, ask what kind os salt THEY use.
turningtim
Active Member
I use Tropic Marin and I love it. I have tried quite a few different brands but, what really I always come back to TM. Recenty I bought a used tank w/ all the stuff including a 3/4 bucket of IO. No sence in wasting it right? So I started useing it very slowing in my WC's 5% a week. Within 5-6 weeks my tank looked like HELL. I had to dose a lot heayier then I ever did. This was the only change in that time span so I could only conclude that it was the salt. I went back to TM and after another several weeks my tank was back to the way I like it.
Now it could have been a bad batch, it could have been my fault for making the change to fast, so on....... but, I'll never change again. Yes TM is more expensive but I don't have to dose as much and my levels are always consistant.
As far as cost , I don't spend as much on additives and I'm not having to test everyday b/c I trust what I use. I do think its a personal preference. Whatever works for!
I think it was Thomas who had his tank wiped out. I remember being on another thread about salt.
JMO
Tim
milomlo, I think thats a fine idea. Start a thread and lay out the ground rules.
BTW what kind of fish is that in your avitar?
Now it could have been a bad batch, it could have been my fault for making the change to fast, so on....... but, I'll never change again. Yes TM is more expensive but I don't have to dose as much and my levels are always consistant.
As far as cost , I don't spend as much on additives and I'm not having to test everyday b/c I trust what I use. I do think its a personal preference. Whatever works for!
I think it was Thomas who had his tank wiped out. I remember being on another thread about salt.
JMO
Tim
milomlo, I think thats a fine idea. Start a thread and lay out the ground rules.
BTW what kind of fish is that in your avitar?
milomlo
Active Member
Originally Posted by TurningTim
I use Tropic Marin and I love it. I have tried quite a few different brands but, what really I always come back to TM. Recenty I bought a used tank w/ all the stuff including a 3/4 bucket of IO. No sence in wasting it right? So I started useing it very slowing in my WC's 5% a week. Within 5-6 weeks my tank looked like HELL. I had to dose a lot heayier then I ever did. This was the only change in that time span so I could only conclude that it was the salt. I went back to TM and after another several weeks my tank was back to the way I like it.
Now it could have been a bad batch, it could have been my fault for making the change to fast, so on....... but, I'll never change again. Yes TM is more expensive but I don't have to dose as much and my levels are always consistant.
As far as cost , I don't spend as much on additives and I'm not having to test everyday b/c I trust what I use. I do think its a personal preference. Whatever works for!
I think it was Thomas who had his tank wiped out. I remember being on another thread about salt.
JMO
Tim
milomlo, I think thats a fine idea. Start a thread and lay out the ground rules.
BTW what kind of fish is that in your avitar?
It is a tail spot blenny.
I am not sure really what the ground rules should be email me so we can chat about it maybe?? miketracyowens@entouch.net
I use Tropic Marin and I love it. I have tried quite a few different brands but, what really I always come back to TM. Recenty I bought a used tank w/ all the stuff including a 3/4 bucket of IO. No sence in wasting it right? So I started useing it very slowing in my WC's 5% a week. Within 5-6 weeks my tank looked like HELL. I had to dose a lot heayier then I ever did. This was the only change in that time span so I could only conclude that it was the salt. I went back to TM and after another several weeks my tank was back to the way I like it.
Now it could have been a bad batch, it could have been my fault for making the change to fast, so on....... but, I'll never change again. Yes TM is more expensive but I don't have to dose as much and my levels are always consistant.
As far as cost , I don't spend as much on additives and I'm not having to test everyday b/c I trust what I use. I do think its a personal preference. Whatever works for!
I think it was Thomas who had his tank wiped out. I remember being on another thread about salt.
JMO
Tim
milomlo, I think thats a fine idea. Start a thread and lay out the ground rules.
BTW what kind of fish is that in your avitar?
It is a tail spot blenny.
I am not sure really what the ground rules should be email me so we can chat about it maybe?? miketracyowens@entouch.net
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by milomlo
Meredith you make a great point. I would still be interested in what others find out when they mix a new batch (just for comparision purposes), by no way are we doing a true scientic study...LOL
I'm actually thinking of taking some Oceanic and Instant Ocean and running some tests when I restock on salt. Right now, I have enough salt to mix an additional 250 gallons easily, so it is going to be a few weeks though.
I'm definitely not a scientist, but I am also interested in the findings.
Denise M.
Meredith you make a great point. I would still be interested in what others find out when they mix a new batch (just for comparision purposes), by no way are we doing a true scientic study...LOL
I'm actually thinking of taking some Oceanic and Instant Ocean and running some tests when I restock on salt. Right now, I have enough salt to mix an additional 250 gallons easily, so it is going to be a few weeks though.
I'm definitely not a scientist, but I am also interested in the findings.
Denise M.
mikegray
Member
so all oceanic salts is high calcium whats high like 600? and low PH and ALK? what salt has a tendency to get calcium 400-470 and alk 3.5-4.5meg/L and mg 1200-1350? i need to buy some cause my reef crystals all 3 buckets are testing 200calcium and 300mg 2.5alk
i need a change ASAP
i need a change ASAP
morales67
Member
Originally Posted by eddie1973
Has anyone used Reef Crystals¿ I miss living in San Diego, when I lived there you can go to the beach and pump ocean water into your own container for free.
u did that? ...... has any one ever used premixed water? is it ok to use this water to do water changes while useing salt in the tank?
Has anyone used Reef Crystals¿ I miss living in San Diego, when I lived there you can go to the beach and pump ocean water into your own container for free.
u did that? ...... has any one ever used premixed water? is it ok to use this water to do water changes while useing salt in the tank?