Salt, what kind?
- Thread starter baboon
- Start date
O
osufarker
Guest
I use Instant Ocean. No problems with it. I have heard stories of bad batches, but I think that happens with all types.
T
thomas712
Guest
Instant Ocean for years and yeah I'm the one that had a killer batch of 95dKH.
I have switched to Oceanic for now. I have used other salts with various results.
I have switched to Oceanic for now. I have used other salts with various results.
alison
Member
Hi, I've tried most, except red sea. I use instant ocean, and I've been usin it for years. Oceanic is great, but most everyone I know it's caused ph problems, and some calcium buffering problems. Hey Thomas, I just read you use oceanic, do you have any problems, or is it good for ya? Anyone use Red Sea, is that any good? I hate Kent. That stuff takes forever to disolve. Instant's the best I've used. ~Ali
T
thomas712
Guest
Jury still out on Oceanic. I'ts got low alk, and I'm starting to experience that diatom bloom I've heard so much about from others.
ktsdad
Member
My last trip to town forced me to buy Coralife salt, no Instant Ocean available. My Ca and ALK levels have been going nuts in both my reef tank and my FOWLR. Ca going threw the roof and ALK dropping. I decided to do some testing of as many different salt mixes I could get.
All ALK levels are the dKH scale. I use Salifiert test kits.
All the salt mixes I tested had 0 values for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. I didn't have enough heaters to heat all the samples to normal temperatures so I let them all sit overnight (with power heads installed) to settle to room temp.
I used water from my RO/DI unit for the base water.
Test #1 - Distilled Water
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 0, PH 7.4<, ALK .15, Ca 0
Test #2 - RO/DI Water
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 0, PH 7.4<, ALK 1.2, Ca 0
Test #3 - 10 Gal mixed with Instant Ocean
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.021, PH 8.3, Alk 10.2, Ca 310
Test #4 - 25 Gal mixed with Red Sea Salt
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.022, PH 8.3, Alk 7.2, Ca 320
Test #5 - 5 Gal mixed with Oceanic Natural
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.022, PH 8.0, Alk 8.0, Ca 475
Test #6 - 5 Gal mixed with Coralife
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.022, PH 8.0, Alk 9.0, Ca >500
(Sample never changed color).
My opinion is Instant Ocean seems to have the best overall readings and that is what I will stick with from now on.
Hope someone finds this usefull
All ALK levels are the dKH scale. I use Salifiert test kits.
All the salt mixes I tested had 0 values for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. I didn't have enough heaters to heat all the samples to normal temperatures so I let them all sit overnight (with power heads installed) to settle to room temp.
I used water from my RO/DI unit for the base water.
Test #1 - Distilled Water
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 0, PH 7.4<, ALK .15, Ca 0
Test #2 - RO/DI Water
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 0, PH 7.4<, ALK 1.2, Ca 0
Test #3 - 10 Gal mixed with Instant Ocean
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.021, PH 8.3, Alk 10.2, Ca 310
Test #4 - 25 Gal mixed with Red Sea Salt
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.022, PH 8.3, Alk 7.2, Ca 320
Test #5 - 5 Gal mixed with Oceanic Natural
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.022, PH 8.0, Alk 8.0, Ca 475
Test #6 - 5 Gal mixed with Coralife
Temp 68, Specific Gravity 1.022, PH 8.0, Alk 9.0, Ca >500
(Sample never changed color).
My opinion is Instant Ocean seems to have the best overall readings and that is what I will stick with from now on.
Hope someone finds this usefull
