The Best Salt?

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by ViPeR_930
Why can you not switch from natural to synthetic salt or the other way around?
I'm curious about this as well. I've never heard that.
 

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
I'm curious about this as well. I've never heard that.
That was something that I was told when I started the hobby by a marine biologist friend (who I've unfortunately lost contact with now, so I can't figure out where he came up with that) but I never researched and always just assumed it was correct and widely known, but it could be very well wrong (considering I now can't find anything to back it up). Sorry if it caused any confusion.... don't mind me, nothing to see here....
 

ameno

Active Member
I just bought some reaf crystals and noticed the cal. was a bit low, I bought the reaf crystals over the normal instant ocean because I thought it would be better for the reef, but now I'm not sure.
I've never heard about problems in switching salt either.
 

coral keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by m0nk
This is true, you would need to switch from a natural to a natural or a synthetic to a synthetic, but you can't go from natural to synthetic, or visa versa.
I'm using natural ocean water that I get from the ocean, can I change it to synthetic water or will everything die? I've been using natural ocean water on my reef tank for about a year so far. I've never heard of this either.
 

kirkland

Member
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
I have used instant ocean, tropic marin, tropic marin pro, seachem, reef crystals, Kent Sea Salt, and I am currently using seachem.
If you switch from Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to kent sea salt or seachem, you will kill everything in the tank, at least in my experience. Certain salts don't mix well with each other.

We have been using reef crystals. We have had to dose for calcium/alkalinity. It could be from our clam, but maybe not. Is reef crystals natural or synthetic? Can we switch to oceanic with no problems? Is there a list of what salts are natural and which are synthetic?
 

sac10918

Member
I have also been using boxed natural sea water for the past few months and am wondering if I can switch to Instant Ocean now that I need to so some larger water changes.
 

metweezer

Active Member
I am currently using Oceanic. A Marine Biologist said that when it is used up he recommends that I mix Reef Crystals with Seachem's Reef Salt. His explanation: it will hold my tank at 8.2, Alk will be about 5 and calcium will hold at almost 400 on a constant basis. How does this fit into the equation and are all of these synthetic?
My2Cents,
Steve
 

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by Lecithin
with the whole natural/synthetic thing in mind. Can I switch from Instant Ocean to Oceanic?
I have personally made that change without issue.
 

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
I'm using natural ocean water that I get from the ocean, can I change it to synthetic water or will everything die? I've been using natural ocean water on my reef tank for about a year so far. I've never heard of this either.
I may very well be wrong. A couple of mods here have never heard of this so its highly likely that what I was told was incorrect. I assumed it was correct because the guy that told me had a degree in marine biology but after I brought it up, and no one else heard of it, I looked around and couldn't find anything to support it. So, at this point, just forget I said anything.
 

acrylic51

Active Member
I've never had issues switching salts....I've used IO, ReefCrystals is my personal favorite, but have switched to Oceanic, then to Seachem which I didn't like it's solvability, and back to Reef Crystals then Tropic Marin Pro, and back to Reef Crystals again.....
 

weatherman

Member
I use Tropic Marin. I've heard too many people brag about it and have used it for over a year WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS.
HEY FISHY7! Where did you get your large pieces of coral. I've been searching around at different LFS and can NOT find a store that sells 'large' pieces like that. If anyone has any suggestions of stores, please let me know. Thanks.
 

ibew

Active Member
Originally Posted by ViPeR_930
A recent batch(es?) of reef crystals had low Ca and Mg but it's not normal for --.
I also use --.
what brand do you use to raise mag
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by Hypertek99
Use -- here for years with no problems.

Tropic Marin is said to be the best but I have had great results with Oceanic. I guess you would have to try one and see how it works for you.
 

hypertek99

Member
I have a friend that is using Tropic Marin Pro and he's getting all sorts of algae outbreaks. Why switch when everything is good?
 
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