Salt brands

[MarcoG]

Anyone here using Seachem Reef Sea Salt Mix? I've been happy with the brand's other products, enough to make me consider changing salt brands. Just thought I'd get some insight. Thanks!

 

[steelcaveman]

It is a very good salt if you get a good price on it.

 

[MarcoG]

Any other details? Alk, Calc, measurements etc?

 

[mukymuk]

Seachem's formula has a high boron content. This is their intent, and they claim it helps alkalinity buffering. Some have questioned their reasoning and others suggest it's even a bad thing.

I don't know if it's good or bad--I know of one LFS that swears by it--just be aware that non-Seachem alkalinity tests will test low if you use this salt because they assume a normal boron content.

 

[Josh]

Hey I was wondering the same thing about salt mixes.

I found this website that showed the comparison of this salt mix with others. Maybe you can compare you current mix with this list. Hope it helps. http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/planasystem/ig/Guide-Charts--Tables--Diagrams/Comparison-Table-of-Primary-El.htm

Mukymuk hit it on the head with the Boron levels.

Surferboy1500

 

[MarcoG]

Thank a lot! I really appreciate the info. According to that chart it seems that no one salt brand has a good balance. Has anyone ever tried mixing salt brands?

 

[mukymuk]

Take the analysis you find on the web with, well, a grain of salt. Formulations can and do change--intentionally and otherwise. Composition can change from the top of the bucket to the bottom even...

I recommend not getting overly concerned about the salt. It's one of those "it is what it is" things in life. Most of the offerings on the market today are workable and equally steeped in voodoo. They all suck compared to sea water, are terribly inconsistent, and they all will keep most of the stuff a reefer cares about alive--adult organisms anyway. Most of them have experienced "batch" problems from time to time.

As far as mixing different salts--I don't see the point. Mix your salt, then verify that its major ions are about right. If they are off then use 2-part (or 3-part) to adjust them out. If the pH is consistently off then get a new salt--that's my biggest peeve. Ideally, you want a salt that you don't have to jack with much after you mix it. I like Red Sea Coral Pro, but there are many others that are probably just as good or better.

 

[Carabelli]

I have to agree with mukymuk ... if you do regular water changes and test your water, the salt is one of those things I am not sure there is much difference in ... for me, I hate salt mixes that leave the brown crud through out the mixing container ... ala Kent ... they say it isn't harmful, but, I hate having to clean it afterwards

 

[MarcoG]

Yeah I started this thread not really caring too much about the salt I use. I use Oceanic now, and have been pleased with everything about it except for my recent battle with phosphates (hair algae). I know other things can contribute to high PO4 but whatever I do (reduce feeding, run phosban, dose phophate reducing chemicals, dose vodka) it doesn't seem to change. I even tested the new batch of saltwater and still came up with phosphates and I think it may be contributing to my sps losing color.


Thanks for the input info!

 

[garyhoule]

@unttrmptplyr wrote:

That's an interesting comment, and it reinforces a thought that was lurking in the back of my head. I recently changed salt formulations (same brand) and had an outbreak of hair algae. While fighting it, I blamed it on everything except the salt. I never thought the salt could be the culprit. I increased water changes to try and reduce nutrients but it kept getting worse. I eventually gave up and practically ignored my tank except for feeding and water top-off for 2 months. The hair algae got so thick you could hardly see any rock. I finally pulled the algae out again about a month ago and to my surprise, none has grown back. I performed my first water change in about 3 months last week using the same salt and hopefully it won't return. If it does, the salt may be to blame. I never considered a bad batch of salt being high in PO4.

Gary