What brand of salt to use?

Yep IO has been a staple for a very long time.
If there is a problem with it it would have shown up in the millions of
litres of it currently pumping through folks reefs.
MAybe there are better salts out there on paper but IMO IO salt has
proved itself more so than any other brand in the market place. It's
used globally.
I use a knock off of it that is produced locally and this has kept my
reefs happy for long enough that I trust it.
The alk level is low on mixing but some quick adjustments ( a few
teaspoons of baking soda) and it's good to go.
Simon

Pszemol wrote:

"Mandarin333" wrote in message ...


Hi all. I just read the "S-15 Report" at http://www.aquacraft.net/s9910.html

This is truly shocking stuff. I've been using Instant O. for years and
Coralife only to find out they're not so good based on the S-15 report.



Have you got any problems you can blame bad salt for?



I tried to find online retail sources of the top three ranked salts (Marine
Environment, BioSea, and Coral Marine) and couldn't. Anyone got any
recommendations?



I am looking at the webpage you have linked here and it is hard to believe
Instant Ocean got so bad score. Looking at score system we see that it got
only 26 points, while it has uniform particle size, it mixes to proper pH
and it contains all proper amounts of sea water ions... Only these three
could get to level 40 points... What is the detail behind the score presented?
Have you seen full report grading these salts? I am interested to see what
is the reason behind deciding "uniform particle size" has importance 10,
as the content of calcium and strontium, which you have to dose between
water changes anyway to maintain the calcium levels constant...

I would not change anything in my tank based on such "test" - you can
always compile data in such way one salt will look good and another bad.
This is not science. This is bad marketing... Who paid for the test? :-)

I know many successful reefers using Instant Ocean, I know none
using BIO-SEA or Marine Environment... I will go with Instant Ocean :-)

A few months ago, I would have posted the exact same thing, but I have switched
to Oceanic salt, and I am very happy with the results. Much better CA, and alk
levels. disolves much faster/more clearly, no precipitate left like the IO
leaves behind, no faded corals like the bio-assay left. Oceabnic still comes in
a 200 gal mix bucket, where the IO 200 gal mix is now 4 seperate 50 gal
bagsthat are tossed into a box.

Yep IO has been a staple for a very long time.
If there is a problem with it it would have shown up in the millions of
litres of it currently pumping through folks reefs.
MAybe there are better salts out there on paper but IMO IO salt has
proved itself more so than any other brand in the market place. It's
used globally.
I use a knock off of it that is produced locally and this has kept my
reefs happy for long enough that I trust it.
The alk level is low on mixing but some quick adjustments ( a few
teaspoons of baking soda) and it's good to go.
Simon

"Rod" wrote in message ...
A few months ago, I would have posted the exact same thing, but I have switched
to Oceanic salt, and I am very happy with the results. Much better CA, and alk
levels. disolves much faster/more clearly, no precipitate left like the IO
leaves behind, no faded corals like the bio-assay left.

Rod, do you dose CA/Alk between water changes?
Or you rely on Ca/Alk levels in the salt mix entirely?
If you dose them anyway, like I think you do, why is it so important?

Oceabnic still comes in a 200 gal mix bucket, where the IO 200 gal mix
is now 4 seperate 50 gal bagsthat are tossed into a box.

This last one could be a good thing...
Especially if you do not use up whole bucket at once.
The rest of salt remains sealed for the time you use it.

Why do you think it is bad thing? I would like it...
Anyway, I heard IO is now in 150 gallons mix buckets.
Am I wrong or they stop making 200 g mix buckets?

Anyway - anybody have seen full S-15 report and knows details?

Subject: What brand of salt to use?
From: "Pszemol"
Date: 7/5/04 9:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

"Rod" wrote in message
...
A few months ago, I would have posted the exact same thing, but I have
switched
to Oceanic salt, and I am very happy with the results. Much better CA, and
alk
levels. disolves much faster/more clearly, no precipitate left like the IO
leaves behind, no faded corals like the bio-assay left.

Rod, do you dose CA/Alk between water changes?
Or you rely on Ca/Alk levels in the salt mix entirely?
If you dose them anyway, like I think you do, why is it so important?

Oceabnic still comes in a 200 gal mix bucket, where the IO 200 gal mix
is now 4 seperate 50 gal bagsthat are tossed into a box.

This last one could be a good thing...
Especially if you do not use up whole bucket at once.
The rest of salt remains sealed for the time you use it.

Why do you think it is bad thing? I would like it...
Anyway, I heard IO is now in 150 gallons mix buckets.
Am I wrong or they stop making 200 g mix buckets?

Anyway - anybody have seen full S-15 report and knows details?

Go to the main page for that site and there are more details there.

Rod, do you dose CA/Alk between water changes?
Or you rely on Ca/Alk levels in the salt mix entirely?
If you dose them anyway, like I think you do, why is it so important?


Its much easier to maintain levels when im not starting off "in the hole" to
begin with. Why work harder to maintain the levels when I can start off an NSW
levels. (not to re mention the other benifets of oceanic)



This last one could be a good thing...
Especially if you do not use up whole bucket at once.
The rest of salt remains sealed for the time you use it.

if I am only mixing 25 gal, I can reseal the remaining 175 gals worth in the
bucket. if its in th ebags, I have 3 sealed bags, and another that is not
sealed. Besided I like th ebuckets for other uses ;-).

Why do you think it is bad thing? I would like it...
Anyway, I heard IO is now in 150 gallons mix buckets.
Am I wrong or they stop making 200 g mix buckets?

I am pretty sure that they are 160 gal mix, but will cost as much as the 200
gal mix that comes in a box.

"Rod" wrote in message ...
Rod, do you dose CA/Alk between water changes?
Or you rely on Ca/Alk levels in the salt mix entirely?
If you dose them anyway, like I think you do, why is it so important?

Its much easier to maintain levels when im not starting off "in the hole" to
begin with. Why work harder to maintain the levels when I can start off an NSW
levels. (not to re mention the other benifets of oceanic)

Sure, you are right, but I would not place Calcium levels with
such a high wages in the comparison... S-15 report gave it 10 points.

This last one could be a good thing...
Especially if you do not use up whole bucket at once.
The rest of salt remains sealed for the time you use it.

if I am only mixing 25 gal, I can reseal the remaining 175 gals worth in the
bucket. if its in th ebags, I have 3 sealed bags, and another that is not
sealed. Besided I like th ebuckets for other uses ;-).

I have never ordered in box before - did not know such option is available.

Why do you think it is bad thing? I would like it...
Anyway, I heard IO is now in 150 gallons mix buckets.
Am I wrong or they stop making 200 g mix buckets?

I am pretty sure that they are 160 gal mix, but will cost as much as the 200
gal mix that comes in a box.

How one can order IO in 200-gallon mix sized box? What is the price?
I have not seen it in stores...

Sure, you are right, but I would not place Calcium levels with
such a high wages in the comparison... S-15 report gave it 10 points.


I would not place the s_15 with high wages.

I have never ordered in box before - did not know such option is available.


I dont think the 200 gal mix bucket is still available unless they are old
buckets. The box with 4 individual 50 gal bags has replaced the buckets.

How one can order IO in 200-gallon mix sized box? What is the price?
I have not seen it in stores...


Your LFS should be able to get them.. we used to have them all the time before
switching to Oceanic. The going rtate for this area was about $56.

How one can order IO in 200-gallon mix sized box? What is the price?
I have not seen it in stores

It's pretty cheap apparently, 39.95 (compared to $15 I spent for a 25 gal box)
for 200 gal. I'm sure shipping is a bear, but still cheaper in the long run.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...=CTGY&Store_Co
de=PA&Category_Code=Salt

found via froogle.com:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=...ocean+200+salt
~John

Rod, you didn't mention the prettier bucket!

I too am using Oceanic now. Previously I was using Kent's Sea Salt.
Instant Ocean gave me too many problems, and I ditched it years ago.

Marc


Rod wrote:

A few months ago, I would have posted the exact same thing, but I have switched
to Oceanic salt, and I am very happy with the results. Much better CA, and alk
levels. disolves much faster/more clearly, no precipitate left like the IO
leaves behind, no faded corals like the bio-assay left. Oceabnic still comes in
a 200 gal mix bucket, where the IO 200 gal mix is now 4 seperate 50 gal
bagsthat are tossed into a box.


Yep IO has been a staple for a very long time.
If there is a problem with it it would have shown up in the millions of
litres of it currently pumping through folks reefs.
MAybe there are better salts out there on paper but IMO IO salt has
proved itself more so than any other brand in the market place. It's
used globally.
I use a knock off of it that is produced locally and this has kept my
reefs happy for long enough that I trust it.
The alk level is low on mixing but some quick adjustments ( a few
teaspoons of baking soda) and it's good to go.
Simon




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