Switching Salts: Should I?

[loans_n_fishes]

Parameters:

CA= 420
salinity= 1.022
Alk= "normal"
Ph= 8.0
Nitrite= 0
Nitrate= 20!!!!!
Mg= ?? (need a test kit) Have supplement (Kent)

[Derek B]

Well ... I switched from IO to Biosea Marine mix ... I had other changes going on so I cant be certain that the salt was the cause of my problems, but probably had something to do with it.

My problem is that I didn't make any change slowly .... which I believe is the key .... You have to "acclimate" your tank to the new salt.

There are many good salts ... you just have to fine tune them with supplimentation afterwards. As long as you are doing regular water changes, Magnesuim and other trace element problems should not arise and keepng calcium up with a 2 part additive is a good way to go ... depending on the size of your tank (it can be costly on larger tanks and your bioload of corals is obviously a factor as well). I used Kent's Turbo Calcium and it did a great job for me ... problem is ... most of the time you need more than what is recommended, so if you are having low calcium issues just slowly increase the dose until you see the calcium start to come up. If that doesn't work .. then it is time to explore other issues that may be causing the problem ... like Magenesium.

I think the only supplimentation that is needed for successful reefkeeping is:

1 ... regular water changes ... that is a suppliment as well people ;) the most important one at that.
2 ... ph/Alk buffering
3 ... Calcium

Forget all the trace supplimentation ... your salt has all of that in it. If you are doing regular water changes, there is no need to waste the money on all the trace additives that you can't even test for :o I bet people contaminate their tanks with trace supplimentation more than they think.

Keep it simple ... let the salt work for you ;)

[Jimnorris]

Seachem is a GREAT salt. I used it about 5 years ago. At that time it was almost impossible to get but I met the owner at GARF that year and he supplied me a source. At the time it was partly a liquid form. I may use it now. I also like Reef Crystals for SPSs and clams.
Jim

[loans_n_fishes]

So, what do you guys think of my parameters? Anything stand out that needs to be corrected?

I bought the Kent phosphate sponge stuff today. Just now stuck it in.

Will adding more algae help my nitrate level? I have a large softball size of chaeto...should I get more/more types?

At the moment I use IO and seachem reef builder and reef complete. Sounds like the seachem salt may be all of that in one step. I will have to see how easy it is to obtain.

Do any of you dose iodide? Could this be a reason my coraline is diminishing? I saw some of that "Purple up" stuff and it looks like it is just calcium and iodide. Is purple up really all that great, or is it just more of what I am doing already?

[aquadoc]

I use the tropic marin pro as well. I absolutely love it. It dissolves extremely fast, and ready to use instantly after dissolving. Plus not to mention it has over 70 different trace minerals in it. It is alittle pricey.....butt the outcome is well worth it! I have noticed my sps coloring up tremendously, and some changing colors.

[Ed]

Another vote for Tropic Marin. I'm in the process of switching from Crystal Sea Marinemix Bioassay to Tropic Marin and have had no problems at all.

[Ram_Puppy]

guys, I have a couple bags of the Seachem salt, I plan on doing the first waterchange in my cube next weekend, and I am heading out to CB... I told Richard I would bring him some freshly mixed from my RO/DI water for him to test.

I did use a little bit of it to make up the difference on my tank when I put the new tank up, and it mixed rapidly but as I added it directly to a tank that is mostly reef-crystals salt I can't say much beyond that.

I don know that I really like SeaChem as a company though, they make top notch products.

[GaryP]

I liuke the fact that they mainly sell dry products, not RO water like some others.

[TexasTodd]

loans n fishes...............what are you keeping, or, do you want to keep in your system?

Fish and rocks....1.022 salinity o.k., corals you probably want to bump it up some. Most of us run 1.025 or so.

Most people I know (myself included) who have ever had CA precipitation in their tanks, were using B-Ionic at the time.

I'd stay with IO, make sure your RO/DI water is perfect, and do a 50% water change. Then test test test.

JMA,

Todd