Salt Brands and Starting Parameters

[FishyReef]

Hey everyone,

Given the trouble various people have been having with alk/calc, I'm really curious to learn more about what people are getting right out of the mixing bucket before adding new water to their tanks. I'm wondering how much it is varying with salt brands and age of salt. Can you post the following info (or as much as you have available for the types of test kits you have)?

Salt Brand:
How old the bucket is:
Where the bucket was purchased from:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Magnesium:
Phosphate:
Salinity:
Test kit(s) used:


Thanks!

 

[grozier]

do you need to worry about the calcium and alkalinity if you only have fish?

 

[texreefer]

Salt Brand: Seachem Aquavitro Salinity

How old the bucket is: opened 1 month ago

Where the bucket was purchased from: Fish2morow (LFS)

Alkalinity: 9

Calcium: 427

Magnesium: 1350

Phosphate: 0.00

Salinity: 1.026

Test kit(s) used : Salifert / Elos / Hanna Checkers

 

[chichimom79]

Since restarting the hobby, I am currently almost done with my second bucket of salt. I tested them both once about mid bucket.
Salt Brand: Instant Ocean Reef Crystals
How old the bucket is: This bucket opened about 3-4 months ago. I roll the bucket before opening it and try to stir every few uses
Where the bucket was purchased from: Aquarium Shoppe (LFS)
Alkalinity: 10 (both buckets)
Calcium: 460 ppm (both)
Magnesium: 1320 (tested this bucket only)
Phosphate: 0 (both)
Salinity: mixed to 1.025
Test kit(s) used: API for everything except magnesium which I used Salifert and calcium which I used both API and Salifert and got the same reading.

I really really like Reef Crystals except for the declumping agent they use which leaves a rusty red looking film on and in my mixing bucket powerhead. Hasn't bothered me enough to change brands and my tanks are doing well.

 

[FishyReef]

do you need to worry about the calcium and alkalinity if you only have fish?

As long as your pH is okay, no you don't need to worry about the levels for fish only. I posted this more as a poll of members to see if how different certain brands are from each other and whether time frame makes a difference. I'll post my own levels as soon as I finish testing mag, calc, and phosphate

 

[Munch]

Instant Ocean Sea Salt

Nice thread idea.:Cheers:

This is my first bucket of salt after I got an existing tank from a friend. It's the salt they used so I just stuck with it but I'm interested to see what other brands test at.

Salt Brand: Instant Ocean Sea Salt
How old the bucket is: 6 weeks
Where the bucket was purchased from: Online - BRS
Alkalinity: 11
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1280
Phosphate: 0
Salinity: 1.026
Test kit(s) used: Red Sea

 

[ccCapt]

This is a good reference for different salts...

Synthetic Salt Mixes - Reef Central Online Community

 

[poksal]

Salt Brand: Seachem Aquavitro Salinity

How old the bucket is: opened 1 month ago

Where the bucket was purchased from: Fish2morow (LFS) clip clip

Test kit(s) used : Salifert / Elos / Hanna Checkers

I'm in Keller..:Cheers:

 

[Neno reefs]

oOut of these three salts what do you think is the best one for a reef tank
Coralife Marine Salt | Salt Mix for Saltwater Aquariums
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4685+4871&pcatid=4871
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4685+4856&pcatid=4856

 

[BL1]

It doesn't really matter, they're all the same price so just close your eyes and pick one. Everyone will give you opinions based on what they use, but everyone will like something different.

 

[d2mini]

I have never once measured any parameters of a fresh batch of sw.
Unless I thought there was an issue with the current batch, I don't see the point.
You can see just by reading the sides of the buckets that each brand of salt will vary, some pretty widely. And everyone's tank uses up these trace elements in different amounts. My advice is pick a salt and stick with it. Adjust your dosing to suit.

 

[Bifferwine]

oOut of these three salts what do you think is the best one for a reef tank
Coralife Marine Salt | Salt Mix for Saltwater Aquariums
Saltwater Aquarium Salt Mix: Kent Marine Reef Salt Mix
Saltwater Aquarium Salt: Aquarium Systems Instant Ocean & Reef Crystals Synthetic Sea Salt

I've used all three of those before. I think I like the Kent Marine the best of the three choices. Other people will prefer other salts, though. Like others have said, they are mostly the same. There are minor differences between them which may matter if you are at the point where you have a huge tank of SPS, but any of them are fine for a standard mixed reef tank.

With my tank, I would rotate through three or four different brands, buying whichever one was on sale at the time I needed to buy salt.