switching salt soon

[bignose]

thanks everyone lots of good info here. I've also noticed some small flakes at the bottom of my mixing tub.

[daniella3d]

Yes, no big deal, but still not pure sea salt

However I am not sure what is the crystalic shiny deposite, as it is not ferric oxide. I use ferric oxyde and it is not shiny.

Originally Posted by Myka

Hmm, haven't had that. However, ferric oxide is simply GFO minus the G. Ferric oxide is a fancy way to say rust. Not a big deal...however I'm not sure having the GFO mixed in the salt is really a good thing.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by daniella3d

always have had a brown deposite, sort of shiny, with H2O and I tried 3 buckets with the same result. After writing to DD they said it was due to ferric oxide they add...

Originally Posted by daniella3d

However I am not sure what is the crystalic shiny deposite, as it is not ferric oxide. I use ferric oxyde and it is not shiny.

Originally Posted by Myka

I find H2Ocean mixes cleaner than IO, with IO leaving flakes or stuff on the bottom of the tub (some are shiny!?!)

I am mistaken, it is my H2Ocean tub that gets the shiny flakes. Sorry, I have a tub of IO and a tub of H2Ocean.

Ya, I think their reasoning behind the shiny flakes being FO is kinda weird. For one, why would they add FO to the salt mix anyway? For two, since when is FO shiny? I'm not overly concerned about it because the salt seems to work just fine, but it doesn't make me go "Huh?". I just don't dump the flakes in the tank.

[gobytron]

IMO, salt is salt.
I have used many of the major brands out there and have never noticed any significant difference.

there are some slightly different elemantal make ups with some brands claiming to tweak this or that but at the end of ever bucket mixed, you still test and adjust accordingly, regardless of what brand you use.

I read an article some time ago, I cannot rememeber where but it was back when H2Ocean first came out and made everyone feel like they needed to spend 90$on a bucket of salt to give their reefs the "best" possible care and it was talking about how so many brands actually are derived from the same places, using the same process.

I've never used a salt that mixed perfectly to match my system parameters...


I now use seachem reef salt...
why?

because it mixes the clearest the fastest...

I used to really like Tropic Marin Pro for this same reason, but you cant get it out here anymore.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by Myka

I am mistaken, it is my H2Ocean tub that gets the shiny flakes. Sorry, I have a tub of IO and a tub of H2Ocean.

Ya, I think their reasoning behind the shiny flakes being FO is kinda weird. For one, why would they add FO to the salt mix anyway? For two, since when is FO shiny? I'm not overly concerned about it because the salt seems to work just fine, but it doesn't make me go "Huh?". I just don't dump the flakes in the tank.

I use H2Ocean. I mix it in a mixing bin with an old pump. I put the salt in and let it circulate for a day or so... and leave the pump running the entire time I have a mixture in the bin. I have not experienced any flakes in the bottom.

The directions state do not use H2Ocean for 24 hours. Is it possible you are seeing the flakes before it has had the proper time to dissolve?

That is one thing I don't like about H2O, the wait time as in the past I can use my salt by the time I remove the waste water.

BUT it gave me a reason to set up a proper reservoir ha ha!


I have used IO in the past and have no regrets from leaving it. Went to Sea Chem Reef Salt and then to Bio-Sea when Sea Chem became hard to find for some weird reason. H2Ocean.... got so many good reviews from reefers, I figured why not.

[gobytron]

If anyone can show any actual eveidence that one salt is superior to another through a direct controlled comparison I would be shocked.

Anyone?

[lastlight]

I've considered switching to the new aqua vitro stuff since it has batch test data on the pail directly usually and if not you can look it up. It costs more than the reef crystals I use but I figured I could save myself doing 3 tests on each batch of water. The more I've thought about it tho I'm not so sure. You still have settling in the pail etc and I roll my pails but still...you just don't *know* unless you test. So I'm sticking with my cheapish reef crystals. Just wish it didn't look like someone took a dump in my mix tank after I drain the water out.

I never have to adjust Ca or Alk as both are a bit elevated which is nice. Burn through lots of Mg tho.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by paddyob

The directions state do not use H2Ocean for 24 hours. Is it possible you are seeing the flakes before it has had the proper time to dissolve?

My saltwater mixes for a week before I use it. When I do each weekly water change I fill the bin back up, and get it mixing right away.

[paddyob]

Well then!

[amoreira]

I don't worry about the Calcium, Magnesium or Alk of the mix I use in water changes as I use a calcium reactor. There's nothing like aragonite calcium reactor media to suppliment your tank with the right balance of alk, Ca, Mg, Sr and other trace elements. Aragonite has these all in the right ratios (with the exception of alk) that occur naturally. I'm a big fan of calcium reactors to eliminate your dosing headaches.