I'm changing salt

[daniella3d]

I too tried a lot of different salt, and did not have a good experience with zoanthids and H2O because my zoanthids stopped growing and many shriveled as well. I returned to IO but using Reef crystal and my zoanthids grew large and healthy again and now are starting to reproduce. 25$ less for a bucket, so it's a no brainer. I still had to dose with H2O anyway, so that did not change at all. I am very happy with Reef Crystal and the way my zoanthids are growing and gaining in size again.

I have never seen that Nature salt sold here in Montreal.

[spawn]

I use reef crystals and on my last water change finally tested it. When testing the alk I stopped wasting my test fluid at 15 drops. Elos kit & the water was still baby blue. so I'm done with that. I just ordered a box of Reefers Best last night, it cost more to get it because of shipping but I'm hoping it will test better.

[spawn]

Also, I wonder if a batch tests good for Ca & Mg, but is high on alk, is there a way to bring down the alk? thanks

[MitchM]

The thing about evaporated salt water mixes is that it's not just a straight forward "evaporate the sea water then add R/O water to get the same sea water back."

As sea water evaporates the ions form insoluble compounds, like calcium carbonate and gypsum. It won't just rehydrate back into Red Sea (or where ever) seawater. The company will have to add something else to minimize the residue that would be left over in your mixing container.

I'm not saying that it's bad, just something that you need to be aware of. It's not quite as pure or simple as advertised.

[daniella3d]

I guess it's a matter of each tank because despite the Reef Crystal having high alkalinity I still have to add a full 100ml of sodium carbonate each day to my tank just in order to keep it at 7 KH, never mind raising it. The thing about salt mix is you have to pounder what is essential for your aquarium and the cost of the salt mix and how much you will need to dose. If reef crystal raise your alkalinity too much then you should definitly go with a salt that has lower alkalinity. I am also wondering what salinity you use and how you mesure it because I never really got that high alkalinity with Reef Crystal and I use 1.025 with a refractometer. Are you mesuring your salinity with a hydrometer or a refractometer?

Originally Posted by spawn

I use reef crystals and on my last water change finally tested it. When testing the alk I stopped wasting my test fluid at 15 drops. Elos kit & the water was still baby blue. so I'm done with that. I just ordered a box of Reefers Best last night, it cost more to get it because of shipping but I'm hoping it will test better.

[mattdean]

I just bought 4 pails of Royal Nature Salt. Oakville Reef Gallery had it on sale for $45 a pail! There are a few local guys using it and they love it. I've been using H2Ocean and have had no problems, however, I have had several small Zoa colonies shrivel up on me, and i LOVE my zoas! I wonder if it's the same problem Dniella3d had.

Hoping this new salt is good. I don't like changing and would hope I can stick with this for a long time.

[spawn]

Testing with a refracometer @ 1.026 & tested the Alk twice because I couln't believe it. So is there anything to do to drop it in that case? Greg if you are stocking that salt I'll give it a try. I think I'm going to try mixing it up a bit going forward, in terms of water changes. I do them weekly, but only 10% so I think I'm going to rotate through a few types based on the Awesome TOM salt theory. It sounds right & looks even better. cheers

[daniella3d]

Could be. I went with the reef crystal because I went to visit a zoanthids collector in the USA and bought a few rare zoa from him and I had never seen such huge polyps with such great coloration. He was using reef crystal from the begining and had good success with it. when I first started I was using Instant Ocean and my zoanthids were growing really well.

Originally Posted by mattdean

I just bought 4 pails of Royal Nature Salt. Oakville Reef Gallery had it on sale for $45 a pail! There are a few local guys using it and they love it. I've been using H2Ocean and have had no problems, however, I have had several small Zoa colonies shrivel up on me, and i LOVE my zoas! I wonder if it's the same problem Dniella3d had.

Hoping this new salt is good. I don't like changing and would hope I can stick with this for a long time.

[Magma]

im using IO Reef Crystals and my zoas seem to be growing, also my mushrooms and acans have been growing like mad.

I think I will have to invest in a good test kit soon (just have a API kit) and figure out if I should start dosing my tanks or not.

[cwatkins]

Originally Posted by mseepman

Right now, the only place I know of that sells Royal Nature is Oceanic Corals in Aldergrove. I was planning to pick some up when my current Reefer's Best box runs low. They don't list it on their site yet, but their blog talks about having it in stock.

I just picked one up yesterday for the $60 boxing day price from OC in Aldergrove. From what I have heard and read, it's very similar to H2Ocean. It may even come out of the same salt facility in Israel.

The plastic bag and zip tie inside the bucket are exactly the same as H2Ocean as well.

The bucket will last me 6mos. I'll see how it works out.

He had a dozen or two buckets left if anyone is interested.