What salt to use?

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rdefino

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I'm using crystal sea salt right now. But is that the best to use? Can some salts have a high PH reading? What salt is the best to use? Can I just change salt at any time without causing problems to the tanks?

Thanks
 
The Instant Ocean and similar products claim to not increase PH. Are you using aquariums salt like the kind that come in a box?
 
I also use Instant Ocean. I've heard some good things about the Oceanic brand and I'm probably going to give it a try. You can't go wrong with IO though. Always test your pH, alk, and calcium before adding freshly mixed (and aged) SW though as there is some variance in salt batches.
 
read my post on Instant Ocean. It seems many batches of it will always test .25 for ammonia after mixing. I called the company and they confirmed that the product has traces of ammonia in each batch but hardly enough to cause fish any stress. But with all the talk about having ZERO ammonia on this board I wonder if we should all boycot this company.
 
IO is good salt, but my friend had good results with Oceanic so I switched over and I like this salt as well and it is cheaper then IO.
 
I've been using Instant Ocean, and have heard good things about Oceanic. I haven't had any ammonia spikes after using Instant Ocean though. But that doesn't mean I won't sometime though.
 
just fyi oceanic has ha CA content, so just make sure you are watching it or you might end up with snowstorms, but let me tell you its amazing for corals.
 
Instant Ocean here as well. I can't say as I've ever had ammonia spikes either. And I mix my salt water in big 20-gallon tubs, so I do go through a lot of it. I have read an article somewhere that compared IO and Reef Crystals. IO was rated much better for FOWLR tanks, while Reef Crystals was better for a reef tank. I haven't read anything on the Oceanic brand.

If you do intend on switching salt, do it slowly, not all at once. Mix up one batch with 4 parts IO and 1 part Oceanic, next batch 3 parts IO and 2 Oceanic, and so on, until you've made the switch completely. Unless you've got a serious issue and need to do emergency intervention, you NEVER want to do anything that's going cause sudden changes in a marine environment, no matter how subtle they might sound at first.

--Aquabear
 
I use IO it is ok, the ting I don't like is that it does not dissolve very fast even at 80f, I still have to stir it about with my powerhead. Is it worth trying something else?
 
Wolf said:
Is it a bad idea to mix salts together reguraly?

I'm not sure why you'd want to. It doesn't "build up" like shampoo, so there's no reason to change in order for it to remain effective. And when you think of the investment you've already made (i.e., tank, rocks, fish, etc.), saving 50 cents by buying a cheaper brand of salt seems hardly worth the trade if you upset the balance in your tank and things start dying, doesn't it? Part of the key to a successful marine tank is consistency, and if you start changing the basic chemistry of your tank(s), you just might upset the balance of the ecosystem.

Honestly, DO NOT SKIMP on your supplies, especially one as basic as salt. Find one that works for you and stick with it. If I found out that Instant Ocean was going out of business, I would stock up with about 20 bags and do the transition to a new salt very, very slowly.

And as far as dissolving, yes, Instant Ocean does take some time to dissolve completely, but most salts do. And once the salt has dissolved, the other chemicals and compounds take a while to break up completely. Even the ones that claim to be faster will usually recommend letting it take a little longer than the minimum time. Again, don't rush...if you add salt compounds that aren't completely dissolved, you might see a saline spike once the salts finish breaking up in your tank.

Instant Ocean recommends 48 hours for complete dissolution...I use this as my minimum. I mix 30-40 gallons at a time...I add my RO water, a few drops of Prime for slimecoat, my salt, two powerheads and a pre-calibrated heater, throw on the lid and leave it alone. 24 hours later, I check my salinity to see if it needs an adjustment and let it continue to cook. By the time I get ready to use it, it's exactly the right temperature, everything is completely dissolved and it's fully aerated. As long as you plan ahead, the waiting time is minimal.

I've had one or two emergencies where I needed some salt water quickly and couldn't wait for natural dissolution, so I added 1 cup of IO to some distilled water and brought it to a boil. The heat greatly speeds up the dissolution rate (I knew Home Economics would come in handy some day). Then add this to enough room temperature water to bring it down to 80 degrees and it gave me enough water to tide me over until I could get some prepared correctly. I don't recommend this method for standard practice, just a matter of urgency, and if you use it, be very careful not to scald your fish.

--Aquabear
 
I was advised to use Oceanic for a reef tank, but Instant Ocean is fine for a FO tank. There are trace elements required for a reef in Oceanic salt. I'm dosing with calcium, for example, until my Instant Ocean is gone.
 
I was advised to use Oceanic for a reef tank, but Instant Ocean is fine for a FO tank. There are trace elements required for a reef in Oceanic salt. I'm dosing with calcium, for example, until my Instant Ocean is gone.
 
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