Salt

[Emelinda76]

What is the best reef salt?

 

[Zer0]

There is no best really... some just have different things, and different amounts. I use Seachem Reef Salt. It's amazing, IMO. No algae issues and my pH is always balanced and my calcium is always spot on. It's what i choose over Oceanic and IO. I'll most likely keep using Seachem unless they discontinue it. Which they probably won't.

 

[Emelinda76]

Do you have to add any supplements to water?if yes, which ones?

 

[Zer0]

You shouldn't. Unless your tank is completely jam packed with SPS and other coral, you shouldn't have to dose anything. Water changes will replenish any trace elements needed like calcium, iodine, etc..

 

[Emelinda76]

Even if using RO water?

diablito

 

[Emelinda76]

What is sps?

diablito

 

[austinsdad]

Some like Oceanic when looking for higher calcium numbers.

 

[thominil]

Most people will give you different answers since everyone has a different experience, in other words, what works for one may not work for another. For me, Intant Ocean always mixed well and I really had no problems with it except for the calcium which was on the low side to me. Your salt will buffer your water to the proper levels, the only supplement I ever really had to use was calcium. Try to stray from using a lot of buffers since they make the tank unstable. As Zer0 said, a simple water change will correct any fault in the water such as a low pH or Ca level.

 

[Emelinda76]

I was using instant sea salt but would have ph of 8.4 or 8.6 .. Just changed to tropic Marin reef salt. Let's see how it goes. Also my nitrate spiked to two above normal levels... The nitrite are undetectable . Ammonia between zero n one level above normal.
Ca at 500 n magnesium doesn't go above 800 The salinity is at 1.025 so trying to see how manage better levels... Oh n using RO water

diablito

 

[Emelinda76]

Kh is between 9 & 11

diablito

 

[mr_X]

what is your alk at if your calcium reads 500? is this an API test kit by any chance?

 

[Emelinda76]

what is your alk at if your calcium reads 500? is this an API test kit by any chance?

It's 3.6. Red sea test kit

diablito

 

[mr_X]

3.6 DKH is very low. it needs to be between 8 and 12. 10 would be excellent. are you adding any calcium additives? if so, you need to stop immediately. you need an alk buffer like baking soda.
here is some reading for you-
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm

 

[bavass]

I started using Reef Crystals, didnt care much for it switced to Seachem Reef Salt got a lot of different readings. I am now using Red Sea Coral Pro I am on my 4th bucket and love it. I have not tried the new formula yet will be ordering my first bucket next week. I have been tempted to try Tropic Marin the LFS tried it and made the switch and they love it.

 

[Emelinda76]

3.6mpl reading is alkalinity n 10-13 is my kh reading

 

[mr_X]

i don't think that's accurate then. if your calcium was truly 500, you wouldn't be able to have a 10-13 kh.

 

[Emelinda76]

I'll test again today.. But I have been testing kh daily n ca weekly.. Stopped testing for alkalinity as I was told I didn't have to as It was more important to test the Kh... I was have been adding addictives to increase the kh from 6 when I started.... The ca reading has always been from 450 to 550... N I use the most expensive ca test kit which is 36.99... Should I use different one?

 

[mr_X]

KH is just a measure of alkalinity. they are the same really. alkalinity is very important in a reef tank. how are you not testing for alk? isn't this the test kit you are using?
Red Sea Alkalinity Pro Lab Test Kit

you may very well have a 550 on your calcium test, but if so, your alk is going to be low.

 

[Emelinda76]

KH is just a measure of alkalinity. they are the same really. alkalinity is very important in a reef tank. how are you not testing for alk? isn't this the test kit you are using?
Red Sea Alkalinity Pro Lab Test Kit

you may very well have a 550 on your calcium test, but if so, your alk is going to be low.

Yes that's the one I'm using.... Here are my levels with red sea test kit... Alkalinity 3.6 mpl which is High according to the card ... Ph 8.2 .. Ammonia o ... Nitrate 5.0.. Nitrites.. O.. Kh by API is now at 9 .. Temp is 77 n the salinity is 1.024...

I retested with new test kit by ..API. N.
All the levels had the same reading.. The Ca was 500 but the. Magnesium was only 800 ...

Why do u think magnesium is still down?

 

[mr_X]

9 isn't bad. i was expecting somewhere around 6 actually. i don't know why the mag is down. do a few water changes with the new salt and tell me what happens to the numbers.