Instant Ocean salt

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MarkW19

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Mar 25, 2004
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Is it right that this is "fish only" salt, and requires additives (iodine, strontium etc.) to be added to the water if this is the salt used?

These are test results from someone who tested the salt for trace elements:

http://www.aquacraft.net/w0014.html

I'm mainly concerned about iodine, strontium and any other trace elements that my corals need. How does it do in the test for them?
 
Is it right that this is "fish only" salt

NO.

Several recent studies have been done showing trace element levels and while the IO levels are not inflated as high as some other salt mixes you are not in any way limited to only using it for FO setups unless you dose. I use IO still on my reefs with NO dosing.
 
Good! :)

I don't want to be dosing anything when I start with my corals.

Do you run carbon by the way? Apparently (from the Kent Marine site) their carbon takes out a lot of trace elements which have to be added back in?
 
Apparently (from the Kent Marine site) their carbon takes out a lot of trace elements which have to be added back in?

Exactly. If you do insist on using carbon only use it for 1 week a month to help clairfy the water.
 
If I only use it for 3-4 days each month, then take it out, will I definitely not have any problems with the trace elements etc. then, and it won't cause any other problems?

Do you think it's necessary? I don't have a skimmer.
 
Every bit of research I have done on carbon refutes what Kent Marine says about carbon removing trace elements. It just not true. Perhaps it is with their carbon, however, as I have never used it.
 
Okie...

Can anyone suggest a make of carbon here in the UK, other than Kent?
 
Biggen: would you mind replying to my chlorine/chlorides thread? ;)
 
If you dont plan on doing water changes then you will need to add trace elements regardless of what kind of salt mix you use. I would avocate a skimmer aswell. Regular water changes on a lightly stocked tank of corals will do the replenishment of elements for you.
 
My tank is 40g, and my corals are:

2 x button polyps, 2 x star polyps, 2 x mushroom corals, 1 x long-polyped toadstool leather, 1 x kenya tree coral.

I do a 20% waterchange every 2 weeks.

Am I ok without additives?

Would you suggest using carbon at all?
 
MarkW19 said:
My tank is 40g, and my corals are:

2 x button polyps, 2 x star polyps, 2 x mushroom corals, 1 x long-polyped toadstool leather, 1 x kenya tree coral.

I do a 20% waterchange every 2 weeks.

Am I ok without additives?

Would you suggest using carbon at all?

Mark,

I run carbon from this shop, I trust this LFS & alot of people do, he runs the shop more as a extension of the hobby.. I switched to his brand of carbon & the water looks better for longer IMHO... He will also be getting the new Tropic Marin Pro reef salt in soon which has slightly higher levels in for a reef tank(!) Of course as a member of that uk board you get a discount from him if you quote your membership name on your order :)

Email him about the carbon for more details

http://www.coralgarden.co.uk/

Cheers Shelton.
 
Is it ok to mix different makes of salt then? I've been using Instant Ocean since day one...

I guess all the salt will be changed over to the Tropic Marin after a good few water changes, but in the meantime is it ok to have a mixture of salts in the tank? Will the fish/inverts be ok with it? Will this salt give exactly the same SG and pH as my current salt?

Do you personally add any trace elements to the water? And how often do you run/replace carbon yourself?
 
Right I have been running IO & will change to TM pro when Steve (Coral Gardens) gets it in, it should make no difference swopping salts, just make your water change up from one brand (don't mix different brands dry) & add it to the tank as normal.

You will have to test the mix to find out how much you need to add, as an example I require 40grams per ltr of IO to get 1.025 which my tank is at. I have a small box of the New TM which I tried today for the first time & when I mixed it yesterday it only took 38g per ltr to get 1.025, as the salt takes on moisture each time you open the bucket it will take more g per ltr to get the same SG.

The Pro version has slightly higher levels of all trace elements as it works on the theory that a reef uses more than a FO tank.... As to the PH I can't answer that as it depends what your tank is now? I /beleive/ they say it mixes up at between 8.2-8.4 which is what you want the tank to be anyways?

Atm I add Iodine once every 10 days as I have a lot of inverts in my small tank, but I will test levels to see whether I need it with the new salt...

I run 6 heaped tablespoons of GAC in my external filter & it gets changed once every 3 weeks, so I basically run it all the time, but thats just MHO as you can see by other on here

Cheers Shelton.
 
Cool, cheers.

I'm just wondering if all salt makes give the same SG and pH when mixed (using the same amount of water and salt)?

For instance, I use 750g salt in a waterchange which gets me to 1.024, and pH 8.2. Will the Tropic Marin be exactly the same?

You've not had any problems with this guy's carbon taking out trace elements then, or any other problems? And your water chemistry stays good and exactly the same during the 3 weeks of carbon use?

Is it better to use it all the time or for short burts of 3-4 days each month?
 
MarkW19 said:
What make of carbon is it? :)

Its this one here:

http://www.shop-coralgarden.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=194

Not cheap, but it does the job & I think you get what you pay for? Email Steve at that shop for more details, he really is friendly, tell him Shelton said he doesn't bite :lol:

MarkW19 said:
Cool, cheers.

I'm just wondering if all salt makes give the same SG and pH when mixed (using the same amount of water and salt)?

For instance, I use 750g salt in a waterchange which gets me to 1.024, and pH 8.2. Will the Tropic Marin be exactly the same?

You've not had any problems with this guy's carbon taking out trace elements then, or any other problems? And your water chemistry stays good and exactly the same during the 3 weeks of carbon use?

Is it better to use it all the time or for short burts of 3-4 days each month?

As I say, I did use IO & that required slightly more salt, but it was towards the end of the bucket, so the salt would have moisture in it? I can't comment on the PH, but it would almost 100% between 8-8.4, but I don't even think the manufacturers of any salt brand would give you a cast iron guarantee? Do you have an electronic PH tester? if so just test the mix before you add it to your tank?

I have no probelsm with my tank running GAC all the time, others may not? Steve (Coral Gardens) would give you a better answer to that as its what he uses & has done for a number of years?

Cheers Shelton.
 
Again I used up what I had & then swopped, I would "estimate" there are a good 6-10 changes at my rate in a bag, so thats about 6 months worth?

Cheers Shelton.
 
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