[KarenH]

We do a lot of water changes and would like to switch from Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to something with a lower metal content (per the study that was on Reef Central).

What kind of salt do you use, why, and where do you buy it? We're especially interested in finding Crystal Sea salt--none of our regular haunts seem to carry it.

Thanks,
Dave & Karen

 

[Graham]

KarenH,

I got your PM...

As you mentioned, I now use the Crystal Sea Bioassay marinemix.
I order it from Aquatic Ecosystems in the 150 gallon mix box. It's $28.90, and with shipping to MN, it came to around $42. http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/index.icl?referer=&eflag=2

Yes, it's a smaller quantity than IO, but if it's cleaner, it must be worth it. I used to see it around here a bit and I'm sure that we could influence a LFS or two to pick it up. Travis?

If anyone switches to "cleaner" salts, I would strongly advise changing over gradually. I was a bonehead and did nearly a 1/3 change with Crystal Sea in a tank that used IO for over two years. Well, I had a little bit of bleaching occur and finally now 2 months later things are getting back to normal. I would suggest changing less than 10% for the first several changes - at least until half the system's total volume is from the new salt mix....just a suggestion.

 

[Minnreefer]

I don't want to start a big thread on the differences of salt, that has been done here and everywhere else, I would suggest to wait for the response from IO (which I talked to their research PHD guy and will be posted on RC soon) I am not planing to change salt soon.

JMHO

Jon

 

[Graham]

No offense Jon, but I would probably tend to believe an independent study before I believed the "words" of a fella that works for the company who's product he is "analyzing"....I mean, what would you expect him to say?

Reefs.org is currently pooling money for a wide-range study of the major brands - if we should wait for something, I would suggest that we wait for that.

I know that since my switch to Crystal Sea, I have noticed (after the slight bleaching of some corals) much thicker sponge, pod, and overall critter populations/growth. The corals are also coloring up better than ever before. Coincidence? maybe, but aside from the initial reaction of some corals, it was apparently a winning move.

 

[Minnreefer]

I understand what you are saying Graham and I agree with you. I am saying that people should not trust one source and should look at the tests that are done and the way that the test are done.

JMHO

 

[dirk griffin]

salt

There was some chatter about this at IMAC, and to stay sort of neutral, like Jon says this is only one study. The things I heard are dismissing many of the claims being said. So who really knows what is right/wrong or a little of this and part of that. I have mentioned to many of you over the years I have used many....salts.
IMO it doesn't matter, if you do the H2o changes bi weekly/monthly as long as they get done, good!! My luck/experience has not changed because of the type/kind of salt I'm using,ever! If things were that bad they would be enough supportto put those salts out of business. As far as I see that is not happening. There are a lot of nice tanks/systems with beautiful corals/fish using "bad" salts, sure doesn't make any sense to me!!!!!

 

[clyde]

that study was interesting to read, I have to admit,

but it didnt make me run out and buy new salt, because I dont breed urchins

anyway, dr ron doesnt even use Crystal Sea Bioassay marinemix salt himself, he prefers the BioSea Marinemix by MEI, when asked in his forum a month or two ago..

 

[trung]

Hmm, maybe that's why my urchins are not doing too well. I've been using the not-so-good Kent Marine salt that I got from Dirk.

Of course, it could be that I confine them to the refugium with only 2 pieces of rocks and almost no grape caulerpa left because they and the two mithrax crabs have eaten all the algae.

If somebody wants urchins to do their own experiments with salt brands, I have 8 or 9 starving urchins you can have for free.

 

[Graham]

FWIW,

I used Crystal Sea for the first 3 years I was in the hobby.
I switched to IO because the bandwagon used it.

I switched back to my "old faithful" after the study came out because I have no strong attachment to IO and I feel that larval survivability in marine systems, regardless of what Phyla are represented, is a very good indicator of water quality.

I will say that the difference between IO and Crystal Sea is enough to make four 2+ year-old corals bleach somewhat. If there wasn't a difference, I wager I wouldn't have seen that happen. They are all recovered/recovering and I am happy with my choice...though my next few water changes have been and will be 5 gallons at a time!

 

[otolith]

Graham, any chance that just doing a 30% water change in and of itself could have been enough to make some of your corals bleach? My tank crashed after I had to do an accidental 30% water change, but I'm sure that part of that was due to my water quality not being the best that it could be. I'm not really sure what to make of larval survivability and how that would compare to the quality of the salt. I guess I'd like to see the experiment repeated before jumping to conclusions.
Derek

 

[Graham]

Derek,

Up to that point, all my water changes were of 30 gallons - never had a problem. I guess there's always a possibility, but 2.5 years of 30 gallon changes with the same salt never gave those results.

I would think that larval survivability would be tied to heavy metals in the solution. I'd tend to specualte they'd influence certain enzymatic pathways if nothing else. Given the small mass of the organism as compared to it's surface area, I think that high ionic concentrations would affect its metabolism to a relatively higher degree than a grown animal - especially metals. Of course, some organisms may indeed be more susceptible to certain metals / compounds...I don't know. I figured it was worth a try...and so far I'm happy with the switch (though I was a bit stressed when a few corals started going blonde)...

 

[roon21]

It is a never ending battle who's salt is better kind of like the candy bar theory

 

[Havre]

Less filling!...Tastes Great!...Less Filling!.....Tastes Great!.....Less Filling!.....Tastes Great!.....Less filling!.....Tastes Great!