Looking to switch Salt

[thesassyindian]

Hello folks,
TL;Dr; I am looking to switch salts and looking for suggestions.

Currently using Red Sea Coral Pro (black bucket) and need to find a salt that mixes cleaner.
This one leaves a brown residue that etches itself into the Home Depot buckets, and coats my heater and mixing powerheads.
Plus, I land up dosing Alk, Ca, Mg anyway, so the black bucket doesn't seem too economical at $85 for a 175gal bucket.

Thanks,
TSI

 

[Prestondeeply]

No salt suggestions, but I read that mixing salt water first at room temp and then heat before WC is recommended. When I went with this model, I get less brown salts built up on the pump and heater. So, to be clear:
1 Add salt and wait for 5 minutes.
2 Add/turn on pump...minimum of 20 minutes for IORC, which is what I'm using.
3 An hour before WC, add heater.

I mix in a white OSH bucket.....and this method does reduce the brown salts. Still some there, just reduced.

-Andrew

 

[Darkxerox]

Tropic Marin and ESV salt mix the cleanest in my experience. Could always go natural sea water since you have a small tank too.

 

[B the Nano Reefer]

How are you mixing the salt? Are you storing the mixed saltwater for an extended period of time?

I’ve used coral pro for three years and have heard of, but never experienced this personally. Though, in my case, I mix the salt in a 5g jug, use it within 2 hour and rinse out the jug immediately for storage until the next water change

 

[thesassyindian]

I mix to 1.026 SG and then heat to 77F. The brown residue forms 2-3 hours in.
Typically I mix my salt 4 hours before a water change (5 gal), and use all of it.

 

[B the Nano Reefer]

I wonder if you’re adding the salt too quickly? You have to pour the salt into the water very slowly for coral pro.

I mix manually, don’t bring my water to tamp and use within a couple hours, so can’t relate in terms of a heater or pump staying in the water for several hours while mixing.

 

[Zumareef]

Fritz pro has been great for my reef, mixes clean and is priced well.

 

[IOnceWasLegend]

Fritz pro has been great for my reef, mixes clean and is priced well.

Seconding this. I was getting sick of the residue from red sea salt; I use the blue box Fritz salt and love it.

 

[Srt4eric]

Fritz blue box

 

[RandyC]

Fritz blue box

You guys don’t see a drop in alk with fritz if you leave it there for even a day? I tried fritz years ago and no matter how I mixed it, the alk would drop daily. It would eventually bottom out at around 5 dkh just after a few days. Is it mo’ betta now?

Post in thread 'Fritz salt'
https://www.bareefers.org/forum/threads/fritz-salt.20312/post-304155

 

[RandyC]

Oh, for what it’s worth, I’ve been using Red Sea blue bucket for years now. I do get a little bit of brown precipitation at the bottom, but it takes a good number months (more than 6) to be noticeable enough that I feel like I should clean it.

It’s been at least three months since I’ve cleaned this brute container. I make at least weekly usually.

 

[richiev]

Oh, for what it’s worth, I’ve been using Red Sea blue bucket for years now. I do get a little bit of brown precipitation at the bottom, but it takes a good number months (more than 6) to be noticeable enough that I feel like I should clean it.

It’s been at least three months since I’ve cleaned this brute container. I make at least weekly usually.

View attachment 49787

wow, my Red Sea (black) barrel and everything looks awful, though I don't use it right away usually.

Also fwiw, I see Red Sea drop daily in Alk as well. I've seen in my garage 30 gallons drop almost 1dkh in a day. Though I also just discovered I had a small gas leak in my garage from a loose dryer gas line, so maybe somehow that elevated the CO2 levels in the garage?

 

[JVU]

Tropic Marin Pro-Reef.

 

[BAYMAC]

wow, my Red Sea (black) barrel and everything looks awful, though I don't use it right away usually.

Also fwiw, I see Red Sea drop daily in Alk as well. I've seen in my garage 30 gallons drop almost 1dkh in a day. Though I also just discovered I had a small gas leak in my garage from a loose dryer gas line, so maybe somehow that elevated the CO2 levels in the garage?

Pretty sure natural gas has to be burned to release CO2, but you got me thinking on the differences on my various mixing stations over the years and how ones worked better then others. The stations I had in tightly contained spaces like in cabinets or closets didn't perform as well. They were with sumps, etc. It was typical for them to have dropping alk. My station in large rooms didn't have that, well besides one, and that place had ventilation issues and Ph was always an issue (truck loads of Kalk were dosed there). Same salt used at all places. Of course there are a ton of variables, so this is just me speculating out loud.

 

[richiev]

Pretty sure natural gas has to be burned to release CO2, but you got me thinking on the differences on my various mixing stations over the years and how ones worked better then others. The stations I had in tightly contained spaces like in cabinets or closets didn't perform as well. They were with sumps, etc. It was typical for them to have dropping alk. My station in large rooms didn't have that, well besides one, and that place had ventilation issues and Ph was always an issue (truck loads of Kalk were dosed there). Same salt used at all places. Of course there are a ton of variables, so this is just me speculating out loud.

I actually was wondering if CO, which I believe would be present in a gas leak, could cause a pH drop. My quick search said CO was more water soluble than CO2, but I don't know if that has a pH ramification.

 

[thesassyindian]

About to buy a Fritz Blue Box from Neptune today.
Thank you all for your feedback!
Hopefully it mixes cleaner than the awful Red Sea black.

@IOnceWasLegend , @Srt4eric - does the Fritz blue box come with smaller bags in it or a single large bag?

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

After trying many others for years I have now been using Instant Ocean for at least the last 8 years. It's reliable, mixes clean, inexpensive, and can be stored seemingly forever and remain stable.

 

[Darkxerox]

About to buy a Fritz Blue Box from Neptune today.
Thank you all for your feedback!
Hopefully it mixes cleaner than the awful Red Sea black.

@IOnceWasLegend , @Srt4eric - does the Fritz blue box come with smaller bags in it or a single large bag?

I know you have a smaller tank, so if you want small bags, the Two Little Fishies salt comes in preweighed 5 gallon bags https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/a...6_BGMFV5rOggQ-22KBi3WCHqnYq_4-bIaAqBiEALw_wcB

Not sure if any LFS carries it locally though.

 

[IOnceWasLegend]

About to buy a Fritz Blue Box from Neptune today.
Thank you all for your feedback!
Hopefully it mixes cleaner than the awful Red Sea black.

@IOnceWasLegend , @Srt4eric - does the Fritz blue box come with smaller bags in it or a single large bag?

I've only bought the 200 gallon size; but it's one large bag. However, it does come with a reusable zip tie to seal it off, and it's worked fairly well for me.

 

[BAYMAC]

I know you have a smaller tank, so if you want small bags, the Two Little Fishies salt comes in preweighed 5 gallon bags https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/a...6_BGMFV5rOggQ-22KBi3WCHqnYq_4-bIaAqBiEALw_wcB

Not sure if any LFS carries it locally though.

I never did get to try my sample I know Jake Adams had only but praises for it.

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