Salt Mixes...Is Coralife "Bad?" - 04/19/07
Guys,
<<Bruce>>
Thanks for all the recent help with my skimmer.
<<Quite welcome I'm sure>>
I have another question regarding salt mixes.
<<Okey-dokey>>
I normally use Kent Salt Mix however, I ran out of that product and there was none available here in the market here in Hong Kong, so I looked around and ended up with Coralife Scientific Grade marine salt mix.
<<Ok>>
While going through your the site looking for reviews I came across one where someone said that they heard that Coralife salt is not recommended for a reef setup (which I have) but for fish only, and one of your crew agreed.
<<Very likely...many opinions here>>
I did not know how long ago the review was posted, forgot to look up the date and lost it.
<<No matter>>
So I am not sure if that review was in relationship the exact brand I bought or an earlier salt mix by Coralife that was not up to it.
<<Likely what you bought>>
My question is, was my choice a bad one?
<<In what sense?  As in are there better salt mixes?...Yes, in my opinion there are.  Or as in will this salt mix destroy your reef?...No, I don't think it will.  But do make changes slowly/keep water changes small to start...just as you would/should do when changing to  any brand of salt mix.  The major issue with Coralife salt is the variation of major elements from batch to batch>>
And if Kent Salt is no longer available here which other brand would you recommend.
<<Tropic Marin, Seachem, and Instant Ocean are all fine products...and would be my choice above the Coralife product>>
I know I may be pushing it with this question but I would be much obliged with a response.
Regards,
Bruce
<<Not "pushing" at all...am happy to assist.  Eric Russell>>

Coralife Sea Salt 7/9/04
Hi, I currently have a 80 gallon saltwater tank. I do have everything necessary to start mainly a soft coral tank of many easy to keep species. Except for the sea salt and the chemicals involved in order to keep the corals alive.
<If you use a good quality sea salt and do regular water changes, you should only need to supplement calcium and alkalinity.  No other "chemicals" are necessary.  My heavily stocked 135g reef tank has been running for a couple of years with no additions except for calcium and alkalinity and 20% monthly water changes.  Some of the corals are growing so fast that they have become pests.>
I currently am using the Coralife brand of sea salt.  I've asked many stores and they said that this is necessarily a bad salt to use for reef tanks. IS THIS TRUE? From what they say the salt is mainly for a fish only aquariums.
<Coralife is not a brand that I personally would choose.  I trust the experience of others who have not been satisfied with it. Good quality salt is good for any marine aquarium use.  If you believe that a brand of salt is not good for reef tanks, you should not consider it suitable for any marine tank.>
But, I was trying to figure out if I can use this current salt in conjunction with SEACHEM'S REEF COMPLETE reef additive. I'm not so sure if this product will have all the necessary additives and more needed to keep the corals alive. If not is there any other additive on the market that comes close to this or that would work well when I put both the Coralife salt and additive together.
<Hmmm...  I think you are looking at this from the wrong angle.  We don't know exactly what is in any brand of salt, so we don't know what may be present in excess or what may be deficient.  The same is true for the additives.  So, how then are we to make a combination that produces a desirable (or even predictable) result?  The better approach is to use a brand of salt that you know has produced consistent and good results and use water changes to maintain levels of trace elements.  You will spend less money in the long run (those additives are expensive!) and have much better results.>
Since any salt on the market does contain some elements: calcium, iodine, etc. in small or balanced amounts.  So, basically
is there a additive that I can use to fully support my tank with corals in conjunction with the other elements and etc. found in the Coralife Sea Salt.  Thank you very much fellow aquarist.....
<Maybe, but who knows?  Instant Ocean, ReefCrystals, Kent and Tropic Marin are examples of good quality salt mixes with long standing solid reputations.  Use one of those, do 20% monthly water changes and save the money you would have spent on additives for more important things like corals!  Best Regards.  Adam>

Trace of ammonia in newly mixed salt water
Hello Bob,
<Steven Pro in this evening.>
I followed your advice and pre-mixed salt water in advance. Just to be sure I tested the premix water (1 week old) and it showed trace of ammonia (0.25).
<Kind of strange>
I then tested the tap water and it read zero. The salt brand I'm using is Coral Life.
<Ugh!>
Now I hesitate to use this premix because of the ammonia level. Please advice.
<If this is fish only, I would probably go ahead and use it. But, if you have any inverts, I would purchase a different salt mix. Perhaps you could use this stuff to de-ice your driveway.>
Thanks, Dung Ngo
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro> 

A Grain of Salt?
I really love and value this site, but the more I read, the more I shake my head and wonder.
<Yep- sometimes I have to bang my head and fall over for a while! Scott F. with you today>
I got my tank with the office I bought 1 1/2 yrs ago and love the steep learning curve. I have a 90gal, wet/dry with 1/3 the bio balls, AIS 90 skimmer, power compacts ( can't remember watts ), Ebo 500 watt heater, 20 gal sump, 2 - 401 power heads, carbon filter bags, live sand with about 75 LB LR( a guess ), 9 med size fish, many mushrooms and 1 small polyp coral.  I do 20-25% water changes every week (as you suggested, nitrates going down again ), RO water, ph 8.3, sg 26-28, nitrites 0, nitrates 20, alk 300, cal. 480, phos. .25.
<Sounds like a good trend! Keep up the good work! I tend to recommend smaller (like 5% twice a week) water changes, but if your schedule is getting results- keep it up!>
I'm wondering based on other guestions, does the salt vary by manufacturer? I'm using Coralife.
<Well- yes- there are various subtle differences in formulations and quality control/consistency. Unfortunately, there are no "standards" within the industry governing the formulation or regulating minimum quality standards, so you have to go with a proven "winner". In my personal opinion (and not being an analytical chemist!), most of the reputable major brands (i.e; Instant Ocean, Coralife, Tropic Marin, etc) are quite good. I worry more about some of the "lower end" brands, in terms of quality control and packaging quality...Other than that- not too much to worry about, IMO.>
If the skimmer should be first in line to receive water
from the display, why do all the wet/dry and sump set ups I see for sale go to the skimmer second?
<I asked myself that, too. Probably more convenient to make in this configuration...not to sure!>
Should I change my set up to use a sump for the skimmer, direct from the display, that will overflow to my wet/dry and so on?
<That, or a dedicated "level flow box" to serve as a skimmer compartment, where it receives a constant level flow of raw water right from the display>
Also, all my rock is about 6-7 yrs old, is it effective/functional enough for now or this way too old? Thanks so much, ..........Mike
<Hey- its probably thousands, if not millions of years old on the reefs...and it works there! I wouldn't be too concerned about long-term "viability" of live rock, as long as it has been maintained in conditions that foster its continued animal growth and condition. Hope this helps you! regards, Scott F>

Mixing, matching synthetic salt mixes
I have a 90 reef setup, I have read at many places that instant ocean salt is the best salt to use, I have been using Coralife, would I create problems if I
switched brands?
<No problems in making this change. No special mixing...>
maybe my next water change could be half of each?
<You can do this "all at once". Bob Fenner>
Thank you in advance ....Kevin 

Instant Ocean vs. Coral Life
I found this special on Instant Ocean salt at my LFS - $50 for 200 gallons. I normally use Coral Life salt ($50 per 150 gallons). In your opinion, is there a difference between the 2?
<IMO/E Instant Ocean is a superior product, in composition and consistency>
What can I expect if I were to change?
<Higher, more stable pH, calcium... resultant incremental better health of livestock, ease of maintenance>
What's the best salt you recommend?
<Tropic Marin, and Tetra (!), if you live in Japan (only place sold). Bob Fenner>
As always, Thanks, Craig