D-D H2Ocean Pro Salt

[Weetabix7]

I've gotten my bucket and started using it, but it's too early to report anything of value since I'm still mixing it with the Oceanic for WC's in order to gradually get my tank used to it.

I THINK things look good so far, but like I said, too early to say for sure.

I will probably start on WC's with 100% D-D salt next week.

 

FWIW, it mixes quickly and well for me, but I do see a small bit of sediment in the bottom of the mixing bucket, looks like coarse salt or sand.

[jervismun]

Keep me updated... I am interested to give it a try too

 

Appreciate if you guys can test Mg and Ca at 1.025

[Nick's Reef]

Ordering my small bucket today, I'll test a fresh batch for you guys when I finally get to mixing 100% DD no an IO DD mix.

[silverplanet]

i ordered the small bucket a month ago. i love this salt, mixes easy and my corals like it as well. they are more full and seems the colors are brighter then they where. the salt grains seem bigger to me compared to the tropic marine i was using which was like a powder.

 

Jason

[Nick's Reef]

Ok so two questions, I ran out of IO last week (ironicly the day I purchased the DD!) so how should I acclimate my tank to it? I was thinking doing a very small waterchange then bump it up til' I get to my full 2gal. change.

 

Also how much salt should I add per gallon of r.o./DI water?

 

 

Thanks for any help, my small bucket will be here tomorrow!

[Weetabix7]

^^^ Enough to get your salinity to 1.025.

With every salt mix I've tried, this always ends up being just under 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water.

 

I would say you should just do more frequent small WC's initially til your tank has a chance to adjust. Say maybe 1/2 to 1g WC's every 3 days for a total of 3 WC's. That's what I would do if it were me.

 

I'm still forming my impressions of this salt. So far I am guardedly optimistic. My reason for being guarded is not because of this particular salt, but rather because of the multitude of negative experiences I have had with different salts over the last year.

So far it seems to mix well and relatively quickly. I do always end up with some coarse sediment on the bottom of my bucket and when I empty the bucket out it leaves a little film on it. I'm not sure if this is a negative thing or not. Certainly I would prefer that it didn't but I don't really know if this is something that has any kind of impact on my corals.

I have a pavona coral and a hydnophora coral that are showing better polyp extension than I've seen from them in months, and I am positive that it is because of this salt. My watermelon zoas are having a harder time adjusting to it, but it's not any kind of an extreme negative reaction. I think it's just a part of the adjustment process. On the whole, my tank seems to be responding positively.

My 10g softie/lps tank has responded positively to every WC I've done with it.

I have some water that's been mixing for 2 days with this salt, I'll run some tests and try to post those later today. I'll be honest with you, I probably won't test for Mg even tho I have the kit cause the test takes FOREVER and I just don't have that kind of spare time.

[Nick's Reef]

^^^ Enough to get your salinity to 1.025.

With every salt mix I've tried, this always ends up being just under 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water.

 

I would say you should just do more frequent small WC's initially til your tank has a chance to adjust. Say maybe 1/2 to 1g WC's every 3 days for a total of 3 WC's. That's what I would do if it were me.

 

I'm still forming my impressions of this salt. So far I am guardedly optimistic. My reason for being guarded is not because of this particular salt, but rather because of the multitude of negative experiences I have had with different salts over the last year.

So far it seems to mix well and relatively quickly. I do always end up with some coarse sediment on the bottom of my bucket and when I empty the bucket out it leaves a little film on it. I'm not sure if this is a negative thing or not. Certainly I would prefer that it didn't but I don't really know if this is something that has any kind of impact on my corals.

I have a pavona coral and a hydnophora coral that are showing better polyp extension than I've seen from them in months, and I am positive that it is because of this salt. My watermelon zoas are having a harder time adjusting to it, but it's not any kind of an extreme negative reaction. I think it's just a part of the adjustment process. On the whole, my tank seems to be responding positively.

My 10g softie/lps tank has responded positively to every WC I've done with it.

I have some water that's been mixing for 2 days with this salt, I'll run some tests and try to post those later today. I'll be honest with you, I probably won't test for Mg even tho I have the kit cause the test takes FOREVER and I just don't have that kind of spare time.

Thanks so very much weetie! You use the seachem Mg test right? I have it and it's accurate (the sample tested at exactly 1300) but it does take forever!

[Weetabix7]

Yeah, I have the Seachem Mg test kit.

I tend to only use it when absolutely forced to cause of the time involved.

[merfin70]

Wheetabix - Did you have a chance to run your tests yet as I'm interested in the results you see and how you tanks are behaving after another week of use? Its almost time for me to order a another bucket of something and I think I'm sticking with the D-D. My tank is happy, the LPS are budding well and my SPS are growing nicely. I'm with you on the sediment but so far it doesn't seem to be having any negative effect of my tank. The only other negative I have is that my skimmer freaks out after a water change so I have to leave it off for a day (or empty it 10 times in a row).

[Weetabix7]

I tried to test, but discovered that my Alk test was inaccurate. I've ordered a new one but haven't gotten it yet.

PH tested at 8.25.

I'll go test Ca right now since I have another batch mixed.

 

My corals seem to like it, I'm seeing some improvement in them that I haven't seen in months. I'm not quite ready to say that this salt is awesome just yet, but so far I'm definately happy with what I see.

 

(scurries off to test Ca...)

[Weetabix7]

I got 470-480 on Ca, which is a little higher than I was expecting.

Used an API test kit.

[Nanoized]

I also notice a film after mixing this salt, but the salt is a keeper for me.

For the last couple of months with a 25% weekly water change my calcium is a steady 420 to 430ppm.

Everything has purple up'd (which i want) and i have stopped dosing for calcium.

The Tropic Marine always had a 350 to 370 ppm which i felt was too low. jmo

 

Andreas

[merfin70]

I get about 430 with Elos.

[Weetabix7]

I got 470-480 on Ca, which is a little higher than I was expecting.

Used an API test kit.

 

I was startled by my higher than expected Ca test result, so I double-checked the salinity of the water I had mixed up and sure enough, it was 1.027.

I lowered the salinity to 1.025, retested for Ca, and got a result of 440-450.

Sorry for the confusion.

[PodRod]

I was startled by my higher than expected Ca test result, so I double-checked the salinity of the water I had mixed up and sure enough, it was 1.027.

I lowered the salinity to 1.025, retested for Ca, and got a result of 440-450.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

I was just getting ready to question your findings when I read your second post. I've been using this salt for awhile now and it works perfect for my tank. I get consistent testing batch after batch. I've already went through 2 small buckets and just ordered 3 more.

[davidr2340]

I was startled by my higher than expected Ca test result, so I double-checked the salinity of the water I had mixed up and sure enough, it was 1.027.

I lowered the salinity to 1.025, retested for Ca, and got a result of 440-450.

Sorry for the confusion.

NEWB!!!

 

 

I kid...

[Nick's Reef]

I tested my first batch a few days ago and posted the results in my ap24 thread (link in sig) very please with it, only issue is a bit of unmixed stuff on the bottom of the bucket that looked brown. and a bit of a film on top of the water. Still love this stuff tho, my acans haven't been this inflated in awhile and my rics look huge.

[davidr2340]

I tested my first batch a few days ago and posted the results in my ap24 thread (link in sig) very please with it, only issue is a bit of unmixed stuff on the bottom of the bucket that looked brown. and a bit of a film on top of the water. Still love this stuff tho, my acans haven't been this inflated in awhile and my rics look huge.

That was the very first think I noticed after I switched to this salt... My Rics have NEVER been bigger, or looked better!

[dtfleming]

I have done three WC with this salt, I just ordered the bigger bucket this time. Very happy with it and the corals show it. I know longer have to battle with low alk.

[Kozo]

Hi guys, I got some comments about this salt from my own exp, and friends....... This salt is the best I have tried so far...... I have use Tropic Marine Pro and HW Marine mix, and both were great salt but lack Mg, Cal, and Potassium. So after I change to DD I have been able to keep up the levels and not dose as much as before. My friends and I did our own testing and this is what we got:

 

Ca= 420-430 (Salifert)

Mg= 1300-1400 (Salifert)

PO4= 0 (Salifert) (but there is a trick to it, this salt should be mix for 48hrs instead of 24hrs which is the only down side to the salt)

Potassium= 370-390 (Zeovit)

Alk= 8 (Sera)

Ph= 8.2-8.4 (Sera but I do not like my Ph test kit cause the range of color goes from 8.0 to 8.4)

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate= 0 for all of them.

 

This test were done to different DD buckets among friends, and those were the result ranges. Also guys try to test this salt within 24 hrs of mixing it and you will see what I mean by getting some PO4 readings. But you need to use a good brand PO4 test like Martini Phosphate Photometer Kit or Merck D-D Phosphate Test Kit.

[Weetabix7]

I find it interesting that you say this salt should be mixed 48 hrs instead of 24.

Are you basing this on Phosphate readings?

If so, were they taken after 24 hrs mixing and again after 48?

If your opinion on mixing time is based on something else, could you please explain?

Have you noticed any difference in coral response when doing a WC after mixing 24 hrs instead of 48?

 

I am very interested in your answers to the above, thanks for your input.

[merfin70]

Somewhere in the back of my mind from when I was researching this salt I recalled that I had read comments from the manuf. about the PO4 and sediment but it took be a bit to remember where. Not quite sure what to make of the answers and results but you may find this helpful. I always get the sediment with my bucket and have tested for PO4 after just 24 hours of mixing with 0 as the result. My tank is happy which is all that really counts but since we all like to read up on commentary, here you go.

 

http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/node/487

http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/node/481

[Weetabix7]

Thank you VERY much for those articles merfin, very helpful!

So if I'm reading them correctly, it sounds as if the brown film is a material that binds to impurities, including Phosphate, and causes the Phosphate to drop out of solution when mixed for 48 hrs.

On a sidenote, I didn't get any "instructions" in my tub 'o salt.

Did anyone else?

[PodRod]

Weetie - you should have received a small pamplet that is on the top of the salt bag inside the bucket. Did you not get that? If not, I'll be glad to mail you one since I have several.

 

As for mixing the salt. I have 3 five gallon containers that are used to transport water. I use one for fresh top off water and the other two for salt. Each week when I do a water change, I use one container (filled to 4 gallons). Then I mix up a fresh batch to replenish what I just used and rotate it to the back so that I use the older one first. So, in essence, I use water that has been mixed for two weeks. The night before a water change, I bring one of the containers inside from the garage and drop in an aerator and heater. This is how I've always changed my water and never had any issues. I always test prior to the water change and this salt always test out as it should. No phosphates and all params on par. Maybe this long wait is why I never have an sediment???

[The Propagator]

I can't argue with your process and I can certainly say I wish I knew you back when I started to have gotten the advice on the rock without sand. At best, my rock was "lightly" cured when I received it and so my sand bed was a mess for a long time as the crapola came off the rock. Would have been sooooo much easier to clean up the tank without the sand at first. The scrubing bit might have also saved me the drama of the lovely Caulerpa I have to pluck now.

 

But, we digress from H2Ocean.

 

I happened to need some make up water and so mixed up some H2Ocean yesterday. Here is what I always see at the bottom of my bucket. I've read that RSCP uses a similar evaporative process to H2Ocean. When folks inquired on sediment with the RSCP, the manuf. said it was harmless and due to that evap process so I don't get myself worked up over it. Interested if anyone thinks its a problem.

 

 

 

Looks like silica..

 

SO yeah I switched from Oceanic to Seachem reef salt and so far my corals love it.

My tri color valida that's been in strike since I got it is coloring back up and every thing in general seems to be gaining better colors.

We happy !