new salts... Brightwell's vs. Aquavitro?

[LogansRunRx]

hey, all-

yeah, yeah.. i know... don't get off a winning horse, but...

in the planning stages for a new tank and wanting to branch out into clams and SPS. so gonna need a salt mix with a good bit more Ca/Alk/Mg.

been using Tropic Marin Pro exclusively in my BC29 and have been very happy with it -> but to date, don't really have anything really sucking Ca out of the water.

the Alk in the TMPro is a little low, but i keep it up with Brighwells part B.

would like to try and avoid some complicated dosing scheme and just stick to being religious with waterchanges.

 

any thoughts/experience re: a change to Brightwell's or Aquavitro to address these issues in the new tank?

 

thanks!

cheers...

[LogansRunRx]

BUMP

 

anybody...

nuthin'???

[LogansRunRx]

wow...

never seen this site short on opinions?

[nemmy]

BUMP

 

anybody...

nuthin'???

 

brightwell is decent salt, but I'm not very happy with the ca mg and alk testing I get. On a new batch I'm getting like 390 1200 8.6, everyone elses posting online seems to be all over the place. I've seen people with calcium readings anywhere from 370-420. I like the sound of the h2ocean salt results, maybe try that?

 

I might just go back to reef crystals though. The higher my salt waters reading the less I have to dose (although the change is probably so minute at the rate my calcium gets depleated).

[cptbjorn]

I have no experience with any of the salts you mentioned but if you want a clam+sps tank you will probably not be able to get away with just waterchanges with any salt, not for long at least.

[LogansRunRx]

...I like the sound of the h2ocean salt results, maybe try that?

have seen a number of endorsements for that as well.

what kind of Ca and dKH #s are people posting???

 

I have no experience with any of the salts you mentioned but if you want a clam+sps tank you will probably not be able to get away with just waterchanges with any salt, not for long at least.

thanks for the input... agree that the more i read, the more this seems the case

 

cheers...

[Carlton'sTank]

I have the aquavitro and have a few gallons mixing as we speak. I am going to run some tests tonight and compare my tests to the lab tests that are labeled on the bucket. I think it is nice that they have lab results printer per batch and labeled on the buckets. We will see how they match up.

 

I have been using seachem reef for some time and wanted to do a test before I changed salts and compare week by week as I do water changes. The only problem I had with the seachem reef salt is that my dkh is a bit low, Ca usually around 450-480 and mg is a bit on the high side ranging near 1400. I will try to remember this thread so I can update it, but I also have a similar thread of my own I started.

[LogansRunRx]

thanks for the info...

yeah, i saw your thread. anxious for #s.

if the Aquavitro ends up being "better" Seachem Reef -> without the solubility issues... then i think i've found my next experiment as well.

 

looking for a salt with a Ca of ~450, dKH ~9, and Mg ~13-1400...

anybody aware of any good candidates?

 

cheers...

[nick1912]

The truth is not salt will ever have near perfect NSW conditions. That's for any salt, even h2o but just stick with RC and dose. You will save money than going with h2o?

 

Also I use red sea coral pro and the only big difference from that salt and h2o is the mag level. Rscp is at like 1100 where h2o is at 1250. The calcium in both are right around 405-415. So in the end you still have to dose.