Pyrocide Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Well, just about done with my first 200G bucket of Tropic Marin and came around Aquavitro in a LFS this weekend. The clerk wouldn't shut up about the stuff, so went home did some research, and it seems that the 225G bucket is 225G of salt mix at 1.025 salinity. Instead of Tropic Marin's 200G being around 170G of 1.025 salinity (my experience anyway). Supposed to be guaranteed to produce within 3% of natural reef sea water parameters for trace elements, Ca, Mg and so on. So here's the question, out of the two, which is the best salt? I have been very pleased with TM and have used only it after a 20lb bag of Reef Crystals which, IMO, sucked. The price per water change is also favoring AV. Its ~$7 per 15G water change using Tropic Marin And ~$5 per 15G water change using Salinity I dont want to make a switch hastily, but unfortunately I ran out of salt this weekend, and need to buy some new salt before next weekend. So anyone have any experience or tales or anything to contribute to my search? Link to comment
Jjordy Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Following this thread! i am currently in the same delimma as you i also am about to try this aquavitro salt. i have been using instant ocean but am going go give this a try my lfs speaks very highly of all there products. i have used there reef buffer and ph buffer and am happy with both. I will let you know how the salt does in 90g and 29g biocube Link to comment
ermartin Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I just finished my first bucket of "salinity" and my next bucket will be the same. It mixes up fast and seems to have a lot of MAG so i don't need to supplement as often. In my case its a lot cheaper than DD another salt I also liked but couldn't justify the expense. I will admit I have never tried Tropic Link to comment
msujeff Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I use the aquavitro salinity salt. Each batch of salt is lab tested and is guaranteed to compain a certain amount of a specific mineral. My lfs uses it for their tanks and speak highly of it. I do not have any complaints with it. Link to comment
bioload Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I use the aquavitro salinity salt. Each batch of salt is lab tested and is guaranteed to compain a certain amount of a specific mineral. My lfs uses it for their tanks and speak highly of it. I do not have any complaints with it. I've heard really good things about it. There is always the concern of" if its not broken don't fix it".I'm using Tropic Marin, have for years, so I'm really thinking about whether I want to change at this point.My bucket of salt is getting low so I'm going to have to make a decision soon. Link to comment
Jjordy Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I've heard really good things about it. There is always the concern of" if its not broken don't fix it".I'm using Tropic Marin, have for years, so I'm really thinking about whether I want to change at this point.My bucket of salt is getting low so I'm going to have to make a decision soon. i just bought it for the first time looking forward to using it my lfs guy said it takes a day to clear up though so mix it overnight anyone else had problems with this? Link to comment
msujeff Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 i just bought it for the first time looking forward to using it my lfs guy said it takes a day to clear up though so mix it overnight anyone else had problems with this? With aquavitro salinity? I mix mine up for 24 hours so I've never had a concern. After an hour or so, it's not cloudy anymore. Link to comment
ermartin Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 i just bought it for the first time looking forward to using it my lfs guy said it takes a day to clear up though so mix it overnight anyone else had problems with this? mine is clear in 20min fastest clearing salt i have ever owned Link to comment
bananahands Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 my lfs guy said it takes a day to clear up though so mix it overnight anyone else had problems with this? I've experienced the opposite. AV seems to clear up very quickly for me. Although, I do think it should be left to mix overnight. Link to comment
bioload Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I've experienced the opposite. AV seems to clear up very quickly for me. Although, I do think it should be left to mix overnight. +1 on the overnight part with a heater and mixing pump/powerhead. Talked to my LFS guy over the weekend (highly trusted and a friend) and they have also used Tropic Marin for years but have been experimenting with the Aquavitro for a while now........no discernible difference so far and the main thing is no negative reaction to a water change in their tanks that have always had Tropic Marin. He said the AV has a very good rep in the industry.I'm still thinking about changing............???? Link to comment
msujeff Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 +1 on the overnight part with a heater and mixing pump/powerhead. Talked to my LFS guy over the weekend (highly trusted and a friend) and they have also used Tropic Marin for years but have been experimenting with the Aquavitro for a while now........no discernible difference so far and the main thing is no negative reaction to a water change in their tanks that have always had Tropic Marin. He said the AV has a very good rep in the industry.I'm still thinking about changing............???? I was told AV is the only salt that guarantees certain levels in each batch of salt produces. Lab results from the batch are on a sticker on the side of the tub. My testing of the usual using salifert is very close. Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 tropic marin is the only salt i recommend at the store i work at.. if you pair it with bio calcium you'll never have to add anything else to the tank. cant beat the 70 trace elements in the salt and calcium. Link to comment
Formula462 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 This is kind of an old thread but because I am currently in the midst of switching I have to comment. I have used Tropic Marin for years and really like it. I don't have a very consistent dosing schedule because I do WC's so much. Ever since this particular tank has gone the way of SPS, the regular WC's aren't cutting it on keeping up with the Alk and Mag. My buddy recently switched to Salinity at the advice of a different LFS ( i work at one) so I said I would be interested to see the results. He has a BC29, I the 14. We both have identical filtration with identical media and identical lighting. All his acros have insane coloration and growth whereas I have great growth but kinda "meh" colors. I don't have phosphate and all that nonsense, I can pretty much tell the not so great color is due to less than desirable mag and alk levels. Regular TM is kind of ho-hum in the department of the big three for SPS while AV Salinity has REALLY high MAG,CAL,ALK. I do possess a two part dose kit but I don't always feel like using it. I have hijacked about 7 cups of his Salinity and did a 30% change with it yesterday. I will be testing the levels at work today in a few hours. Cal was at 390ppm, Mag at 1290, and Alk at 7 dkh. Interestingly enough my buddy consistently ended up with the same numbers about 3 days after a WC. Now his water is testing at 460 ppm Cal, 10 dkh, and Mag stays at 1360 or so. I will deff keep posted on any differences I see and when I see them in the coming weeks. I already like it enough to rally for AV and try to get my store to carry it. 65 bucks for a bucket that can be compared closely to a 150 dollar bucket of Bio-Activ. Edit:typo Link to comment
Formula462 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I should add that the lower numbers posted were with TM about 3 days after a 30% WC and the higher numbers are what my buddy's tank tested at yesterday with the AV Salinity about 3 days after a WC. Link to comment
nanolutionary Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I just spent the last of my government university student loan for a 850litre bucket of salinity - I have transcended willingly into reef addict territory. Best part is my tank doesn't even arrive for another two weeks. Link to comment
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