Lawnman Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Okay, what do you believe is the substantial difference that is worth paying 50% more per bucket for? I've stuck both through a mass spec and I can tell you there is not much difference. Just in the marketing. Countless TOTM quality tanks that use IO bear this out. I like the that each batch mixes exactly as the bucket says. IO is all over the place with different buckets. More recalls and bad batches than any other salt brand. Plus it takes forever and a day to dissolve. I am glad you like it and TOTM people like it. I personally do not and I will continue to buy Salinity. Link to comment
Seiryoku Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I like the that each batch mixes exactly as the bucket says. IO is all over the place with different buckets. More recalls and bad batches than any other salt brand. Plus it takes forever and a day to dissolve. I am glad you like it and TOTM people like it. I personally do not and I will continue to buy Salinity. I've always used reef crystals, never really had any issues with it that I know of. Switching to Salinity with my new 60g cube though, figured it was time for a change! Link to comment
wombat Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I like the that each batch mixes exactly as the bucket says. IO is all over the place with different buckets. More recalls and bad batches than any other salt brand. Plus it takes forever and a day to dissolve. I am glad you like it and TOTM people like it. I personally do not and I will continue to buy Salinity. I have made ~6 million gallons of saltwater with IO and had absolutely ZERO "bad batches". All batches tested to be right around NSW concentration for every ion that matters. Have you ever had an actual bad batch yourself or is this assertion being made based on what you've heard from other people on the internet? What ions were bad and in what way? Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 It is a 220 gallon bucket. Same stuff as IO LMAO ok. What's the equivalent or close to? Link to comment
PODPIMP Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I've been using coralife for the last 6 years or so. Cheap and dissolves quick. Alk 9dkh, cal 400, mag is low at 1100. Link to comment
Evanski9 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 instant ocean................... cheap and it is always dead on Link to comment
Lawnman Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I have made ~6 million gallons of saltwater with IO and had absolutely ZERO "bad batches". All batches tested to be right around NSW concentration for every ion that matters. Have you ever had an actual bad batch yourself or is this assertion being made based on what you've heard from other people on the internet? What ions were bad and in what way? Yes I have had a bad bucket. Calcium was mixing up at 300. I contacted my LFS they gave me a new bucket and it was the same. Had a really hard time getting it to dissolve. This was back in 2009 when I switched from IO to Oceanic. Haven't used IO since maybe it has improved. I could link a whole page of links with other people having calcium alk and mag problems with IO and dissolving problems. Let me know if I need to post the links. 1 Link to comment
nanolutionary Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I'm gonna go with instant ocean as I'm a newbie probably won't even be able to tell the difference and because it is on sale at the online retailer I use. Link to comment
JoeDigiorgio Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I've only used reef crystals at home and Red Sea coral pro at work. I actually found it a little surprising that everyone is saying Red Sea mixed easily. I've found the exact opposite. Rscp seems to take significantly longer to fully dissolve than the RC I use at home. Having said that, I have only had good experiences with RC except for the fact that it takes about a third of a cup more per gallon than suggested to reach 1.024 IME. I'm curious though, I read this whole thread and this whole time I thought when people said 'IO' they really meant reef crystals but now I'm starting to question it. Do all of you who recommended instant ocean really just use their sea salt mix or were you implying that you use reef crystals? Sorry for the confusion, Joe Link to comment
metrokat Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I just got my first small bag of IO RC. I've mixed it up and it looks purrrrrdy. But I haven't actually done a water change yet or tested it. Busy busy busy Link to comment
Seiryoku Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I have made ~6 million gallons of saltwater with IO and had absolutely ZERO "bad batches". All batches tested to be right around NSW concentration for every ion that matters. Have you ever had an actual bad batch yourself or is this assertion being made based on what you've heard from other people on the internet? What ions were bad and in what way? Which aquarium do you work for? Link to comment
FlameA450 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Aquavitro Salinity. only salt i have used but seems to be working well 1 Link to comment
Shores805 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Love Reef Crystals. Never any issues! Link to comment
reeferman81 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 It's a little pricey but E.S.V awesome stuff... Been using it for a while now use to use Reef Crystals my LFS gave me a 10 gal sample I mixed up the whole batch and decided to test it so I test my reef crystals compared to ESV and the results amazed me the ESV mix was right on the money, even now I test a sample every other batch and parameters are exactly the same everytime. Link to comment
moto826 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I use bulk sea salt from grocery store Link to comment
nanoreefnate Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 If it hasn't been brought up yet, ESV's B-Ionic Seawater 4 part System has gotten many positive reviews on Marine Depot. Also, here's a good writeup on the salt. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/5/review Link to comment
neuwave Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I'm a tropic Marin guy. The basic TM with zero problems. Favorite part is that I leaves no residue, fast and mixes very clean. Link to comment
Hook'Em2006 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I personally like Kent Reef Salt. Mixes clean and on target everytime. I never have to does for pH or dKH Link to comment
wombat Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Which aquarium do you work for? California Academy of Sciences 1 Link to comment
metrokat Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 California Academy of Sciences Can I be your intern? 2 Link to comment
wombat Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Can I be your intern? LOL yes but looks like it will be a hell of a commute! Nanoreefnate volunteers for me. He is awesome. 1 Link to comment
wombat Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Yes I have had a bad bucket. Calcium was mixing up at 300. I contacted my LFS they gave me a new bucket and it was the same. Had a really hard time getting it to dissolve. This was back in 2009 when I switched from IO to Oceanic. Haven't used IO since maybe it has improved. I could link a whole page of links with other people having calcium alk and mag problems with IO and dissolving problems. Let me know if I need to post the links. Hmmm, did you use the entire bucket all at once to mix a big batch of water? Or did you just take a portion of it out to mix a smaller batch? Reason I ask is that the different components can settle differently during handling/shipping/storage. A scoop from the top of the bucket could be substantially different than a scoop from the bottom. Another issue I have with people reporting "problems" is...how do we know if the value they are reporting is accurate or not? People often have expired tests, or the test is no good, or the test just plain sucks, or the person doing the testing sucks (not saying this about you at all). Calcium and magnesium are notoriously difficult to test for in seawater using hobby grade test kits. So much so that "the man" that we all trust for aquarium related chemistry advice doesn't even bother using them anymore. Even using lab grade equipment we can only hope to get within 10% of the actual value on a good day using a titration method. Link to comment
Seiryoku Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 California Academy of Sciences Very nice My girlfriend likes that place, but I've never been. Live near Sacramento...no reason to have never been! Link to comment
metrokat Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 LOL yes but looks like it will be a hell of a commute! Nanoreefnate volunteers for me. He is awesome. it would be an awesome opportunity to learn, lucky nate. Link to comment
nanoreefnate Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 LOL yes but looks like it will be a hell of a commute! Nanoreefnate volunteers for me. He is awesome. Awh Thanks Matt! Tomorrow I gotta wake up at 5am again to get the the Academy on time! LOL Link to comment
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