Anthrax & Gangs! 50G SCA

[teenyreef]

 

that seems..... like a ton of work.

 

i mean I'm not dissatisfied with IO... but I'm interested in shopping around for something if its potentially a better mix in the long run. have you always used brightwell, kat?

It's actually not all that bad. Two level scoops from the blue bucket, and two heaping scoops from the RC bag, and then a little extra to adjust it just right.

 

But, no I don't like messing with it and I would switch to something else if I wasn't so scared I'd dork up my tanks in the process.

 

Edit: oh yeah, then there's the manual dosing of Ca and Mag. OK, yeah, I hate my life

[CronicReefer]

I use Brightwell also.

When did you switch? I was recommended it by WWC (I'm pretty sure it is what they use also but don't quote me on that). Have your SPS been growing better with it?

[metrokat]

When did you switch? I was recommended it by WWC (I'm pretty sure it is what they use also but don't quote me on that). Have your SPS been growing better with it?

I've been using it since July 2014. I often think about changing the salt but to be honest the results speak for themselves.

Before Neomarine I tried IO, IORC, RSCP, ESV, Tropic Marine, Instant Ocean.

[thecoralbeauty]

It's actually not all that bad. Two level scoops from the blue bucket, and two heaping scoops from the RC bag, and then a little extra to adjust it just right.

 

But, no I don't like messing with it and I would switch to something else if I wasn't so scared I'd dork up my tanks in the process.

 

Edit: oh yeah, then there's the manual dosing of Ca and Mag. OK, yeah, I hate my life

 

are you against a doser...?

 

 

I've been using it since July 2014. I often think about changing the salt but to be honest the results speak for themselves.

Before Neomarine I tried IO, IORC, RSCP, ESV, Tropic Marine, Instant Ocean.

 

well yea, if my tank could resemble yours, i'd switch....

 

 

So, i zapped some aptasia, and some seafoam paly's that were coming back from where i obliterated them from (they were suffocating my sunset monti so i took them out) and did my water change. new carbon. re-arranged the goni's on the sand bed and realized that my baby plate has detached from the mother skeleton! it's all independent now and grown up! further, there's a NEW baby attached on the same piece of mother skeleton that the other had let go of.. he must have been growing underneath him awww.

 

lights are out, but photos sometime soon.

[teenyreef]

 

are you against a doser...?

Nope - I have dosers in each of my tanks. But the doser is set to maintain things at a constant level, and so water changes need to be at the same levels. It's just easier to dose the water when I mix it instead of manually dosing all three tanks to make it up.

 

I need to check out Brightwell - thanks Metrokat

[metrokat]

Nope - I have dosers in each of my tanks. But the doser is set to maintain things at a constant level, and so water changes need to be at the same levels. It's just easier to dose the water when I mix it instead of manually dosing all three tanks to make it up.

 

I need to check out Brightwell - thanks Metrokat

You'll find some negative feedback on it, like with everything, mostly that if you have a wet hand and touch the salt it burns, i can confirm that it does indeed get very hot. People seem to say this is because of high magnesium. My tank doesn't have high magnesium so I'm not sure about that claim.

 

Another point that people thing is negative is that the instructions say to mix for 24 hours. I met Chris Brightwell personally and he explained that the pH balances out, the water is very stable after 24 hours. This may seem like a negative for people that want to mix for an hour and do a water change but I've never done that even with other salts. Used to let RSCP mix for 24-48 hours and my bucket was cruddy like you wouldn't believe.

 

So there.

[teenyreef]

Mine always mixes for 24-48 hours because I get all motivated to do a water change but by the time I get the water made and the salt put in and let it mix for an hour, I'm too tired and lazy to do anything with it. And then I remind myself it's supposed to mix for a day or two anyway

[CronicReefer]

You'll find some negative feedback on it, like with everything, mostly that if you have a wet hand and touch the salt it burns, i can confirm that it does indeed get very hot. People seem to say this is because of high magnesium. My tank doesn't have high magnesium so I'm not sure about that claim.

 

Another point that people thing is negative is that the instructions say to mix for 24 hours. I met Chris Brightwell personally and he explained that the pH balances out, the water is very stable after 24 hours. This may seem like a negative for people that want to mix for an hour and do a water change but I've never done that even with other salts. Used to let RSCP mix for 24-48 hours and my bucket was cruddy like you wouldn't believe.

 

So there.

The burning is because they don't hydrated magnesium so it is a very caustic and volatile form of magnesium. It definitely heats up enough to melt plastic so if anyone decides to use it make sure there is plenty of water in the bucket before you start mixing.

[thecoralbeauty]

uh... that salt is WAY expensive on amazon... almost 200 bucks!? Am i looking at the right thing?!

 

also, forgot to mention i promptly dropped and broke my hydrometer... so.... guess i'll be ordering one of those too....

[kimberbee]

the names are diff. RSCP is super high alk and calcium and no you do not want that salt.

 

I use RSCP...

[metrokat]

150G is $69 on MD

http://www.marinedepot.com/BrightWell_Aquatics_NeoMarine_Salt_Mix_Reef_Salt_Mix-Brightwell_Aquatics-BW01385-FISM-vi.html

[SunWyrm]

 

I use RSCP...

I also use RSCP

[metrokat]

 

I use RSCP...

It's a personal preference of course but that salt has high levels that are good for SPs dominant systems, or large systems. In my RSM I found that the parameters fluctuated far too much.

I also use RSCP

NSW levels are good to have, it's natural, it is easier to maintain. IME.

[ninjamyst]

150G is $69 on MD

http://www.marinedepot.com/BrightWell_Aquatics_NeoMarine_Salt_Mix_Reef_Salt_Mix-Brightwell_Aquatics-BW01385-FISM-vi.html

 

$63 on BRS. 10% off during group buy so $57ish.

[thecoralbeauty]

I have one bag left of IO. May just order a bucket of bright well salt and see how it goes... if its not worth the extra cost, i can always switch back....

 

 

Just ordered tickets to the next 1940's ball. Now to learn how to lindy hop...

[vlangel]

I also use IO because I like the ease of having the water close to NSW. With mostly softies I get away with it.

[thecoralbeauty]

Params:

Ca: 490

Alk: 8.9

[Elizabeth94]

Forgive me on this dumb question, but what kind of starfish is that in the front? How long have you had it?

 

 

 

[thecoralbeauty]

Forgive me on this dumb question, but what kind of starfish is that in the front? How long have you had it?

 

 

 

sand sifting star! he's so awesome. had him since march of last year

[Elizabeth94]

 

sand sifting star! he's so awesome. had him since march of last year

 

 

Thats a long time.. I never researched them, I was always under the impression starfish would eat all the life in the sand and die of starvation. Time to do some more reef-related research!

[RollaJase]

 

 

Thats a long time.. I never researched them, I was always under the impression starfish would eat all the life in the sand and die of starvation. Time to do some more reef-related research!

Starfish can be difficult to keep. They are sensitive to changes in water and they can die of starvation or dissolve for no apparent reason. The longest I was able to a Fromia star was for about 8-10 months I believe. Sand sifting stars tend to be quite resilient though and can be a good substitute to Stromb or Nassarius snails as part of a clean up crew. They can grow pretty large though and as they get larger it may be harder to keep them well fed in a smaller tank.

[thecoralbeauty]

Starfish can be difficult to keep. They are sensitive to changes in water and they can die of starvation or dissolve for no apparent reason. The longest I was able to a Fromia star was for about 8-10 months I believe. Sand sifting stars tend to be quite resilient though and can be a good substitute to Stromb or Nassarius snails as part of a clean up crew. They can grow pretty large though and as they get larger it may be harder to keep them well fed in a smaller tank.

i never, ever, had any luck with other starfish except this kind. i had one for several years in college, and just got this replacement when i got this tank back from my friend.

[Weetabix7]

I've been using it since July 2014. I often think about changing the salt but to be honest the results speak for themselves.

Before Neomarine I tried IO, IORC, RSCP, ESV, Tropic Marine, Instant Ocean.

 

What results did you get from ESV that weren't as good as Neomarine?

Asking because ESV is what I used to use.

(sorry for thread hijack )

[thecoralbeauty]

 

What results did you get from ESV that weren't as good as Neomarine?

Asking because ESV is what I used to use.

(sorry for thread hijack )

no, it's good- i havent decided if im going to switch or not. keep forgetting to test my fresh IO when i mix it

[thecoralbeauty]

Params:

 

Ca- 490

Alk- 9.3