Natural Salt, not usable to make synthetic SW    4/19/07
Hi crew,
<Hello!>
my question is about using natural salt to mix saltwater.
I'm in Venezuela and now is hard to find good salt like Reef Crystals...so can I use "natural" sea salt?? , I can get it very cheap on nature's food stores in great quantities (buck) because it's commonly used to cook and it's very good quality.
<Short answer is no. Marine salt mix isn't precisely the same thing as sea salt. Multiple reasons, including treatment of the cooking salt during collection and processing, but also lack of buffering capacity. I think of it this way: a marine aquarium is an artificial environment, and needs artificial solutions to work. Just as when someone dives and needs a mix of gases in his SCUBA gear to breathe safely, not bottled air. Using air when you're under water would be dangerous, and using seawater (or rock salt) in a marine aquarium is just as dangerous. If access to marine salt mix is difficult, then perhaps switching to a freshwater tank would make better sense? Venezuela is teeming with lovely freshwater fish!>
Thank you Bob/Anthony/Crew, Carlos
<Cheers, Neale.>

R3: Gold Algae Plague Driving Me Mad - and speculations re SW mix usability 03/27/07
Hi Eric,
<<Greetings Arno>>
My light intensity statement is no contradiction to previous statements...: previously the tanks were lit by the same artificial means, but also in addition by natural daylight, thus receiving a higher light intensity than any tank imaginable solely lit by artificial means.
<<Ah yes, you did mention exposure to natural daylight.  But (and just musing now), if the tanks were not lit directly; as from above rather than from the sides (the tanks were stacked, yes?), and also considering your latitude, just how "intense" was that sunlight I wonder?  And not to offend...but I seem to recall from living there that full days of sunlight were more the exception than the rule>>
Under those circumstances the algae came into being and grew even faster than it does now.  I am more thinking along the line that I suspect that the light spectrum of the T5's is different than that of the MH's, which is perhaps causing the problem, not the intensity.
<<A possibility, agreed>>
***(this is an excerpt from the previous exchange)  An interesting perspective...  But I must say I fundamentally disagree (and a bit taken by surprise)...and am more than a little interested in how you have come to this determination***
It's not so much me who has come to this determination, but I heard this from people that are well into chemistry; certain trace and macro elements will fall out/precipitate if you aerate artificial seawater for a longer stretch of time.  You can also observe this, as the container in which you aerate the water ill soon show precipitation.  In addition it can, to some extend, also be measured. E.g. calcium, KH, magnesium and strontium levels tend to be lower after several days than the first day.
<<I understand your point Arno, and will agree to some extent on the precipitation of some earth/bio-mineral elements, but these small losses are also easily refreshed/replaced "if" necessary.  As for other "trace" elements (many of which we as hobbyists don't or can't test for), many are added to artificial salt mixes in quantities exceeding natural saltwater levels as well as some added to our systems through everyday means (feedings mostly)...I've even read speculation that some of these trace elements may even build to "toxic levels" in our tanks.  I feel it is more important to let all the chemical processes complete and the water age before use rather than worry over some small amount of precipitation.  I age my water in a covered container for three weeks on average, using a powerhead for circulation rather than an airstone, and have never found the amount of precipitation to be detrimental...I find it difficult to believe that aging/aerating artificial seawater for several weeks will render it "fundamentally unfit for sps" as you state.  Bob has a pretty good chemistry background, perhaps he will render an opinion re>> <Mmm, interesting speculations... and well-worth investigating. Ron Shimek had some assertions re the lack of utility of synthetic salt mixes period... Others have touched on precipitation issues... Within practical "reason"... weeks of storage, use... I don't find any such issues being valid... IO/Instant Ocean for instance is still used planet-wide for all sorts of SOP bio-assays, culture... RMF>
gr's
Arno
<<Regards, Eric Russell>>

Marine Salt Question, "Red Sea Coral Pro Salt"  3/23/07
Hi WW Crew:
<Bonnie>
I was wondering if anyone had experience or an opinion on the new product "Red Sea Coral Pro Salt"?
<Mmm, nope>
The company states it is specifically formulated for use with reverse osmosis water.
<Mmm...>
They also give some stats such as:
With a salinity of 1.025 the Calcium level is 480ppm at 75 degrees.  I use R/O water and was wondering if it might be good for me to use.
<Worth trying... though am a stead user of the two long-standing best brands in the trade...>
  I have been using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.  Was rather surprised that the calcium level would be that high (480ppm).  What do you think?
<Is artificially boosted (relative to NSW...) but not a big deal (all good synthetics are). Do take a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seawater.htm
and the linked files above>
Thanks for your opinion.  Bonnie
<Thanks for asking. Bob Fenner>

Re:  Copper Treatment.. Now Sea Salt Substitution 2/23/07
Dear Mr. Fenner/James
<Akila>
Thanks for your advice.
<You're welcome.>
I have been using natural seawater in my 80G because I can’t find the synthetic sea salt in Ceylon but there are extra smooth iodized salt as local supermarkets. I have used these salts to hatch brine shrimps and succeeded. At 1.026 gravity the salt mixed water is very clear and looks clean. Therefore do you think it’s possible to use these salts as an alternative to synthetic salt? Will it be harmful for my tank? FYI, I only have fish and live rocks.
<Would be very detrimental if not fatal using iodized salt.  Synthetic sea salts contain many trace elements which are needed and absorbed by fish and invertebrates.  Is one of the reasons we like to make frequent water changes to replenish lost elements.>
One more thing, using ultraviolet tubes, is it possible to detect whether fish is infected with Ich. Because ultraviolet tubes reflect the color white intensively I was wondering whether there is a possibility to detect Ich beforehand clearly and effectively.
<May be, but using these tubes without a protective filter can be damaging to your animals.  A good early warning sign is fish scratching against the substrate or rock.>
Hope to hear from you soon.
<Will do, James (Salty Dog)>
Best regards,
Akila

Table Salt To "Cure" A New Tank? - 02/04/06
Hi WWM Crew,
<<Howdy>>
Many thanks for the advice so far on my new reef setup – managed to get some water in last night to leak test & it’s all looking good so far ;o)
<<Great!>>
24” cube main tank, 23” x 10” sump.  Just a couple of questions if I may -
<<Ok>>
I have read somewhere (on a different site I think) advice to run a tank destined for salt water with cheap domestic table salt mixed to an approximate SG in order to cure pipe work and ensure that anything which may be attacked/dissolved etc by saltwater in the system is attacked/dissolved by this temporary (and cheap) salt mix, subsequently drained & disposed of prior to filling with real salt mix (IO is my current brand).  I can see the thinking behind this and it strikes me that it might just be a good idea, what do you think?
<<Mmm, more than thirty years in the hobby...never heard or known anyone to try/do this...is unnecessary in my opinion.>>
The tank currently has fresh tap water in for leak testing which will need to be drained & disposed of so chucking some cheap table salt in would be no problem.
<<Actually, I would simply add the (marine) salt (with carbon and/or Poly-Filter in the filter path) and be done with it.>>
The system is of the “ecosystem” “miracle mud” design & I intend to have a substrate in the main tank (about ½” deep to avoid the dangerous zone of 1” to 3”).  I understand that this will be aesthetic rather than functional
<<Yes>>
(other than providing a more natural environment for
livestock than a bare bottom) & I know I do not want crushed coral – been there done that!!  Should I be looking for sugar sized aragonite?
<<Will depend on your water flow...a larger grain-size may be preferable.>>
What size is sugar sized?
<<Um...the size of...sugar...>>
What other grade/sizes would be suitable?– as you can tell I’m a little confused here so any advice would be great
<<Anything in the 1mm-3mm range would be fine too.>>
– brand names available in the UK would be most useful if at all possible.
<<Hmm...I had a reef tank when I was over there in the late 80s/early 90s...I know different grades of substrate were available but don't remember any "brand names."  CaribSea is a popular brand here in the states that may be available in the UK as well.>>
Also would this depth of sand bed be too shallow for narcissus or similar cleaners?
<<Nassarius (snails)?  No, will be fine.>>
What cleanup crew would you advise for such a shallow sand bed?
<<The afore mentioned Nassarius snails...I also am a fan of Cerith snails.>>
On the same topic, the sump will have a miracle mud area (11 ½” x 10” x 1”deep) lit with Chaetomorpha algae which will hopefully flourish– what cleanup crew would you recommend here if any (including a guide to numbers/quantities if you could please)
<<None needed really, but a half-dozen Nassarius snails won't hurt anything either.>>
Cheers,
Chris
<<Regards, EricR>>

Salt Choices - 03/03/06
Good morning crew!  
<<Nighttime now...Howdy!>>
I have searched through your FAQs and message boards and such and just can't find the answer I am looking for.  I suppose that there is no one answer for this question.
<<Likely the case, as with most everything <grin>.>>
I have been using Crystal Sea salt mix for about 2 years now without any problems that I am aware of.  Have had 2 humbug damsels and a serpent star for that length of time.  Unfortunately, to get the Crystal Sea, I have to travel 1 hr. one way to a pet shop or order it online and pay heavy shipping.
<<I see>>
I have considered changing brands to something more local.  My local choices are Instant Ocean, Red Sea, or Oceanic.  IYO are any of these better than Crystal Sea?
<<Instant Ocean gets my vote, hands down.  I've used this salt for nearly 30 years.  I've "experimented" with many of the others from time to time (though never used Crystal Sea), and always find myself coming back to the IO.>>
If you think Crystal Sea is better, I will keep using that.
<<I think the switch to Instant Ocean is very much worth a try.>>
I guess with rising gas prices, I am looking for a short cut.  
Looking in your archives, I found that there are some people who like each of these.  
<<Indeed>>
At this time in a 30 gal tank, I have 1 dwarf pearl-scaled angel, 2 fire gobies, 1 blue devil damsel (who was so scared when the humbugs were in there,
<<I'll bet!>>
*they were moved to another tank for being bullies* that she doesn't bother anything), 1 spaghetti leather coral, a small rock with a bunch of hairy mushrooms on it, and of course the serpent star.  All seem to be doing well.  Battled green hair algae, but recently bought RO/DI unit so that is coming under control quickly.
<<Ah, very good.>>
Please advise on the salt.  Like I said, if you think Crystal Sea is good, I will stick with it.
<<I'm confident you will be happy with Instant Ocean.>>
Thanks,
Donna
<<Welcome, EricR>>

Shanghai salt - 26/4/06
Hello WWM crew,
I am the owner of a synthetic sea salt manufacturer based in Shanghai, China.  We have been in business coming on 7 years now with our primary
markets in Japan, Taiwan, China and the USA.  We believe strongly in our current products; however, in an effort to make sure we are always
delivering what we believe to be the best product possible and to expand our product line into some specialty groups (augmenting chemicals), I would like
to hire for consultancy a person of reputable background in this field.  I have a university full of chemists behind me already; but in China there is
little background (especially in academia) with marine fish keeping, hence the desire to find someone who is not only knowledgeable about
chemistry/physics but has broad range of experience in reef and marine fish keeping as well.  After an exhaustive search and read on the WWM site I see
that Tom Frakes may be your recommendation (if available), can you place me in touch or make a similar referral?
And if I may, a quick plug for my company: we are big enough to serve, yet small enough to make it personal.  We custom manufacture for commercial
applications in batches as small as 1,200 lbs and stock our bulk standard mix in Los Angles.  We are working hard to expand the market in China but
feel our aggressive pricing would benefit any person, business or institution looking to keep costs down.
Thank you for producing such a fantastic site,
T. Norman
PS - Have referenced your website on ours
(http://www.finssalt.com/faqs.htm).
<Hi Timothy. I'm putting this back in the general box for Bob to see and squarely answer your question. However, I'm in Shanghai and would be interested in corresponding further. I'm currently exporting (very low volume, start-up) aquatic goods to the UK and think would be interested in learning more about your salt. Best regards,  John>

Seeking chemical consultant... salt mix   4/26/06
Hello WWM crew,
I am the owner of a synthetic sea salt manufacturer based in Shanghai, China.  We have been in business coming on 7 years now with our primary
markets in Japan, Taiwan, China and the USA.  We believe strongly in our current products; however, in an effort to make sure we are always
delivering what we believe to be the best product possible and to expand our product line into some specialty groups (augmenting chemicals), I would like
to hire for consultancy a person of reputable background in this field.  I have a university full of chemists behind me already; but in China there is
little background (especially in academia) with marine fish keeping, hence the desire to find someone who is not only knowledgeable about
chemistry/physics but has broad range of experience in reef and marine fish keeping as well.  After an exhaustive search and read on the WWM site I see
that Tom Frakes may be your recommendation (if available), can you place me in touch or make a similar referral?
<I will bcc him here. He will respond if interested>
And if I may, a quick plug for my company: we are big enough to serve, yet small enough to make it personal.  We custom manufacture for commercial
applications in batches as small as 1,200 lbs and stock our bulk standard mix in Los Angles.  We are working hard to expand the market in China but
feel our aggressive pricing would benefit any person, business or institution looking to keep costs down.
Thank you for producing such a fantastic site,
T. Norman
PS - Have referenced your website on ours
(http://www.finssalt.com/faqs.htm).
<Thank you for writing. Good luck in your business. Bob Fenner>

Switching Synthetic Salt Mixes - 08/15/06
Hello.
<<Howdy>>
I just wanted to know if it is ok to mix different types (brands) of salts.
<<I've heard accounts of "some" folks experiencing problems when changing salt mixes but for most I don't think it is an issue...my own experiences included.  I've been pretty much using the same brand (Instant Ocean) for three decades, but I admit to "trying out" a couple other brands in that time>>
I have been using Instant Ocean because it is easy to get, not too expensive, and seems to be working ok.
<<Indeed...IO is the best "bang for the buck" when it comes to synthetic sea salts, in my opinion>>
I recently changed to their Reef Crystals salt which is supposed to be better for corals.
<<Mmm, a larger measure of calcium...may or may not be worth the extra expense.  I'm happy to stick with Instant Ocean and let my calcium reactor/Kalkwasser reactor earn their keep>>
I recently read a forum on WWM that suggested using Tropic Marin.
<<Considered by some to be the "premier" salt brand>>
I have never heard of this brand and definitely never seen any for sale.
<<How strange...this salt has been available/popular since before I had my first saltwater aquarium (1976).  In fact if memory serves, Tropic Marin and Instant Ocean were about the only "readily available" commercial synthetic salt mixes around back then>>
What is your opinion on this brand?
<<If money were no option?  ...is what I would be using.  It is a great salt mix...but I find IO gives me good, consistent results for a bit less cash>>
I found some reasonably priced and was wondering if you thought I would benefit from switching to this brand.
<<Mmm, maybe...  There's much more to this hobby than which salt mix you are using.  Making the change won't hurt anything...and if your maintenance habits/husbandry skills are up to snuff then yes, the salt mix may foster an improvement>>
If so, are there any negative effects of mixing different brands of salt?
<<Don't try to change all at once...make the switch slowly by introducing the new mix during your regular water change routine>>
I have the Reef Crystals in the tank now, and would use the Tropic Marin for future water changes.  Would this be ok?
<<Ah...you're ahead of me <grin>.  Yes, this is fine>>
Thanks
Jon
<<Happy to help.  Regards, EricR>>

Comparison Of Salt Mixes   8/30/06
Hi Crew
<Hi Peter>
Hope you are all well.  I have spent hours reading your expert advice recently - keep up the good work.  Sorry if my questions are naive, but I  am useless at all science and understand little after rereading umpteen  times.
I am having problems with the calcium level  and alkalinity of my  tank, so I have been trying to track down an article or chart I once saw  that compared salt mixes for calcium, alkalinity etc after mixing.
Do you recall this article/chart or know of anything similar?
<Do not know which one you are referring to, but here is one of the better comparisons.  http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/11/aafeature1>
The salt mix I am using seems to come out at 240 for calcium after mixing -   can that be right?  
<Yes>
Woud <Wood or Would?> the Tropic Marin remineral for marine I am using   help both calcium and alkalinity?
<Can, but when choosing a salt mix, do choose a mix formulated for reef systems.>
Thanks for your help.
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Peter Hosier

Pre-Filtration & Marine Salts 1/12/05
Anthony,
<cheers>
I very much appreciate your reasoned response to my questions regarding mixed-bed versus rechargeable deionization.  You have sold me on the concept of minimizing waste.  
<always welcome my friend... I do aim to be sensible/practical>
I'd like to pose two follow-up questions:
(1) Which prefiltration assembly do you recommend for rechargeable 2-column deionization systems such as the KATI/ANI?  The only one I can find is the SpectraPure FA-PRE-0.5M-20 but I hope that you can direct me to more affordable prefiltration systems.
<many possibilities here ... depending on the quality of your source water running through it. But, if your tap water is nothing out of the ordinary (like iron-rich well water requiring an extra metal sponge, or silicate-rich water needing chemical media, etc.) then I say just go to your local Home Depot or DIY store and get a cheap drinking water pre-filter unit. Two canisters cost (well under) $50. First stage will be 1 to 5 micron floss... second stage is simply good quality carbon. If you are really handy, you can DIY home make canisters out of PVC for even less money. If you want to get fancy, have two floss pre-filters (12 micron and a 5 micron to follow)... and better still... have Poly-filters (Poly Bio Marine) after the carbon stage>
(2) What brands of marine salts will complement the Kold Ster-il filtration system?  Since the Kold Ster-il system does not filter certain minerals (calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium) and buffering compounds (carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides) from my pH 8.1 tap water, which marine salts contain lower amounts of these minerals and compounds? Regards, Paul.
<without spending a fortune... I'll say that Tropic Marin is presently the best you can buy. I will add though that I generally like Instant Ocean's QC and affordability in my region and use it more often. Anthony>

Salt mix reviews by Shimek
I recently read an article by Dr. Shimek comparing different commercial salt mixes using urchin reproductive egg survival rates. Could you give me the link to it as now I can't find it anywhere. Thank you so much! Appreciate all your help!
Jo Lynn
<Mmm, I would ask over on ReefCentral where Ron hangs out. Bob Fenner>

Salt substitute 6/13/05
Hey guys, long time listener, first time caller.  I buy/sell about 200-400lbs of live rock a week. Because of this, I am always receiving about the same in uncured rock each week. Besides heavy protein skimming, ozone use, a large Caulerpa sump, and large wet/dry filter, we do many water changes during the curing process.  <This is quite commendable!  Most folks don't provide so much good care to their rock.  You are just the kind of business we would love to have as an advertiser!>
Even at "wholesale" prices, the cost of salt for several water changes a week is killing me. <Ahh.. the premium price for providing a premium product!>
Is there a chance that I could use plain water softener salt. I could buffer it with Sodium Bicarbonate, and use CaCl to bring up Alk and Calcium to NSW levels, or not.  I would just be using this to do daily water changes on live rock.  Thanks, Robert Hill, Rob's Reef <This is a very bad idea.  Water softener salt often has corrosion inhibitors and other additives, and is not even the cheapest source of NaCl.  Also, there are other things besides Calcium and Alkalinity that would have to be added, and at great expense.  Do check out www.aquaticecosystems.com or other aquaculture sources.  There are at least two companies that sell a salt "concentrate" which has everything but the NaCl in it.  These companies will also advise you on how to obtain a good grade of NaCl locally.  In addition to a much lower product cost, shipping costs are greatly reduced.  I wouldn't recommend this stuff for reef tanks (for many reasons, but mostly because you have to make several hundred gallons at a time!), but it is a great solution for a rock system.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>

Re Salt Substitute from Robert Hill (Robs Reef):
Thanks for the reply.  The salt I am considering is Cargill Diamond Crystal Solar Salt.  It is an evaporated salt, contains no corrosion inhibitors, and it dissolves clearly in water.  It's $5.99 for 80lbs, about 1/8th of what IO salt costs me.  I'll be testing it in a 1:4 ratio, with 1 part IO, and 4 parts rock salt.  <I would strongly recommend against this!  The solar salt will not include carbonate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfate, etc.>
BTW, I looked up the Prosalt Salt Concentrate.  At $42.76 for a 400 gallon mix, and ~$10 for NaCl, it's about $53 per 400 gallons.  IO bulk salt cost about $33 for 200 gallons, or $66 for 400, so the cost savings is not too much.  <I agree that this is not a huge savings, but it is something.>
I'm going to do some testing on the rock salt. I'll let you know how it goes.  Thanks again, Robert <Below is a tip sent in by a friend of WWM.  I would suggest following up on it, mostly for the variety of formulas presented.  The author's proposed formula is a bit stripped down for my taste, but might work well for a rock system.  I did not initially suggest mixing your own because it is not generally a DIY project, but it is certainly possible.  You may have to shop hard to get good prices on some of the reagents, but you could realize significant cost savings.  Good luck!  AdamC.>
<<"I don't know if it will be cheaper, but if you (or Robert Hill) do a search on "Kevin Carpenter" and "Zilla III" (his 5000 gallon tank), he mixes his own saltwater, and his formula is on his website. Might be worth looking into. Cheers! --Alf">>

Salt Study Completed - Published Online  11/18/05
Hi Bob, I'm emailing you a link to the Inland Reef/Inland Aquatics salt study that has been being planned for.. years. It's finally finished, and I think is quite pertinent, and will of course be invaluable for many (especially those with particularly sensitive invertebrates, such as many seastars). We must thank Reefs.org and their online 'zine, Advanced Aquarist, as well as many individuals who donated time, money, and/or materials to see this study performed.
Marina
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/11/aafeature1 
<Good work... I look forward to the follow-up articles. RMF>

Salt mix and dwarf lion diet  - 01/24/06
Hello WWM Crew, <Hi Brent>
First let me start by saying that I strongly support what you are doing and that you are appreciated. <Thank you.> I have a question regarding synthetic
salt mixes. I have read though many of the FAQ's to try and determine who ranks where in actually quality of synthetic mixes. Obviously all of them
claim to be the best and that they are the closest to real seawater.  From what I have read on the site Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt seems to be a hit. I
am a fan of Seachem products and I am very curious about the salt mixes. Every time I try to Google an answer all I get is articles about other
Seachem products.  Where would an amateur like my self be able to find a ranking of the top synthetic mixes? <Sometime ago a test was carried out among different brands of sea salt.  Here is a link to the results.  http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/11/aafeature1/view?searchterm=A list including the previous mentioned brands. <There are several good brands out there.  I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.  I feel it is a good salt mix for the price.  I also had a question about my dwarf lionfish. I have had him about 3 months now. I had no problems getting him to eat frozen krill. He even begs for it and eats it out of my hand. He is not really interested in chopped scallop, clam, etc..  I feel bad if I do not provide him with a varied diet. Will adding Zoe or Selcon to his krill suffice or do I need to provide other foods regardless of him not wanting it?  <I'd soak the krill in Selcon and offer other foods from time to time and see if he changes his mind.  I'm sure he will be fine with the krill/Selcon combo.  Do search our site, keyword "lionfish" for more info.> Sorry to hit you with
two questions at once. I do appreciate your taking the time to help me. <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Thank you,
Brent

Re:  Salt Mixes   1/31/06
Greetings again. <Hello Mark.> I had an interesting chat at my LFS. The fellow was trying to change my mix from Instant Ocean to Sea Crystals. I have never heard of this brand before. <Nor have I.> He also told me that IO uses some additive that makes it dissolve faster and that this would cause trace elements to become bound together and render them useless. He also said that the National Aquarium in Baltimore used Sea Crystal salt mix. I have been using IO reef crystals for as long as I can remember with no ill effects. <Myself included.> Just wanted to hear your opinion on this. <Mark, I've chatted with Bob Studt from Aquarium Systems and will post his reply below concerning this. <James (Salty Dog)>
James, The "some additive" that the dealer was likely referring to is EDTA which is a chelator. Chelators bind metals in solution so they remain in solution instead of precipitating at the high pH of seawater. (they don't make sea salt dissolve any faster though?!?!)Some chelators bind the metals more strongly than others. It is possible that some chelators could bind the metals so strongly that they are indeed unavailable for the livestock to use in their biological processes. After all, if you or I went to the doctor after having ingested some type of toxic metal (mercury, cadmium, etc...) he may inject a strong chelator into our system to bind the metal and inhibit its ability to harm us.
Instant Ocean has no chelator. Reef Crystals does use a small amount of weak chelator since there are higher levels of many trace metals in RC. I've never heard of Sea Crystals either.
Both IO and RC have slightly elevated levels of iodide so if 10% weekly changes were carried out it should remain in sufficient supply.
Bob

Re: Salt Mix follow up   2/7/06
Hello Crew. <Hello Mark.> Once again I must start by saying what an awesome amount of knowledge one gets by just reading the FAQs. <And do keep reading.> Just a great site.  My follow up is in regard to a question concerning salt mixes. As stated in the first e-mail I was approached by my LFS about changing salt mixes.  Seems my LFS was selling the virtues of Crystal Sea salt mix (I believe that I wrongly stated Sea Crystals). In your opinion is this a good mix? <I recently visited a friend of mine who does coral farming on a small scale and I asked him what salt mix he used in his propagation vats.  And low and behold it was Crystal Sea.  The product is manufactured by Marine Enterprises.  Must be a decent mix as I've never saw so many beautiful corals in one place just full of color.  He swears by it so take it from there.> I currently use IO reef crystals with good results. <A good mix which is what I use.> I believe that James answered the first one.  Also it was stated to me that the National Aquarium in Balt. MD. uses Crystal Sea mix. Any thoughts would be very welcome.
Mark
By the way I am in no hurry to change mixes at this time just rather curious. <If you are happy with what you have, stay with it.  James (Salty Dog)>

Salt Brand Change 8/5/03
Sorry to trouble you once again, but I have a quick question as I am about to run out of salt. I have been using Red Sea since starting my tank 9 months ago because I got several buckets for $30 each at Petco. I have been somewhat dissatisfied with it's performance, especially since one ff the buckets kept mixing up with an ammonia level of 0.5 using ammonia-free RO water.
<I will tell you that for some time I have heard complaints monthly or better with this salt... not so much quality issues... but consistency>
Anyway, I am considering a switch. I gather that most of the crew prefer Tropic Main or IO over Red Sea. Is this correct?
<for me at least... Bob is agreed too I'm fairly certain><<Yes. RMF>>
Might I ask why?
<long-standing QC... Tropic Marin is arguably a better salt... IO is perhaps a better value. Both are extremely reliable and consistent>
I've tried to read up on some of the issues, including the famous article by Ron Shimek in Reefkeeping Online.
<ughhh... for neither love or money, I - nor many other industry professionals I know - can explain why he made this statement or how the heck he came to those conclusions. The backlash on it is already coming back. Sorry to see it for all>
He seems to strongly favor Crystal Sea Marinemix.  
<do read the message boards and our archives re: issues with this salt in particular from less than pleased folks that made the switch. Seems to be some concern for gastropods and echinoderms in particular as I recall (stunned snails and starfish). I personally would not take it for free.>
If I do change, should I just start using the new brand for water changes (say 5% per week)?  Thanks, Steve Allen.
<do opt for 10-20% weekly water changes minimum please... and you will not go wrong with TM, IO or Omega salts IMO. Best regards, Anthony>

Salt brands, What's the Rub 9/9/03
I saw this article on artificial sea salt.  Is this marketing BS or is this for real?  
<it has taken considerable flak in the aquarium trade/biz as being perceived to be biased>
I've used Tropic Marin salt for years and was alarmed to see it ranked so low, under Crystal sea.  Which I can get locally for cheap.
<my very strong advice and shared opinion is that Tropic Marin is still one of the very best sea salts that money can buy>
They say the "Information used in this evaluation is from the S-15 report. The S-15 report was prepared by Anresco Laboratories, an independent third party laboratory. The majority of testing was performed by the University of Missouri, a US Government prime contract testing laboratory, Environmental Trace Substances Research Center, Dept. of Environmental Science & Technology."
<heehee... yes. Its a familiar/old study. If you ever make it to a MACNA conference or the like, you can get an earful from the real professionals in the field about their opinion of such issues>
What do you guys think?  Brian
<no worries... TM and Instant Ocean are time tested, tried and true. Working with medium and large sized aquaria and holding systems for many years, I have used literally tens of thousands of gallons worth of these mixes and am quite satisfied with TM and IO. Best regards, Anthony>

Salt Mixes ATT: Anthony  3/6/03
Hello Anthony while reading this months Reefkeeping magazine, I ran into an article written by Dr. Shimek which shows that Instant Ocean salt has a higher toxicity then other salts such as Bio-Sea and Forty Fathoms/Crystal Sea Salt Mixture for Bioassay Research.
<what a pile of crap... "toxicity". Decades tried and true and now its toxic...heehee>
The article can be found here http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.htm and wanted to see what you thought about the article and what salt do you prefer and why.
<I have read the report Dr Ron has put forth and am very sorry to see it. This really is an enormous can of worms... but in short, of all the things that Dr Ron is an expert in... chemistry does not seem to be one of them. I say that in all seriousness and with all do respect for the man's  considerable and appreciated (certainly by me) contributions to the hobby. But he still is not a chemist... and several highly regarded chemists that I trust and respect have riddled his data as unreliable. I myself, am no more qualified to conduct the experiments to confirm or deny the reports. Frankly, though... I think it is complete bunk. If you have the time to browse through the WWM archives you will see replies made in response to this subject. The gist of it, though, is that synthetic sea salts have been time-tested: period. We have fish and invertebrates on record over 30 years old in the mix... and I'm not talking just hardy fishes and corals either (ocellaris clowns at 32 years old!)... Blue faced and Navarchus angels over 20 years in France... numerous German aquarists with 15-20 year old reefs producing tons of coral. The proof is in the pudding as far as I'm concerned. I personally like Tropic Marin if I'm spending someone elses money <G>... or Instant Ocean or Omega for the best value and quality without paying too much. Instant Oceans quality control has been the industry standard for 30 years. Best regards, Anthony>

Good salt, bad salt.... (04/02/03)
Guys,
<And gals. Ananda here tonight>
Have any of you seen this recent analysis of some popular salt mixes?
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.htm
Up until now, I have exclusively used Instant Ocean, but maybe....
Sincerely,
Mark Schwartz
<I quote from the article:
"The constituents of the other salts were not independently analyzed, and I had to rely on data provided by the manufacturer of Crystal Sea Marinemix Bioassay Formula. For the Bio-Sea Marinemix, I used the data from one of the advertising brochures describing the salt."
I am leery of trusting data that is not independently analyzed. The data from the manufacturer's claims form the basis of a large part his paper. I have studied the S-15 Report at length, and found many holes in the data and its presentation. I posted some of my questions in a forum, where they were either flamed away or not addressed by the company owner, who was in on the discussion. More comments about Dr. Shimek's article here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seah2ofaq3.htm --Ananda>

Dr Ron's so-called salt toxicity theory 3/7/03
I read the article at this link  
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.htm and did a little research and thought I'd share my findings.
First of all, the data from table 4 is not all scientifically gathered.  "The data for Instant Ocean and Coralife salts are from Atkinson and Bingman, 1999. The data for Marinemix-Bioassay Formula were provided by the manufacturer."  In other words, the info for Marinemix is marketing... you and I have had discussions about this topic haven't we Anthony.  ;)
<heehee... indeed we have>
Second, I did an internet search on the Marinemix product and found more than one source to support the position that this stuff is crap, and the marketing is a bunch of lies.
http://www.aquacraft.net/w0008.html says...
www.northcoastmarines.com/salt_comparison.htm
www.calgaryaquariumsociety.com/Articles/
Web_Site_Review_Marine_Aquarist.html
<yes... it really is unfortunate>
All these sites comment on the S-15 report tested various salt mixes, and the last one is a very objective view on the report itself.
<the S-15 report has been an industry laughing stock for quite some time>
The report basically says that all the salts are bad and that their marketing claims are not valid.  We all knew that already though, didn't we!!  And so the point is that the values for Marinemix were marketing, the values for Instant Ocean and Coralife were scientific.  And the differences in survival rate of the urchin larvae could be any one of a number of causes (including batch differences).  
<very much agreed>
I'm surprised that someone would make an article that is supposed to be scientifically based, and publish manufacturer's marketing in his article, and base a lot of conclusions on it no less... shame, shame! Jeremy Calgary, Canada
<your sentiment is shared whole heartedly by many! Thanks for the convenient links too, my friend. Will post on the dailies :) Kind regards, Anthony>

I Give Up !!!! (Toxic Synthetic Water... not, Bob's response)
Bob,
I just read an article by Ron Shimek that is very discouraging. He is claiming that through feeding and commercial salt mixes, a build up of toxic trace substances builds up in our closed reef system.
He claims that after 4 years, this build up is so toxic that it is lethal to most animals and that the reef tank should be broken down, sand and live rock removed and discarded.
<I heard this ridiculous scheme/proposal at the MACNA get together in Dallas a few weeks ago... I am amazed that Ron wastes the exposure he could have in helping others on such zany notions... Of course, the formulations utilized by most commercial manufacturers have kept many (hundreds) of species alive in captivity longer than their known spans in the wild...>
He also claims that there is no way to remedy this situation except for using natural sea water from the beginning. He goes on to say that a salt mix used by the scientific community for may not contain these substances and that\all that is needed in any salt mix is salt, calcium and some buffers and that anything else will cause toxic buildup
<IME he's absolutely wrong... the rationale for storing, filtering NSW has been worked out and tested for decades.>
I have a 300 gallon reef tank with mucho corals, fish, sand, live rock that didn't come cheap. Am I doomed to have to tear down my tank in 4 years and take out my wallet again ?
<No>
Let me know your take on this. Thanks, as always, Chuck Spyropulos
<Thanks for raising the issue... Ron.S is also the mental giant who advises maintaining captive marine systems in the mid 80's F... he should be challenged, then shunned for such "publicity stunts" IMO. Amazing. Bob Fenner>

I Give Up !!!! (Anthony's response)
Charles...
Rest assured that you can enjoy a fantastically successful marine aquarium for having used a quality synthetic sea salt and please do not give a second thought to Dr Ron's assertions.
Bob has very concisely summarized all that you need to know and the entire hobby agrees, save for Ron and some misinformed followers.
This topic has been put to rest by the very few respected authorities that even cared to address this ridiculous notion on scientific bulletin boards and hobby message boards alike. No one can offer an explanation for why this learned man (who of course has important things to otherwise contribute to aquarium science) has proffered such a wacky assertion short of publicity.
Whatever the reason... all agree that the hypothesis is assuredly bunk.
Reef aquarists have kept coral more than 20 years captive in synthetic seawater and had them spawn repeatedly. Fishes have been kept far longer and many years beyond their natural lifespan. What more is there to say? Fully realized lifespans and reproduction in our captive charges.
Its a beautiful hobby for so many reasons... please enjoy it and share your enthusiasm and experiences.
Don't give up because of one kook. If that's all it takes, than I suppose you would have given up on the political system many presidents ago :)
Best regards, Anthony Calfo

Shimek's Salt Analysis
Hello!
<Hi there>
My question may actually be more of a comment or a discussion re-starter.
The observations below may have even been brought up before, but I couldn't find any such evidence.
<Okay>
I know there has been a lot of debate about Shimek's use of label values for the composition of Crystal Seas Marinemix Bio-Assay salt (found at http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.htm ).  However one may dispute his conclusions though, it is difficult to ignore the large difference in the survival of the larvae in the different brand salt solutions.  Having my degree in biological science, his methods APPEARED to be fairly sound.  But there was one section in his methods that was not well documented:  HOW he actually made the synthetic saltwater solutions.  Does anyone know what the water source was that he used to prepare the synthetic saltwater solutions and how he did this exactly?
<Let's ask him. Will bcc here>
The reason I'm asking is that I noticed something quite peculiar.  As you probably already know, 2 of the 4 tested brands (Marinemix Bioassay & Bio-Sea Marinemix) had much, MUCH higher survivability by comparison than the other two brands (Instant Ocean & Coralife).  Is it just coincidence that Marinemix Bioassay & Bio-Sea Marinemix are the only 2 out of the 4 that also contain an incorporated DECHLORINATOR?!?
<Interesting note. I also have a couple of life science degrees, and more than a casual interest in "test models" and their oh-so-common shortcomings...>
There was also a huge disparity in the number of surviving larvae in the water samples from "Hobbyists A & B" who BOTH used Instant Ocean.  Hobbyist A water had survival close to that shown for Shimek's Marinemix Bioassay & Bio-Sea Marinemix samples while Hobbyist B's survival rate was on par with Shimek's demonstrated results for Instant Ocean.  Shimek proposed an odd explanation for the disparity citing some unlikely chemical reactions occurring during the freezing process of the Hobbyist samples.  Having worked in a water quality testing laboratory, I find his explanation tenuous.  Isn't it more likely that the difference is because (according to Shimek himself) one Hobbyist's source water was RO/DI and the other's was WELL WATER.  Well water--WHICH IS OFTEN CHLORINATED!
<Yikes... some experimental bias now!>
So, did Dr. Shimek use tap water in his experiments?  Did he dechlorinate the water?  Or did he unwittingly giving an advantage to the Marinemix Bioassay & Bio-Sea Marinemix samples on that fateful day?
<Ron?>
Unless he stands up and says something, we may never know.  And in the interim, we are all left scratching our heads over the validity of the study's methods & conclusions and, ultimately, the very worth of his report.
Sincerely,
Stephen Barker
<Thank you for writing. Bob Fenner>

Re: Shimek's Salt Analysis
Marinemix Bioassay has no dechlorinator.  .
The salts were mixed with distilled water.
<Thank you Ron. Suspected you were well aware of avoiding bias in experimental modeling. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Shimek's Salt Analysis
From Shimek's report:
"The Crystal Sea Marinemix - Bioassay Formulation is essentially the same as standard Crystal Sea Marinemix which it differs from only in lacking the dechlorinator found in the latter salt (R. Spellman, pers. comm.)."
Sure enough.  I stand corrected.  I must have misread this the first time through.
<Happens>
If Dr. Shimek used distilled water, then I find it even harder to ignore the survival of the larvae in the Crystal Sea Marinemix - Bioassay solution over the others--regardless of whether one thinks it is due to the amount of heavy metals in the salt or not.  His statistical analysis using ANOVA was very sound and convincing.
<Now you're taking me back in time... analysis of variance... shades of non-parametric testing!>
Crystal Sea Marinemix - Bioassay does indeed appear to be a better synthetic saltwater medium.  While I understand that Instant Ocean and others have been used for 30 years with no problems, larvae are typically more sensitive to their saltwater environment than the adult specimens we tend to keep in our aquariums.
<Yes, for certain>
However, there is that weird disparity between Hobbyist A & B samples.
<Does Ron discuss this... as in the Discussion part of his dissertation?>
But there is so much room for variables that these could muddy such results.  I only wish that Dr. Shimek would have had the chance to perform his same tests on multiple lots of the salt mixes while he was at it to eliminate the issue of lot consistency, too.
<Ahh, a common bugaboo... the number of replicates or trials in any experiment>
Thank you very, very much, Bob, for clearing my mind more on this issue and contacting Dr. Shimek!  And thank you, Dr. Shimek, for your quick response!
I am now even more intrigued by this subject than ever!
WWM is so cool!  I had no idea that I would ever get such quick answers to my questions!
Stephen
<Glad to be of service. Ron, anything else to add for posterity? Bob Fenner>

Synthetic salt question
I was wondering about a good aquarium salt.  Sorry to have to ask you guys this question you've probably answered hundreds of times.  But I could not find any info on the Bio-Sea marine mix salt.  I know you guys highly regard the Instant Ocean salt mix.  For an aquarium with live rock and a piece of rock with colony polyps and one with Ricordea mushroom, and an anemone, what would be you're recommendation between Instant Ocean and the Bio-Sea marine mix?
<I do like the Bio-Sea salt mix brand (one of a few good products from Marine Environments), but slightly prefer the IO over it... a bit more consistent in make-up, some small amount more soluble, greater biomineral content...>
I definitely want a salt that has good carbonate like the Instant Ocean to hold ph more stable.  Is the Bio-Sea more pure?  I also use the reef solution by ecosystems if that has any bearing on which salt would be best.  I appreciate your help, and just wanted to say your site seems to be the most informative and thorough on all needed topics.  Again thank you very much!!
<Most salt mixes are "ninety five, ninety eight percent" alike IMO/E... best in these cases though to get a bunch of folks input. I would try the BB's... ours: http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/
Bob Fenner>

The Real Thing-Or The Synthetic Thing? (Salt Water)
Hello Gang-
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today!>
Merry Christmas ! I hope Santa was good to everyone !
<Sure was! Hope your Holiday was great!>
My question is on the use of "Catalina Water" vs. synthetics like Instant Ocean. I read an article by Dr Shimek (sp?). He makes the case for use of Ocean Water obviously. Have you heard anything on this product ? Is it in wide use among hobbyists ? Pros/ Cons ? What do you recommend ??? Thanks and Happy New Year !  Dan
<Well, Dan - I have used the product a number of years ago, and did not have any bad results from it. However, in recent years, I have heard various concerns posed by hobbyists regarding it's purity and source (some people have implied that the water is collected not too far off shore, with potential exposure to pollutants, etc. Perhaps these concerns are unfounded, but I prefer the control afforded by many of the good synthetic mixes and good source water. Seems kind of funny, but I recommend synthetic for many, many hobby applications over natural sea water. In general, we have many concerns about the use of natural sea water in home systems, which can be found throughout the site (use our Google search feature using the key words "natural sea water"). Hope this sheds a bit of light on the topic. Regards, Scott F.>

Good Morning From Bernd - His LFS Has Closed!
Good morning, crew. I'm the guy from Honduras. My LFS has closed.
<I hate when the place you deal with closes...  Feel bad for the store owner.. but worse for my fish.>
Now I have only one more store in the whole country that carries marine stuff.
<ouch>
I was using Instant Ocean salt mix the last 2 years. The other store has only Kent Salt mix and Crystal Sea Marine Mix , which would You prefer?
<Personally I have never used anything but instant ocean, but I have know people that are quite happy with their Kent Salt.  But, reading articles online I found more than a few stating that Crystal Sea Marine Mix is one of the best.  Check out this link here: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.htm  Seems to say that they are quite happy with the Crystal SMM.>
From reading Your FAQ site, I know that You like the Instant Ocean, but I can't get that any more.
<You should look online and see if you can order Instant Ocean from online vendors and have it shipped directly to your house.>
Also, I need new test kits. He has Seachem kits  and FasTest from Aquarium Systems.  Which should I choose?
<I recently tried the Seachem kits at a friends home and found it not only very nice, but seems to be quite accurate.  I would vote on that one.>
Thanks as always, Bernd
<Sorry to hear of your LFS closing.  Hope things work out for your and your fish. -Magnus.>

LFS - Salt Mix Questions - II
>Hi and good morning again.
>>Hello Bernd!  You've got Marina again.
>Sorry to bother You again...
>>NO bother at all, my friend.
>...but the salt mix my LFS has is Reef Crystals, not Crystal Sea. What is the word on that one?
>>Spendy, but a good quality product nonetheless.  If you are very concerned, I suggest going to the manufacturer's sites (both IO and Reef Crystals) and see if you can compare ingredient list.  Also, reefs.org has a sponsor who is planning a salt mix study/comparison.  Keep your eye open for the Inland Aquatics Salt Study.
>It costs a bit more, but if it is worthwhile, I would go for it. Thanks, Bernd
>>Not to mention that if it's all you can GET, then you have to work with it, yes?  I'm sure it will do just fine.  It's so hard to make certain changes (especially once we get older).  Marina

Switching to another brand of salt 1/28/04
I love your website, very informative stuff. My question is, I'm using Tropic Marin salt. The problem is that it's hard to get out here in Brooklyn. Only a few stores sell it. I would like to switch to Instant Ocean. What should I expect if I switched
brands. Is there a method to use. My second question is which brand is better, Tropic Marin or Instant Ocean. Should I stay with what I'm using. Thanks Alonso
<Hi Alonso, Adam here.  Glad you enjoy WWM!  There is no special procedure to follow when switching salts.  There are two ways to look at your switch....  One is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If Tropic Marin works well for you, keep on using it.  The other way to look at it is "everything in moderation".  Even the best salt mixes will lack certain things while others will have too much of certain things.  Rotating brands of salt helps even out these differences.  Most folks are loyal to a particular brand of salt for reason #1.  I personally subscribe to reason #2.  In either case, the most important thing is to us a quality brand of salt, and both IO and TM fit the bill.  Best Regards.  Adam>

Salt Switcheroo
<Hello! Ryan with you this morning>
love your website, very informative stuff. <Thanks!> My question is, I'm using Tropic Marin salt. The problem is that it's hard to get out here in Brooklyn. Only a few stores sell it. <I see>  I would like to switch to Instant Ocean. What should I expect if I switched brands. <Hmm...not much info to work with.  Are you just keeping saltwater fish?  If so, you likely will notice no changes if you start changing the water with a new salt.  Corals may react negatively to changes in water chemistry.> Is there a method to use. <Nah, not really> My second question is which brand is better, Tropic Marin or Instant Ocean. <Depends on what animal you care for!  If you're caring for a reef, I would encourage you change as little as possible.  If you're caring for fish only, the quality difference between the two brands is negligible.  Good luck! Ryan> Should I stay with what I'm using.
Thanks
Alonso

- Reducing the Cost of Salt -
I'm interested in buying Instant Ocean in bulk? My water changes are 50 gallons a week and it really doesn't take long to go through a 200 gallon IO. If I could find a bulk supplier it might also be cheaper? Any thought would be appreciated. <Hmm... I would work with your local fish stores to see if they will cut you break - typically, the 'really' reduced prices are reserved for wholesale and unless you have a business, you probably won't be able to purchase anything from a wholesaler. Better to explain your needs to a couple of local fish stores and see if they are willing to do anything for you.>
Regards
David
<Cheers, J -- >

QT and sea salt brands/ammonia 2/17/04
Dear Anthony: you have made me reconsider getting this fish.  
<not the point/purpose my friend... I just have hopes for you/all aquarists to be better with husbandry and handling. Quarantine tanks are mandatory. It is standard practice for all zoological, fisheries and wildlife agencies. It amazes and saddens me that so many aquarists look over or ignore this and keep killing fishes that do not need to die but rater rest and stabilize in QT for just a few weeks first. All new fishes, corals, invertebrates, etc should be given this grace. Mind you, I'm not picking on you at all my dear friend :) Its just hard to convey imperative advice through e-mail... no chance to give a warm smile with the persuasion! But the bottom line is that an overwhelming number of fishes that could live if given a better chance die instead because of impatient, uninformed or maverick aquarists ;)>
I have a female, but two males have died during  acclimation.  Are they really too fragile for the home collector, and if so, why are they being sold to us?  
<as a rule, most all fairly wrasses are very sensitive to shipping and handling... your experience with 2 males does not speak to viability of the gender... just part of the stats for the family as a whole>
Are all reef-safe fairy wrasses fragile fish?  My 30 gallon tank is empty and still running, so it is well-seasoned.  I am growing amphipods and etc.  in it.  
<outstanding! yes.. please do give it this nice quiet place to acclimate for a few weeks (4 weeks to be proper). The only problem is if you need to medicate. A correct QT tank is bare bottomed to spare and substrate from reducing the effectiveness of the meds and to prevent the "festering" of parasites in the sand. Yet some wrasses are somewhat of an exception. They are rather stressed without some sand it seems. A slight catch-22>
That is where I was planning to put the fish, but the dealer told me the fish would never make it through quarantine if it didn't go into main tank.
<Oh, my goodness... that is one of the most inaccurate pieces of advice I have ever heard. There is no basis on which he could justify this. I wonder if it isn't his way of trying to cover his butt for selling a fragile fish?>
My 30 gal. is a duplicate of main tank and has been running for over two years.  Is a tank that seasoned still thought of as a quarantine tank?
<yes... good that it is seasoned... bad that it has a substrate, but I could live with it here. Please do read some of the excellent articles we have on setting up QT tanks here on wetwebmedia. Spelled out nicely... it really is simple>
Re: ammonia, you were too right on the source.  We bought two brand -new plastic barrels from a wine supplier and tested the salt with brand-new r/o water.  We have been using Instant Ocean, which I thought was a good brand, and the barrel containing Instant Ocean had an even higher reading than .025 of ammonia.  
<yes... it is amazing>
(New kit as well)  We just received our own r/o unit, which is not yet installed, so Joe is buying sea water from a LFS in San Francisco until we get hooked up and can determine what salt to use. Joe said he has seen Kent, Red Sea and Coral Life in various stores.  What is the very best?  
<let me strongly encourage you to use Tropic Marin. It is truly time-tested and one of the very best>
We don't mind ordering online to get high quality salt from a company who cares.  We need consistency here.
<yes... very much agreed. TM is the kind of salt you can buy and never look back. I've always joked "If I'm spending someone elses money... I'd buy Tropic Marin... if I'm using my own money, I'd buy Instant Ocean <G>">
I am very interested to know what you use.  I know you would use only the best. Connie
<best regards! Anthony>

Salt Mix Quality Questions
Dear Sir,
<No "sir"- just Scott F. here today!>
I have used Tropic Marin, HW Marinemix, Instant Ocean and Sera Meersaltz for my marine fish hobby over 5 years.
<All good salts; I'm a Tropic Marin fan, myself>
Recently, I tried Red Sea salt because it was cheaper which unfortunately resulted in the death of many of my fishes in my aquarium! 
<Sorry to hear that...Are you sure that it was the salt mix?>
I went back to the shop and found out that the shop owner himself uses Sera Meersaltz for his magnificent showcase tanks. What about the Red Sea then? He said he is aware of blending quality problems last year but thought the problem had been rectified.
<Perhaps if this was the problem, maybe you purchased a leftover bag from one of the troubled batches?>
He is no longer stocking Red Sea salt mix after my complaint and says Instant Ocean would be the replacement for the budget conscious (Sera Meersaltz for the serious high-end fishkeeper) as he had some similar complaints from others as well.  My question is why has there been a lack of emphasis on the quality of many brands of seawater mix available especially where blending of the formula matters so much?
<Well, I suppose that there has been a lot more placed into marketing and packaging in recent years than into research and development by many companies. Some formulas have been established so long that little, if any expense has been put into refining them.  The SF15 report, while appearing biased towards Aquacraft products and somewhat understandable (their products did better in the tests after all is said and done) is about the only thing I have seen so far.
<Agreed...there are not too many independent tests out there. However, a number of advanced hobbyists and authors have done some limited research into salt mix over the past couple of years, and have published this information on the 'net. Just requires a bit of research on your part. Some of the findings might be interesting, others seem to be a bit unusual, but it's always worth looking at. I think the real problem is that it is rather expensive to perform a completely unbiased, accurate, and thorough analysis of al of the salt mixes on the market today. I suppose the best bet for the hobbyist is to see what your fellow successful hobbyists have found to be effective, and try the salt in your own system. If the salt works for you- stick with the brand. Consistency in all things, including salt mix- is very vital for marine systems, IMO. Hang in there! Regards, Scott F>

Seawater Mix Product Issues 4/9/04 
Dear Sir, 
<Wow! No need for such formality. We are a very laid back bunch!<g>.> 
I have used Tropic Marin, HW Marinemix, Instant Ocean and Sera Meersaltz for my marine fish hobby over 5 years. Recently, I tried Red Sea salt because it was cheaper which unfortunately resulted in the death of many of my fishes in my aquarium! 
<Very bad news indeed!> 
I went back to the shop and found out that the shop owner himself uses Sera Meersaltz for his magnificent showcase tanks. What about the Red Sea then? He said he is aware of blending quality problems last year but thought the problem had been rectified. He is no longer stocking Red Sea salt mix after my complaint and says Instant Ocean would be the replacement for as he had some similar complaints from others as well. 
<I have not heard of this problem. Perhaps it is limited to certain areas. Tropic Marin and Sera are very highly regarded salts (which unfortunately are not widely available in the US) and Instant Ocean is so widely used that serious problems with it would be well known.> 
My question is why has there been a lack of emphasis on the quality of many brands of seawater mix available especially where blending of the formula matters so much? The SF15 report while appearing biased towards Aquacraft products and somewhat 
understandable (their products did better in the tests after all is said and done) is about the only thing I have seen so far. 
<The results of the S-15 report is widely considered to be very questionable. Your observation that one brand of salts vastly outperformed others is very keen. You might have also noted that the criteria used to judge the salts seemed a bit odd and obviously favored the same brands of salt produced by the folks who performed the testing. 
Dr. Ron Shimek performed some testing of salt mixes using sea urchin larvae. Although his results were quite dramatic, it is my strong opinion that not many useful conclusions can be drawn from his results and that much more testing is required. 
I think the biggest reason for lack of testing of salts is primarily cost. No one has any way of recovering their testing cost, let alone profiting from performing unbiased testing. Another important reason is that it is only in the last couple of years that husbandry has advanced so far that the life expectancy of our animals may be limited by the quality of salt mix rather than poor husbandry. 
Lastly, very pure chemicals are very expensive. To give a very crude example, a 95% pure chemical may cost $1.00 per kilo, the same chemical 99% pure may be $3.00 per kilo, the same chemical 99.99% pure may cost $15.00 per kilo. So, the cost goes up very rapidly to achieve the very highest level of purity. I hope this information is useful to you. Adam>

-Changing Salt Brands-
Hello ya'll!! <Confused new-Englander scratches chin ;) > I have written to you before and was soooo pleased with your advise (you kept me from putting a hippo tang in a 65 gallon tank-poor dory) that I would like to pick your brain again. <Pick away!>
I am changing salt brands and would like to know the proper way to introduce the new salt in the tank. I have a 65 gallon tank and I do approx. 16 gallon change per month. Can I do a water change with the new water and be OK?? <No problem, just verify that your new salt doesn't have a drastically different pH than that of your tank, and that, of course, the salinity is the same. It's generally safe to change whenever you want w/out any notice.> I don't want to kill all my fish if the change will be too drastic. Thanks for your help! <You should be fine, enjoy! -Kevin> 

Cooking salt for synthetic, reconstituted sea water?
Hi, long time since the last time!! Here in Central America the cooking salt doesn't come from mines but from the ocean.  The process is quite simple; the water from the sea is conducted to shallow pools where the sun evaporates the water leaving the salt, then (by order of the government) they adds iodine, but you can find salt without iodine.  This salt is really cheap. My question is, it is possible to use this salt instead the salt marketed to be used in aquariums? Why not or yes?
Thank you!
Carlos Díaz
<Good question. It turns out that "table salt" made this way is actually "cleaned" (resolubilized) and otherwise screened mechanically to remove debris et al... and in the process "loses" some percentage of more soluble salts (than the desired sodium chloride, the principal constituent in both seawater, synthetic... and table salt!). So, though there have been folks, mainly "culture" tanks like at the supermarkets and restaurants, who have used this sun-produced sea salt for synthetic, it is not as "complete" a formulation as the intended commercial salt mix synthetics. Short answer, I would NOT use it with my livestock. Bob Fenner>

Making synthetic sea salt?
Dear Sir ,  
<< Blundell here this morning, and please don't call me sir... Adam is fine, or Blundell, or Hey You Fish Nerd, but not sir. >>
I am after some information ,is it possible to make my own sea water to go in a large 120 litre tank that I have set up for sea horse . << Yep definitely possible.  I've seen recipes (formulas) on websites, and made my own (I'll get to that later). >> As I live 90 km.s from the nearest town where I can buy the sea water they supply I thought I could make my own and keep it in large tank that way I could change the water when necessary and not have to be traveling so often, is there a simple recipe to making this water if so could you put it on your web page so that others like my self can use it. << I doubt we have one posted here, and I doubt we will get one.  I'll say more in a second. >> I thought about going and getting the sea water from a beach but was told that as I have the tank set up and it is working so well that by bringing in water from the sea I don't know what contaminates I would put in my tank , as well as the seahorse I have anemones and 2 clown fish and they are doing beautifully and I don't want to do any thing to spoil the tank  . I would be ever so grateful for your help. << Okay so you can get water from a natural source, which has its pros and cons.  But you are looking for more like a recipe to make synthetic sea salt at home.  I use to run an aquaculture project and we looked at making our own salt.  The basis was simple water softener rock salt.  Wow that stuff is cheap.  But then to add the calcium we spent a little money, and to add the magnesium we spent a ton of money.  In the end even our research facility didn't make it worth while.  Bottom line, we spent less money just buying big buckets of Instant Ocean/Coralife/Or whoever and their products were better than what we could make anyway.  So, I guess my final comment is that you should look into just buying synthetic salt... it really is a better way to go. >>
Patricia McKiernan
Western Australia ..
<< Blundell, somewhere wishing I were in Western Australia >>

Is one salt mix really better than another?
Hello again. I have been using IO exclusively since start up (1 year) and all has been well. Seems like all my LFS (2) have switched to stocking Oceanic's new product and IO is not always available. What do you think of Oceanic's synthetic sea salt? << Well truth be told, after seeing a salt manufacturers testing and analysis of salt mixes.... I say they are all the same. >><Mmm, nope... Blunder/ell... RMF> I hate to fiddle with success, but availability and price seem to be in Oceanic's favor. My take on this so far is that Oceanic has made their product more attractive to retailers who are singing its praises for reasons other than actual performance in the tank. Am I just being cynical? << I don't think it would bother me.  Honestly, I'd buy whatever is on sale.  Others may have differing opinions on that, but there are a ton of very successful tanks out there being run with whatever salt was on sale that week. >> Thanks, as
always, George.  
<<  Blundell  >>

Which salt?
What are your thoughts on Aqua Craft's Marine Environment Dual Phase salt? What about this S-15 report that is being used to compare salts? Is there much validity to this or is this someone's marketing hype?
Pete
<This is a fine product... on par with many of the other American made synthetics. The stated "report" is not "good science" (open samples provided by ME other peoples products..., study paid for by them...) and has been derided since its production... there are numerous independent studies by marine hobbyists/chemists of various salt brands... though they are not easy to reference (some on on-line 'zines, others as part of the now-defunct Aquarium Frontiers and AF online zines...). A good product in my estimation however, though this "report" is more hype than reality. Bob Fenner>