Kshack Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I talked to the Brightwell rep and was considering their salt. There is a thread on RC where guys are reporting it mixing up at Alk of 10...not 7.5 like advertised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Allen Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 A few years ago Eric Borneman and Kim Lowe did an in depth study on salts that were run for a long period of time. After releasing the first part of the study, the second more detailed part never made it to publication. Personally, I think it revealed too much from someone with some credibility and the manufacturers didn't care for it. This is good info to have, thanks for posting it. My personal experience is that I used to use IO (Instant Oceans) for years. It was fine at first, but over time something happened. I was having all kinds of stability problems with Calcium, pH and Alk. I thought it was my tank, but after doing some analysis I found it was the salt. Using 80 degree 0 TDS RO and mixing IO to 1.024 I found that the Ca was in the low 100's and occassionally lower. So, overtime with this problem (before discovering it was the salt), I added a Calc Reactor and an automated Kalkwasser doser. With both of those cranking I couldn't keep my Ca above 320. The Alk was off too, but I forget the actual numbers. I quickly dumped IO and went to Red Sea Coral Pro, which was night and day. Our Ca never dipped below 450. Pricey? Yes, but worth every penny. I had spent so much money attempting to work around the problem that I could have fixed it in the beginning by switching salts. I never thought it was the salt because it was great in the beginning and you wouldn't think that salt would change that drastically. What it proved to me is, if you are having stability issues, test A to Z starting with the salt you add to your system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancop Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Using the Crystal Sea Mix....no problems here ....that I know of....Main reason is that alot of the salts used have a higher PO4 amount......Instant Ocean for one has I believe the highest amount...I have enough issues with PO4 as it is.....w/o having it in the salt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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