Switching salts

[vcnt]

I orignially used fritz rpm blue box, but that just ran out today so i went to lfs and i purchased the tropic marin reef pro salt, was this a bad idea? inhabitants of my tank are two clowns 3 zoanthids 1 kenya tree and a bunch of cuc, also does anyone know a way to be doing less water changes? My tank is big and switching out 15 gallons a week is getting a little expensive, my tank is still relatively new and i am going through some really bad diatoms

 

[reefsaver]

Consider running a Refugium to suck up the nutrients.
After this is done you will then be doing water changes to replace nutrients and trace elements not pull them out as long as your refugium is working effectively.
Test your water and watch the depletion of nutrients and setup some dosers to add what's being depleted at a stable consistent rate.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Well with that small of a bioload you probably do not need to change your water so much. Also since your in Long Island, you could also consider NSW. Probably help with your diatom issues.

 

[vcnt]

Well with that small of a bioload you probably do not need to change your water so much. Also since your in Long Island, you could also consider NSW. Probably help with your diatom issues.

Whats nsw?

 

[Snoopy 67]

Natural Sea Water. Like they use @ LI Aquarium.
It does need some adjustments for a reef though.
I have used IO for years with good results.
Check out: www.longislandreef.org

 

[vcnt]

i’m

Consider running a Refugium to suck up the nutrients.
After this is done you will then be doing water changes to replace nutrients and trace elements not pull them out as long as your refugium is working effectively.
Test your water and watch the depletion of nutrients and setup some dosers to add what's being depleted at a stable consistent rate.

If I do do refugiam i will need to do an external pump, can i drill acrylic? Maybe I could sump swap if i remove one of the sides on my stand and replace it with a door

 

[Doctorgori]

My tank is big and switching out 15 gallons a week is getting a little expensive, my tank is still relatively new and i am going through some really bad diatoms

I was gonna post until I came across this (which is basically what I was thinking)

Well with that small of a bioload you probably do not need to change your water so much. Also since you’re in Long Island, you could also consider NSW. Probably help with your diatom issues.

also, salt branding has got to be the silliest and most overrated aspect of the hobby…
If I can boast about my reefing longevity and make one statement I’m 100% confident in it would be: “salt brand make almost NO DIFFERENCE” ..
but if you wanna play it safe perhaps lower the percentage to change and up the frequency ..
…maybe 10% bi monthly or so…
….pardon the volume, but the number of salt vs salt threads warrants it LOL
…btw I expect you could fight the diatoms with water changes but you certain water changes will help?
what is you phosphate and nitrate levels at?
…Fritz blue comes in around 10dhK …I think, no?
I think most brands might be a lil lower but I wonder if at >10% water change it make any difference..

 

[vcnt]

I was gonna post until I came across this (which is basically what I was thinking)

also, salt branding has got to be the silliest and most overrated aspect of the hobby…
If I can boast about my reefing longevity and make one statement I’m 100% confident in it would be: “salt brand make almost NO DIFFERENCE” ..
but if you wanna play it safe perhaps lower the percentage to change and up the frequency ..
…maybe 10% bi monthly or so…
….pardon the volume, but the number of salt vs salt threads warrants it LOL
…btw I expect you could fight the diatoms with water changes but you certain water changes will help?
what is you phosphate and nitrate levels at?
…Fritz blue comes in around 10dhK …I think, no?
I think most brands might be a lil lower but I wonder if at >10% water change it make any difference..

Fritz website says dkh is between 8/9, i am gonna go do a nitrate and phos test to see where im at right now, i just added a bottle of reef nutrition tig pods

 

[vcnt]

Phos around .18

 

[Doctorgori]

yeah that phosphate is a lil elevated, hence I can envision diatoms liking that environment in a nice new semi unoccupied tank…

So I won’t knock blasting the phosphate levels down real quick … even bet those diatoms don’t last forever regardless..

if Fritz Blue is 8/9 then almost every brand sans Fritz Red and I/O Reef Crystals should work …

I use I/O purple, but honestly I buy whatever is on sale; I have larger tanks tho

 

[vcnt]

yeah that phosphate is a lil elevated, hence I can envision diatoms liking that environment in a nice new semi unoccupied tank…

So I won’t knock blasting the phosphate levels down real quick … even bet those diatoms don’t last forever regardless..

if Fritz Blue is 8/9 then almost every brand sans Fritz Red and I/O Reef Crystals should work …

I use I/O purple, but honestly I buy whatever is on sale; I have larger tanks tho

I think i have seen people say io is crappy salt?

 

[Rollnwthdatide]

I never did water changes in my large tank. Just implemented the triton method. Fuge took care of nutrient export and dosing took care of the elements.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Fritz website says dkh is between 8/9,

I bet it does come in at that

At the factory spec SG, whatever that is

I have a gif somewhere on my phone, where BRS tested and listed all the specs of 1.026 SG new salt water, from all of the salt makets

All of them were different than as advertised, most were hotter

 

[Solo McReefer]

I think i have seen people say io is crappy salt?

Jason Fox uses it

So do some other reef farmers

He's a bit of a slob with his grow tanks

But not one person can discount the corals he grows

 

[reefsaver]

i’m

If I do do refugium i will need to do an external pump, can i drill acrylic? Maybe I could sump swap if i remove one of the sides on my stand and replace it with a door

I pretty much agree with everyone's input. You can absolutely drill Acrylic, it's much easier than glass.
A few other options would be Carbon/NO3PO4X Dosing. Clean your filtration more often or improve it to trap more. Be a little more tactical with what you feed and how much you feed minimizing waste anywhere you can. An algae scrubber is another alternative to a Refugium.
These are just a few methods I've used in the past to battle algae, dinos, cyano and diatoms.

 

[vcnt]

I never did water changes in my large tank. Just implemented the triton method. Fuge took care of nutrient export and dosing took care of the elements.

Whats triton method?