[kds]

Ok, I understand that you are not supposed to mix Sea Salts as they maybe incompatible with one another. However, what about mixing from the same brand? Can Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals be mixed? They are both made by the same company.
I am looking to start a 75 gal reef. But I plan on taking my time with it as I have my 10 gal nano reef started. I found a 75 on sale and Instant Ocean on sale very cheap. My nano’s I am running Reef Crystals. And I figured as my 75 progresses I would start using reef crystals instead.
Anyone have any definitive answers or talked to anyone from the manufacture on this? Tried calling the manufacture but tech support already left for the weekend.
I’m sure IO or RC probably isn’t the best salts, but I am under the understanding they are a very good salt (or were) correct? So what is the best?

[leebca]

Hi kds,

I've moved your post from the Marine Fish: Care, Health and Disease Forum to the Reef Aquariums Forum where I hope it may get better attention.

The choice of salts is quite the emotional discussion. We all have our favorites. People swear by whatever salt they use. Instant Ocean (IO) is an old standard and has been improved over the decades since it first appeared on the market.

My favorite is Tropic Marin for its completeness, uniform blending, and fast dissolution properties. Is it the best? Who knows for sure.

You are correct in that you should have the input and follow the directions of the salt manufacturer. My guess is that this manufacturer uses the same chemicals to make both blends, then adds or alters a few chemicals to make the different products. Only the manufacturer knows what can and can't be mixed, however I would assume the two were compatible without knowledge or experience reported to the contrary. Sorry I couldn't have been more help.

[Poseidon]

I have not noticed any harm in using a bag a reef crystals every now and again. Now when I switched from IO to another mix, I did lose a couple of pieces of Pocilliapora.... That was probably partly my fault as I may have done to large of a change.

I am back to IO now, and everything is doing very well, and IO isn't the most expensive salt, so I am happy with the results I am getting.

[sihaya]

I don't see why there'd be much danger in mixing salts. And, in fact, if you plan on switching from one brand to another, using a mix of the two before completely switching might even be a good idea.

[Poseidon]

I had my trouble switching from IO to Crystal Sea's, and I was only doing 10 gallon water changes on a 135, w/55 gallon sump. But that is 2 totally different salts from 2 totally seperate places. I wouldn't worry about IO and RC giving bad reactions.

[Frogfish]

whenever you switch salts you want to go slowly. With every water change I would start off using 75% to 25% old to new salt. Then 50/50 and finally 25/75. Before totally switching from one salt to another.

[leebca]

Originally Posted by sihaya

I don't see why there'd be much danger in mixing salts.

Actually there are a few dangers, most of which only the salt manufacturers know about.

An artificial salt is usually (incorrectly) thought of like table salt. Add it to water and it dissolves. But that isn't the way it is with artificial sea salt.

The chemicals they put together for the artificial salt mix don't just dissolve in water, some of them actually react with each other to form other compounds when they are wet. So the chemicals in one salt formula usually differ from the chemicals in another salt formula -- two separate manufacturers. The aquarist doesn't know if there will be additional chemical reactions between two manufacturer's salt formula.

Another difference is the blending that is done on the artificial salt. Some salts (like Tropic Marin) go through a very intense and thorough blending process. This makes the mix very uniform throughout the bag/bucket/tub/batch. So if a bucket is bought and one scoop taken from the tub, that scoop will chemically be the same as the next scoop, middle scoop and the last scoop. This isn't the case with all salt manufacturers. This leads to slight chemical variances between the makeup salt water that aquarists prepare.

A third point is that not all salts utilize the exact same buffering chemicals. Variations can disrupt such final concentrations of Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity, and pH.

Marine system crashes have been reported by aquarists changing salt water with as little as a 10% water change with a different manufacturer's salt.

There are real dangers. Getting help from the manufacturer of the salt that is the new salt is likely. They will most likely be enthusiastic about giving advice on switching from the current salt to their salt. The other thing to do is just what kds has done -- ask if anyone has specific experience with a particular switch.

[sihaya]

I do know that salts can vary greatly from one brand to another and even within the same brand. I just didn't know mixing them could be quite so dangerous.

But like I've said at least a dozen times, it would help if we knew the exact chemical compositions of these things.