New Seachem salt

bgraves · 02/10/2010, 04:06 AM

My local fish store started selling a new Seachem salt and it actually has to parameters labled on the bucket of that batch. The bucket I looked at had the following: Cal 445, 8.5 ph, 1335 mag and 9.5kh. I am thinking about changed from Tropic Marine pro reef due to mag only being around 1200. I think this may be the result of a bad batch though. Has anyone used this Seachem salt?

ZR1001 · 02/10/2010, 07:29 PM

I have used it and the calcium was around 360, Alk 9, Mag 1350.

screwsloose · 02/10/2010, 08:03 PM

are you talking about the new aqua vitra line or the "reef salt"?

i use the reef salt and my mag and calcium are always close to what they say. my calcium stays around 400-440 mark and mag stays above 1200 depending on water change intervals

eros · 02/11/2010, 12:26 AM

I've used the reef salt and have had problems with it. The new aquavitro line looks promising. I'll be picking up a bucket when I need more salt.

bgraves · 02/11/2010, 03:46 AM

it may be the aquavitro line. Mlfs say's it just came out and it's really good. Also its on sale due to the quantity he ordered.

Opiy · 02/11/2010, 06:07 AM

Here is the link to the product I think they are talking about.
http://www.aquavitro.com/

I am interested but are there any online retailers carrying it yet?

Nanz · 02/11/2010, 06:59 AM

Does this new salt have Borate in it? The old seachem reef salt has about 1 meq/l of borate which affects the total alkalinity. Therefore another test has to be run to find the actual carbonate alkalinity which is important to reefs.

I think the salt is overpriced if its just an increase in Mg. I think its cheaper to just buy some Tech-M and dose it with the water change.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 02/11/2010, 09:07 AM

Here's a thread on it:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1777676

jetfixr · 02/11/2010, 11:43 AM

This salt may be alright but I have had problems with Seachem salt in the past. It never mixes clear, I have tried several different methods. The last 2 buckets I got may have been out of the same batch, but they were very low in mag. I checked with 2 different mag test kits and it was just about 800ppm. It took me the better part of 2 gallons of Kent Super M to get the Mag right with those 2 buckets of salt. Super M is not cheap in those quantities! I have switched to Reef Crystals and have found it to be much more consistant. I think Seachem has some quality control issues going on with their salt. If you factor in the cost of my Super-M, it cost me $75 per bucket. I know now they are suppose to be testing this new salt before they send it out, but shouldn't this have been happening all along?

stanlalee · 02/11/2010, 12:47 PM

I'm sure its a fine reef salt. As for the metal content Randy recently posted a link (cant remember which thread) with a salt comparison and ALL had metal levels way above sea level so I dont see the need to become overly critical on this one. One would likely assume its at least as good as seachem reef salt which other than not mixing completely that I also experienced (clears up quickly post water change) works fine. By fine meaning everything lived and looked like it did with the other 4+ salts I've tried.
I never get caught up on ca, alk and mg levels. Its irrelavent for the 16% (5 gallon) every two week water changes I do. 100ppm ca, mg and several dKH differences make virtually immeasureable changes at the rate and percent I (and most people) do water changes. these parameters are preferences. If we all wanted salt close to seawater "reef" salts wouldn't exist.

Basically seachem salts have been around for a long time so one would expect this one would at least be acceptable for use. Amazes me people are still looking for/expecting some revolution in salt mixes. Lets say a salt is absolutely excellent, what exactly is suppose to happen to the already perfectly healthy stock?

eros · 02/11/2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetfixr

I know now they are suppose to be testing this new salt before they send it out, but shouldn't this have been happening all along?

Agreed. This seems to me like an attempt to fix the problem they are having with Reef Salt. I purchased a bucket that had 400ppm magnesium then they replaced it for me but the new bucket only had 800ppm. I will probably try this product out when I need more salt. If you can get 225 gallons out of it as they claim it will be my cheapest option next to Reef Salt.

02/10/2010, 04:06 AM	#1
bgraves Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 366	New Seachem salt My local fish store started selling a new Seachem salt and it actually has to parameters labled on the bucket of that batch. The bucket I looked at had the following: Cal 445, 8.5 ph, 1335 mag and 9.5kh. I am thinking about changed from Tropic Marine pro reef due to mag only being around 1200. I think this may be the result of a bad batch though. Has anyone used this Seachem salt?

02/11/2010, 06:59 AM	#7
Nanz Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,389	Does this new salt have Borate in it? The old seachem reef salt has about 1 meq/l of borate which affects the total alkalinity. Therefore another test has to be run to find the actual carbonate alkalinity which is important to reefs. I think the salt is overpriced if its just an increase in Mg. I think its cheaper to just buy some Tech-M and dose it with the water change. __________________ S.G. = 1.025, Temp = 78.5, pH = 8.00 Ca = 550 ppm, Alk = 176 ppm (9.85 dKH), Mg = 1300 ppm NO3 = 0.97 ppm, PO4 = 0.07 ppm Nuvo 30, Razor Nano LED, Tunze ATO, Tunze 9004 skimmer, Vortec mp10,

02/11/2010, 09:07 AM	#8
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Here's a thread on it: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1777676 __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

02/10/2010, 07:29 PM	#2
ZR1001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Folsom, CA Posts: 359	I have used it and the calcium was around 360, Alk 9, Mag 1350.

02/10/2010, 08:03 PM	#3
screwsloose Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: searcy, arkansas Posts: 496	are you talking about the new aqua vitra line or the "reef salt"? i use the reef salt and my mag and calcium are always close to what they say. my calcium stays around 400-440 mark and mag stays above 1200 depending on water change intervals

02/11/2010, 12:26 AM	#4
eros Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 878	I've used the reef salt and have had problems with it. The new aquavitro line looks promising. I'll be picking up a bucket when I need more salt.

02/11/2010, 03:46 AM	#5
bgraves Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 366	it may be the aquavitro line. Mlfs say's it just came out and it's really good. Also its on sale due to the quantity he ordered.

02/11/2010, 06:07 AM	#6
Opiy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mobile Al Posts: 911	Here is the link to the product I think they are talking about. http://www.aquavitro.com/ I am interested but are there any online retailers carrying it yet?

02/11/2010, 11:43 AM	#9
jetfixr Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 329	This salt may be alright but I have had problems with Seachem salt in the past. It never mixes clear, I have tried several different methods. The last 2 buckets I got may have been out of the same batch, but they were very low in mag. I checked with 2 different mag test kits and it was just about 800ppm. It took me the better part of 2 gallons of Kent Super M to get the Mag right with those 2 buckets of salt. Super M is not cheap in those quantities! I have switched to Reef Crystals and have found it to be much more consistant. I think Seachem has some quality control issues going on with their salt. If you factor in the cost of my Super-M, it cost me $75 per bucket. I know now they are suppose to be testing this new salt before they send it out, but shouldn't this have been happening all along?

02/11/2010, 12:47 PM	#10
stanlalee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hampton roads, va Posts: 1,799	I'm sure its a fine reef salt. As for the metal content Randy recently posted a link (cant remember which thread) with a salt comparison and ALL had metal levels way above sea level so I dont see the need to become overly critical on this one. One would likely assume its at least as good as seachem reef salt which other than not mixing completely that I also experienced (clears up quickly post water change) works fine. By fine meaning everything lived and looked like it did with the other 4+ salts I've tried. I never get caught up on ca, alk and mg levels. Its irrelavent for the 16% (5 gallon) every two week water changes I do. 100ppm ca, mg and several dKH differences make virtually immeasureable changes at the rate and percent I (and most people) do water changes. these parameters are preferences. If we all wanted salt close to seawater "reef" salts wouldn't exist. Basically seachem salts have been around for a long time so one would expect this one would at least be acceptable for use. Amazes me people are still looking for/expecting some revolution in salt mixes. Lets say a salt is absolutely excellent, what exactly is suppose to happen to the already perfectly healthy stock?