Is tropic marine salt better than IO salt?

[dz6t]

I only use IO before but never use TM pro reef salt. Any opinion? Thanks

 

[this is me]

I used TM regular. It's great I guess but the CA level is way too low for me. It's somewhere in the 340s range. I always have to supplement the freshly mixed salt water with B-ionic part 2(calcium). I think I'll give the pro a try after I finish with this bucket(maybe in a year) despite the rumor of bleaching when you switch to pro. I think what happen is that people did the change too quickly. I mean I changed my salt two-three times and never had a problem. I just go slow, real slow..

 

[Andy O]

I am by no means an expert, but a lot of what I have heard/read says the it is better than IO, but everyone will give you their own opinion as to what they think is best regardless of whether or not it really is. After the switch my corals seemed to look better -- whether I was imagining this I don't know. When I switched to TM I just started doing my water changes with the TM and had no problems whatsoever.

 

[smcnally]

I am by no means an expert, but a lot of what I have heard/read says the it is better than IO, but everyone will give you their own opinion as to what they think is best regardless of whether or not it really is. After the switch my corals seemed to look better -- whether I was imagining this I don't know. When I switched to TM I just started doing my water changes with the TM and had no problems whatsoever.

I feel just the opposite. I switched from IO to TM last summer and things seemed less perky and harder to maintain. I started making the transition back to IO. During Randy's talk at the last meeting he was the speaker at, he showed the trace elements of a bunch of salt brands. One thing I noticed was that IO seemed to be the closest to NSW.

 

[starrfish]

I switched from TM to IO about 6 months ago. I haven't noticed any difference. The one thing I like about IO much better is that I don't have to supplement. With TM I had to supplement both calcium and alkalinity before using it. IO is easier to get and cheaper too.

 

[Andy O]

I switched from TM to IO about 6 months ago. I haven't noticed any difference. The one thing I like about IO much better is that I don't have to supplement. With TM I had to supplement both calcium and alkalinity before using it. IO is easier to get and cheaper too.

Was it the pro reef? I was under the impression that it was supposed to be higher in calcium content.

 

[starrfish]

No, it was regular TM.

 

[Mini4x]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/seasaltmixes/l/aa090503b.htm

 

[Mini4x]

Interesting

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/pa...&poll_id=882371500&poll=2&submit1=Submit+Vote

 

[Pat H.]

I switched from TM to IO about 6 months ago. I haven't noticed any difference. The one thing I like about IO much better is that I don't have to supplement. With TM I had to supplement both calcium and alkalinity before using it. IO is easier to get and cheaper too.

Daire, I use IO and find the calcium to be low(from several different buckets) around 285 ppm. Did you mean you use Reef Crystals?

 

[Mini4x]

More:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/12/aafeature1

TM & IO seem to be the better two.. OI seems to be used the most probably due to price and availbility. I don't see the TM Pro anywhere.

Anyone mix salt brands?

I've been using up some IO, but use TM (reg).

 

[starrfish]

Nope, I use IO. I only tested my first batch and it was much higher in both calcium and alkalinity than the TM I was using. I'll test my current batch.

 

[Pat H.]

Nope, I use IO. I only tested my first batch and it was much higher in both calcium and alkalinity than the TM I was using. I'll test my current batch.

Now you've got me wondering if my test kit is expired I use the Seachem kit and it has a calibration standard. I'll have to check it out.

I've found the IO to have an alk of about 12.5 dkh, but with low calcium. I end up adding about 15 tsp of Peladow to each 50 gls of seawater I mix to bring it up to about 430 ppm or so.

 

[clamm]

I find IO cal to be approx 300 as well, which is similar to Randy's findings if my memory is correct. I have watched others use TM pro and then switch back. I stayed with IO since I know what I have to do to keep my cal and alk up to par with it.

IMO, its not worth changing.

 

[MikeG]

My IO calcium has always tested around 300 as well with several different batches. I am now using reef crystals but too early to see any differences.

 

[NeO]

I started with IO then I switched to Oceanic and for the last year and half I'm using TM regular, one thing that I notice is that my corals got a better color and better grown with TM, and I don't do anything with fresh mix just mix wait about a day or 2 and do water change.
I do check for CA and Alk in the new mix only when I open a new bucket and so far the CA level has been up to 400 and the Alk at 11.4 in the last bucket that I opened about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Reef55]

I have used about 3/4 of a bucket of TM Pro. So far my corals seem to be happier than before, but like so many other things, lots of variables... so who knows what is responsible for what.

 

[RichConley]

I like the way my stuff looks under TM more than it did under IO. That may be totally subjective, and it may be that my husbandry has changed, but thats just my experience.

All the salt brands have some inadaquecies. If not, everyone would be using the same brand. Just find one you like, figure out what you need to supplement, and add it in.

Dont worry about who has high Ca, or Alk, or Mag, those are easily supplemented. Its the other stuff thats tough.


I use TM because it irritates my skin less than IO does. I was at Skiptons talking to Brendan about how my salt bothers my skin, and he was like "Use IO?" and I said yeah, and he said he had the same problem, and had switched to TM, and wasnt having it anymore. I switched. My skin stopped getting irritated.

 

[clamm]

interesting, where IO touches my skin I get a rash...itches like crazy...maybe a change is in order as well.

I like the way my stuff looks under TM more than it did under IO. That may be totally subjective, and it may be that my husbandry has changed, but thats just my experience.

All the salt brands have some inadaquecies. If not, everyone would be using the same brand. Just find one you like, figure out what you need to supplement, and add it in.

Dont worry about who has high Ca, or Alk, or Mag, those are easily supplemented. Its the other stuff thats tough.


I use TM because it irritates my skin less than IO does. I was at Skiptons talking to Brendan about how my salt bothers my skin, and he was like "Use IO?" and I said yeah, and he said he had the same problem, and had switched to TM, and wasnt having it anymore. I switched. My skin stopped getting irritated.

 

[dz6t]

interesting, where IO touches my skin I get a rash...itches like crazy...maybe a change is in order as well.

I found the same thing. Everytime I put my hand in the tank which is IO currently, I get rash on the back of my hands.