Salt, Salt, Salt!

[jlane1980]

Hi,

I'm just about to start a Marine Tank, my plan is detailed below, in my Journal.

I'd like to buy most of the stuff needed before i break my Tropical tank down, so i have a few questions regarding Salt!

With so many different types on the market, and so many different prices, which one should i go for? Once i start using one type of salt, do i then have to continue using that type of salt throughout, or can i change salt manufacturers whilst the tank is set up? I would like, of course, to try and keep things relatively cheap, but i realise that some things, you can't cut corners, or prices with. The last thing i want is a sub-standard tank, with ill fish, just because i was trying to save a tenner on Salt!!

Secondly, how much should i buy? I want enough to fill start my tank, including a 50% water change, that should do me for the first month. After that, i can buy some more, if required. My tank is an AR620T, with 130L.

As a side note, i'm not sure if this is relevant to my questions, or not, but i'd like to, when my tank is fully established, to keep seahorses in it. Do they need a different type of salt?

Thanks

Jon

 

[fishy55599]

i use tropic marin, i got a 4kg box and used that for my initial fill on my 125l
so try get somethng 5kg for yours tank. there are many brands go with which ever you think is best

 

[weezawoo]

I use red sea coral pro. I buy 22kg for £45 but i have a 6ft tank.
You can change salt if you like but i think you have to do little water changes so the difference in composition doesnt shock the fish.

 

[jlane1980]

OK,
After reading I think i've decided to go for the same as weezawoo. Where do you get it at £45, i have found it for £50 HERE. I seem to remember someone saying that they get an extra 10% discount from here, was that you?

Also, a random thought that's just occurred to me; Do i have to use de-chlorinator, like Seachem Prime? I will be using tap water, instead of RO, because my water quality is really good as well as it being soft! A perk of living in Deepest Darkest Cornwall, i'm told!

 

[weezawoo]

I wil pm you

 

[weezawoo]

I don't know on the water sorry! I use RO water! Im sure someone will know later Although I love Prime! Great product!

 

[Uriel]

Yeah if your using tap water you will need to declorinate it. Prime is ideal.

 

[StandbySetting]

I think you're really playing with fire using tap water personally, it will prevent you from keeping coral in the future, not to mention that it will have levels of N+P which will accelerate algal growth.

 

[HappyGeorge]

Firstly welcome

Next water - You really need to use RO water, doesn't matter where you live and water quality as far as fish are concerned is to do with trace elements and not just Chlorine, copper for example is deadly to inverts. As an aside excellent water quality in SW is arguable because although it is very good for heating elements and you use less soap but soft water is linked with heart disease and makes me ill, drinking soft water upsets my guts and is generally not as good for you, also when I come to the SW I spend hours in the shower trying to wash off what would be a normal quantity of soap, your water doesn't seem to have got the message that it's supposed to dissolve soap. The water here comes out of the tap with a chalky head and it takes half a litre of fairy liquid to wash a wine glass.

As already said most of the major brands of salt are just a matter of preference your choice is fine.

You mention Sea Horses, now I have no experience but I do know their requirements are very specific and if you plan on keeping them then you won't be keeping much else. They don't mix with fish and they don't like flow so the conditions required for corals etc won't suit Seahorses, you also need to be resigned that generally Sea horse tanks aren't that pretty as they require perches in the tank. Many people think that the incredibly poor survival rate in captivity means that they really shouldn't be taken out of the wild or attempted to be kept at all. I'm sure you have done lots of research already so good luck with whatever you decide and get a journal going on here so we can see what you're up to.

 

[weezawoo]

HG - journal is here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/361157-starting-out-again/

And dont diss our water haha

 

[HappyGeorge]

Thanks Weez yeah I did go and check it out afterwards so some of my comments were already covered but couldn't be bothered to edit.

As for your water I caught a bug in SW a few years back which my Doc said was down to exposure to a massive change of environment, bearing in mind I live in the country and by the sea anyway, he put down in major part to the fact that I drink a lot of water and our water is Polar opposite (either that or one of those dodgy pasties). I was sick as a dog for a week, it was like food poisoning, when you can't move more than 6ft from a loo, I slept on the bathroom floor for 2 nights (no exaggeration).
I would like to not have to chip the chalk off the bath with a chisel and would be nice to have chrome that stays free of water marks for more than 10 seconds, but not in exchange for a bout of that sickness again.

 

[jlane1980]

If I go for RO water, obv this is going to be more expensive. Are there any cheaper RO units on the market? They all seem soooo expensive! I'm not sure i can justify another £80+ spend, this is starting to add up pretty quickly!