Gilbert September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Has/is anybody using this salt? My LFS sold me 150g box of this stuff and said that it was the best stuff out there and the only stuff that scientists approve? I have been using Instant Ocean since day one but am looking for a different salt to use. If this salt is sooooo good how come I haven't really heard of it until recently. I plan on keeping a few clams and my LFS said that this salt is perfect for that. Tried to google search this stuff but really haven't found much about it other than what seems to be a very bias research towards the product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 (edited) I don't know anything about it. What I can tell you is countless stories that start with, "My LFS said it was OK and possible to..." Edited September 9, 2013 by YHSublime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surf&turf September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Why are you going away from IO? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 I don't know anything about it. What I can tell you is countless stories that start with, "My LFS said it was OK and possible to..." Yeah, he told me that look it up. The only salt that doesn't have E.D.T.A? so here is a link I found. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 Why are you going away from IO? well considering that crystal sea bioassay is cheaper and supposedly contains less of the "toxic" chemicals that most other salt mixes contain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyCallMeMr.703 September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 well considering that crystal sea bioassay is cheaper and supposedly contains less of the "toxic" chemicals that most other salt mixes contain. .... I'm sitting on the side of my chair waiting for him to finish his sentence... Nonetheless.lol. Those are very valid reasons as to switch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 .... I'm sitting on the side of my chair waiting for him to finish his sentence... Nonetheless.lol. Those are very valid reasons as to switch... Haha sorry, I thought people would get the idea . But yes, those are the reasons why I'm making the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 (edited) I used the Crystal Sea Bio-Assay for awhile and didn't have any problems with it, my tank did pretty good in fact. My LFS sold me a box of the regular Crystal Sea, I noticed the box didn't say bio-assay but they assured me it was, don't know what happened but my tank had a reaction. If you are looking for the scientific paper it used to be posted on Roozens website since they push Crystal Sea Bio-Assay. There for awhile the Bio-Assay was just too difficult to find locally. I switched back to IO after that, am currently using Red Sea Salt but it's a PITA to find locally and I'm tired of UPS destroying salt buckets so going back to IO after my last buckets gone. Edited September 9, 2013 by Big Country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 Big Country, thanks for your experience! What kind of setup did you have at the time fish only/reef? Looking for more people with experience or opinions on this salt. I like the fact that there's no dechlorinator, caking agents, and some of the metals found in salt mixes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slug A September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Crystal Sea Bio-Assay is a very good salt used it for a long time with my reef system and lot of LFS use this salt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 Mr. Rock, thank you for your experience! What salt are you using now and why did you make the switch from Crystal sea bio-assay? did you have any problems with Crystal sea bio-assay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slug A September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Crystal sea bio-assay i like it no problems here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 It was being pushed a few years ago by one of our local suppliers. Back then, it was known to have somewhat low magnesium numbers (around 1000 ppm) when freshly mixed to 35ppt salinity. Supplementing magnesium would probably be recommended. Unfortunately, magnesium is such a light ion that it takes a fair amount of magnesium chloride to raise the level up just a little for a given amount of salt water. According to Jose Dieck's Reef Chemistry calculator, you need to supplement it with about 72 grams of MagFlake for every 10 gallons to bring the mix up from 1050 ppm Mg to 1280 ppm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 Oh my...72 grams of MagFlake per 10g that is...um just too much. Origami, have you ever used this salt? What salt are you using now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 well considering that crystal sea bioassay is cheaper and supposedly contains less of the "toxic" chemicals that most other salt mixes contain. .... I'm sitting on the side of my chair waiting for him to finish his sentence... Nonetheless.lol. Those are very valid reasons as to switch... Is your tank spectacular? If so, why would you change salt mix? If not, why would you change salt mix? When you've exhausted all other options as to why your tank isn't the way you want it to be, then start looking at the salt mix. Cheaper is all relative if you have to add stuff to make it as good as I/O. As far as "toxins" in salt mixes go, that sounds like a good marketing pitch to me. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago breeds whales in I/O- that's good enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 Is your tank spectacular? If so, why would you change salt mix? If not, why would you change salt mix? When you've exhausted all other options as to why your tank isn't the way you want it to be, then start looking at the salt mix. Cheaper is all relative if you have to add stuff to make it as good as I/O. As far as "toxins" in salt mixes go, that sounds like a good marketing pitch to me. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago breeds whales in I/O- that's good enough for me. Well, I'm currently building/upgrading to a 125g from a 90g and my LFS mention this product to me and I bought some. What sold me was the no caking agent, no EDTA, no dechlorinator, MADE IN USA/Maryland and used in scientific researches in MD. Urchin larvae survival rate studies far exceeding I/O so maybe whale breeding might be better using a bioassay formula? but I'm not scientist nor do I want to start a heated arguement about it. Just want some stories of peoples' experience with this salt. Figured since I'm starting fresh with the new 125g that I might use different salt and not I/0. I may be wrong about this whole thing, but more opinions/advice/experince is much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyCallMeMr.703 September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Sounds like it has its Pro's and its Con's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 9, 2013 Author Share September 9, 2013 Mr.703, What salt are you using? How long have you been using it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Oh my...72 grams of MagFlake per 10g that is...um just too much. Origami, have you ever used this salt? What salt are you using now? No. I just remember when Bio-Assay was a topic of discussion and some people were having trouble converting tanks from IO to Bio-Assay. I've always used IO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country September 9, 2013 Share September 9, 2013 Big Country, thanks for your experience! What kind of setup did you have at the time fish only/reef? Looking for more people with experience or opinions on this salt. I like the fact that there's no dechlorinator, caking agents, and some of the metals found in salt mixes. Reef tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert September 10, 2013 Author Share September 10, 2013 No. I just remember when Bio-Assay was a topic of discussion and some people were having trouble converting tanks from IO to Bio-Assay. I've always used IO. Thanks Origami, I'm going to try and dig up some old discussion threads if I can. Reef tank Would you ever go back to Crystal Sea bioassay? When using the CSB, did you have to use addition supplements to bring up cal,mag,etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country September 10, 2013 Share September 10, 2013 Thanks Origami, I'm going to try and dig up some old discussion threads if I can. Would you ever go back to Crystal Sea bioassay? When using the CSB, did you have to use addition supplements to bring up cal,mag,etc. I don't remember adding anything to it to adjust the levels but I don't remember what the salt mixed up at. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I run out of the red sea salt, I've been very happy with the way it mixes and it's levels but it's a pain to get, I might give Crystal Sea Bio-Assay another chance but I will be very careful to read the box, if I remember correctly it's a yellow box and the regular is a blue box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami September 10, 2013 Share September 10, 2013 Please keep in mind that the time-frame that I'm referring to is 3-4 years ago. Crystal Sea may very well have changed their mix. Even the formulation for IO has changed over the years. If you have questions, you can always ask the manufacturer what their major parameters (e.g. calcium, alkalinity, & magnesium) should mix up to at some target salinity (e.g. 35 ppt). Or you can ask here or over at RC. Or, you can mix up a batch and test it yourself. Either way, forumulations change and there is variance even in lots of salt from time to time. It may be neither here nor there but, as I recall, wasn't Crystal Sea a company out of Baltimore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&Fmgr September 10, 2013 Share September 10, 2013 I believe Crystal Sea is somehow affiliated/partnered with the Baltimore aquarium.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&Fmgr September 10, 2013 Share September 10, 2013 the only problem I have had with crystal Sea, and I've been using it in the store and on several other tanks over the years, is it MUST be mixed with 0 ppm TDS water. When I was having issues with my RO unit not producing below 5 ppm TDS I noticed Diatom algae growth following water changes. After troubleshooting my issue I traced the problem back to bad membranes. If you are going to use it, I do the following when mixing 140 gallons of water: add 1 box bioassay( i know it says it makes 150 gallons, but if you read closely the package says this mix provides a SG of 1.023-24), Add 75mL of B-Ionic part 1 and 2. My testing on the batches prepared this way always read the following levels: dKH= 10-11, Cal= 420-450, mag=1290-1350. And yes the salt mix parameters were lower a few years ago, but now I believe the production of Crystal Sea has become geared more towards reef tanks. Hope that helps, Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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