Potassium Supplement Alternatives for Zeo
- Thread starter Gardiner
- Start date
paulthomas
Punk
$75 for 150 gallon case of the Formula 2 salt? I'm looking at ~ 350-400 gallons total volume. It won't be cheap. Is shipping reasonable?
paulthomas
Punk
Wow, that's a great deal. I'm gonna ask if he can get that for the next buy.
smartfish
Rob Smart
Shipping was 29.00. pretty pricey IMO. It would cost you 208.00 for 300 gallons worth of salt. I would start up with something cheaper first. Then after you cycle and start adding corals I would give this a try. This is at 1.026 salinity though if this matters. Generally a bucket of salt I am using now will make 160 gallons but at 1.024 salinity. One of this guys argument is you are getting more out of his 150 gallon box.
Dont get me wrong I have paid 90.00 for Tropic Marine Pro Reef salt at local LFS. But I like what he had to say about his product and I thought I would give it a try. If I see results I will not mind paying for it. If it is as consistent as far as the levels for Alk, Calcium and Magnesium I will not dose as much, seeings how I do a 20 gallon water change once a week anyways. Typically I have to raise my levels to get them where I want them to be. This seems like it would be easier in my situation to use a salt like this, I do not have the high demands of a primary SPS system. And if I keep up on my water changes I find it is the most beneficial thing I can do to keep all my inhabitants happy.
paulthomas
Punk
Very thoughtful post, bro.
How have you been? I think I've got a bucket of TM Pro Reef somewhere around here. I was planning on using a little of that at a time until it's gone and then staying with a cheaper brand of salt. Apparently lots of Zeo users are happy with Coralife salt. This Formula 2 sounds great, but the Coralife price is tough to beat.
smartfish
Rob Smart
Very thoughtful post, bro.
I think I've got a bucket of TM Pro Reef somewhere around here. I was planning on using a little of that at a time until it's gone and then staying with a cheaper brand of salt. Apparently lots of Zeo users are happy with Coralife salt. This Formula 2 sounds great, but the Coralife price is tough to beat.
I am doing great, been kind of lurking more than anything.
I have been using the seachem reef salt for about a year myself. It seems to be one of the only salts that did not grow some form of scum on the inside of the barrel in my make up water. I went through alot of commonly used salts and found it to be one of my favorites. Not a bad price from Dr. Foster.
This is my logic about the formula salt, tell me what you think. I generally have a low alk 7.0 and dose to bring it up and dose to keep it there. Well the same is with the Mag and the Calcium. So every week I do a water change and do it all over again. Lets say I go with the Formula 1 this has a higher ALK at 10 DKH and Mag is 1350 where I like to keep it and does not delplete as fast. Calcium is at 450 and I will supplement when I fnd out how much the tank is utilizing with this new salt. Already with those parameters Alk seems high but I am doing a 20 gallon water change out of a 120 gallon tank. So my Alk will not be 10 but it will raise probably to 8 or 8.5 (guess) every time I do a water change. Then gradully it will fall until my next water change. Does this seem as though this would be less dosing in the long run. Or ultimatly are we just a slave to the parameter game? In this scenerio it seems as though I would not be dosing as much because the parameters are closer to where I maintain them.
paulthomas
Punk
You're asking the wrong guy.
To a degree, it sounds like six of one, half dozen of the other to me. With the Formula 1, as long as it's consistent, someone else is doing the majority of the dosing for you. But you're paying a little bit of a premium for it. If you dose to bring the params to where you want them yourself, it's more work and you're having to keep those supplements on hand. But that's probably a good thing. Plus you strike me as the type of guy who likes to do things himself.
smartfish
Rob Smart
You're asking the wrong guy.
Yeh it gets kind of confusing. I believe I will still be dosing and its not a bad thing it gives me an excuse to get off my butt. Any way thought I would try this salt anyway. Plus any excuse to shop online lol.
paulthomas
Punk
smartfish
Rob Smart
Pssh. I don't think that's a problem for you.
A little OCD goes along way in this hobby lol, ty
paulthomas
Punk
I need a little myself.
Just figured that i would provide a personal experience with Coralife salt. I was also looking to transition away from TM Pro Reef because I could no longer justify the price. Transitioned to Coralife over 3 monthly water changes. Once fully on Coralife, my SPS began to degrade rapidly. Tissue recession on almost all SPS. Did a couple of emergency water changes with Seachem Reef salt over the course of a week. Recession stopped immediately and colors came back rapidly.
I think that the Coralife salt has low alkilinity and my tank dipped below 7.0 causing problems with the SPS. Other than that, all lps, fish and inverts were fine.
I know that a lot of people, including SPS keepers, have had success with Coralife. If you do decide to use it, I owuld recommend that you monitor alkalinity closely.
JD
I think that the Coralife salt has low alkilinity and my tank dipped below 7.0 causing problems with the SPS. Other than that, all lps, fish and inverts were fine.
I know that a lot of people, including SPS keepers, have had success with Coralife. If you do decide to use it, I owuld recommend that you monitor alkalinity closely.
JD
paulthomas
Punk
I was told to test params of Coralife, and that should apply to all salts, before using it.
Jennifer
Moody and emotional slob
So are you guys testing for potasium?
Where do you get a test kit for that, never seen one?
Is this the stuff you guys are talking about adding.
How does one go about mixing and dosing potasium?
Now that I am going to be setting my sps tank up again I want to start reading on all these new things like Zeovit and such.
Can yall point me towards some good reading material?
Questions, questions questions .... always too many questions!
Where do you get a test kit for that, never seen one?
Is this the stuff you guys are talking about adding.
How does one go about mixing and dosing potasium?
Now that I am going to be setting my sps tank up again I want to start reading on all these new things like Zeovit and such.
Can yall point me towards some good reading material?
Questions, questions questions .... always too many questions!
Joel A
Started over.
So are you guys testing for potasium?
Where do you get a test kit for that, never seen one?
Is this the stuff you guys are talking about adding.
How does one go about mixing and dosing potasium?
Now that I am going to be setting my sps tank up again I want to start reading on all these new things like Zeovit and such.
Can yall point me towards some good reading material?
Questions, questions questions .... always too many questions!
Hey Jen-- I don't dose potassium currently, but that's because my salt mix is not potassium deficient like so many other salt mixes. KZ (korallan Zucht) makes a potassium test kit that i use. Lots of people don't like this test kit, but I haven't had any issues with it. It's not like other test kits, but once you know how it works it's pretty simple, and pretty accurate. Sometimes a consumer will end up with a bad test kit, but they're pretty good about taking it back and sending you a new one...
check out www.zeovit.com they have a whole large international forum there geared towards the use of zeovit.
Also, if you do a search for "Zeovit Guide" in google, you'll get a link for a PDF of the zeovit guide, does a pretty good job explaining what each of the products does, and the requirements for setting up a zeovit system... just one thing, don't expect to have any idea what is in some of the products... the owner of the company keeps it secret... lot's of people don't like the idea that they are adding something and they have no idea what it is... but trust me, it's not just another snake oil...
smartfish
Rob Smart
Last night my order showed up and I already had RO water made up. I mixed one bag and made 25 gallons of salt water. The salinity was right on after only a half hour at 1.026. I will add the calcium packet an hour before a water change. It made making water very easy. I like the ease of use on this produce so far.
I also got some carbon, it is one of the finest Ive have seen. I thought it was priced right for the amount I got. I have paid more for less. The water was cystal just from this carbon alone. I will do a water change this evening. But so far I like these two product. I also got a couple of free samples.
I also got some carbon, it is one of the finest Ive have seen. I thought it was priced right for the amount I got. I have paid more for less. The water was cystal just from this carbon alone. I will do a water change this evening. But so far I like these two product. I also got a couple of free samples.
paulthomas
Punk
So the carbon is that good? I can't imagine your water being any clearer.
