Microbe-Lift Aquarium Salt Mixes

Synthetic salt mix with all major, minor and trace elements for marine fish or reef inhabitants. Microbe-Lift Aquarium Salt Mixes are formulated to prevent introduction of any unwanted impurities or pollutants often associated with sea salts produced by solar evaporation. These salt mixes are formulated to help establish stable pH crucial for the health of your marine aquarium inhabitants. Uniformly-sized salt granules contain NO added bromide and are free of nitrate and phosphate. Self-locking bucket helps prevent spills and keeps out moisture.

Sea/Marine Salt Mix dissolves quickly to achieve very clear water in five to ten minutes. Formulated to perfectly mix small or large quantities of water containing all major, minor and trace elements required to maintain marine fish aquariums. Mixes to 1.022 specific gravity/29.8 ppt salinity.

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Please click on "More Information" for parameters and directions.

Instructions

• For best results, mix this salt with distilled or reverse osmosis water.
• If you use tap water, make sure the tap water is dechlorinated with a high quality dechlorinator prior to adding in the salt.
• Stir vigorously or aerate with an air pump to thoroughly mix the salt and the water. The solution may be used immediately, however, we suggest that the solution be aerated with an air pump prior to use. This will oxygenate the water.
• Adjust salinity with an accurate hydrometer. We recommend a specific gravity range of 1.020 to 1.023 at 75°F (24°C). If the specific gravity is too low, add more salt. If the specific gravity is too high, add more dechlorinated water.
• Reseal the bucket tightly to keep moisture out. Store the bucket in a cool dry area.

Water Conditions
There are aquarists that use R/O water, some use dechlorinated water and some even use tap water. We at Microbe-Lift have no idea of the water parameters in your local area. It is therefore impossible to give specific recommendations for your individual area. Listed below are general guidelines that you should follow:

• NEVER mix salt in an aquarium containing any livestock!
• Transfer livestock into the aquarium after the salt is COMPLETELY mixed.
• If your local water (even after dechlorination) contains high levels of minerals, a white precipitate may develop until the magnesium and calcium salts find their ionic equilibrium.

Water Changes/Makeup Water

• Prepare small quantities by using 1/2 cup (approx. 130 g) for each U.S. gallon (3.78 L).
• Carefully monitor your water parameters (pH, nitrites, phosphates, alkalinity, KH, etc.) weekly.
• Perform at least a 20%-25% water change every other week to maintain optimum water quality (or as is necessary, depending on fish load etc).

Additional Notes

1. Ecological Laboratories INC. does not use sea salts made by solar evaporation. While the remaining salt is natural, all of the pollutants remain along with the salt. Some salts (calcium & magnesium) tend to separate in the mix during international transportation as well as local shipping.
2. Mesh Size - Ecological Laboratories INC. takes extra steps to grind all the salts to the same mesh size to prevent stratification, so separation is kept to a minimum. Colored specs in this dry mix contain all essential major, minor and trace elements. Please note that dry forms of trace elements are NOT always white. When we formulate our salt mix, some of these trace elements will be visible to the naked eye. They are essential for a successful closed reef system. Note on Bromide - We do NOT add Bromide to our salt mix. Bromate is an extremely powerful oxidizer. When used improperly it can rapidly kill fish and corals. Ozone is not commonly used in the USA; however, it is very popular in Europe. Aquarium ozonizers are relatively cheap and imprecise. Unless you have a professional quality ozonizer to ensure the ozone is precisely dispensed, it will cause additional problems. Excess ozone oxidizes the bromide to hypobromite and then to bromate ion!
3. Reef Salt 1.025 specific gravity/32.35 ppt salinity Reef Salts should not dissolve quickly! One of the best ways to know if a salt is designed for reef invertebrates such as corals, clams, sponges and many other animals is to see how rapidly the salt dissolves into crystal clear water. If the water clears immediately, that indicates that there are very few trace elements and likely low magnesium levels. Our Reef Salt is pretty clear five minutes after mixing, very clear after an hour and crystal clear within 12 hours.
4. Sea Salt 1.022 specific gravity/29.8 ppt salinity Basic Sea Salts do clear rapidly. Without the enhanced levels of the various trace elements, the salt reaches an ionic balance rapidly in the water and usually is very clear in five to ten minutes. These basic Sea Salts are designed with marine fish in mind, but are safe to use with invertebrates. However, they do lack the higher levels of trace elements required for long term care of invertebrates in a captive saltwater system. Ecological Laboratories INC. does not recommend using Marine/Sea Salt for Reef Tanks. It would not be in the best interest of your reef livestock.