- Hey, it's Thomas here.
And today we're going to be checking out
Red Sea's Pro Coral Salt Mix.
We're going to look at why this is such a great salt mix
for reefers that like to keep elevated levels
of those major three elements in the reef tanks,
as well as reefers that love to do
those quick mix-it-up and swap-it-out water changes.
Picking the right salt for your reefing needs
is pretty important because not all salts are the same.
And while two different brands
might have similar quality factors,
like how quickly they mix,
how long they can be stored for,
what levels of alkalinity, calcium and magnesium
they provide, and how much they'll cost,
will ultimately decide which mix is best for you.
Red Sea Coral Pro is a high quality, naturally sourced salt
from, you guessed it, the Red Sea.
It has been hugely popular among reefers for years now,
and is a fantastic option
for those looking to maintain elevated levels
of the major three elements provided you also prefer
to mix up a batch of fresh saltwater and use it right away.
It's also backed by Red Sea's My Batch guarantee
which gives you quick access
to the actual chemical analysis of the exact batch of salt
your bucket or bag is from,
which is a very cool and useful free feature.
It is also performed very well
in BRS' extensive salt testing,
from stratification to affordability
when used at real-world salt levels
of 35 parts per thousand.
And like I was saying earlier,
it has some unique features that makes it perfect
for those mix-it-up and swap-it-out salt water changes,
which I'll touch on in just a bit.
Red Sea's Coral Pro is available in four sizes:
a 55 gallon bucket and 175 gallon bucket
as well as a 160 gallon box and a 200 gallon sack.
Red Sea actually provides recommendations
for what salinity you want to mix their salt to
in order to achieve their recommended levels
of calcium, magnesium and alkalinity
for specific tank types,
for example, a mixed reef or an SPS frag grow-out tank,
right on the front of the bucket.
But given that the average reefer
is going to aim for that 35 ppt or 1.026 specific gravity
regardless of their tank type
a 175 gallon bucket of this natural sea salt
will mix up closer to 150 gallons of saltwater.
But even then it still works out
to just under 50 cents per gallon,
making it one of the lower cost options by just a sliver,
and keeps the cost of water changes
on an average hundred gallon system
at just shy of $20 per month, which is quite affordable.
When Coral Pro is mixed to 35 ppt
the levels you can expect to achieve are
an alkalinity level between 11.5 and 12 dKH,
a calcium level between 450 and 465 ppm,
a magnesium level between 1350 and 1,390 ppm,
as well as a variety of trace elements.
And all of those levels are going to be dang near identical
from the very first scoop of a new bucket
to the very last scoop,
according to our stratification tests.
That said, it's always best practice to shake up
that bag or bucket of salt really well
before you first crack it open to start using it
just in case.
Coral Pro is really meant to be mixed up and used
relatively quickly, which is fantastic
if you like to make up your new saltwater
right before you do a water change.
Red Sea provides clear instructions for best practices
when mixing up their salt.
This salt should be mixed
for between 30 minutes and two hours,
but not longer than four hours.
And the temperature of the water during mixing
should be around 68 degrees Fahrenheit or room temperature,
to prevent precipitation of the elevated elements
and then heated to your desired tank temperature
just prior to performing your water change.
It's also important to note
that this salt will not mix up clear
and should be used while it is still cloudy.
The haziness of the water after mixing
is a result of those elevated levels
of alkalinity, calcium and magnesium,
and is completely normal.
Once you've performed your water change
the tank will clear up within an hour or two.
The salt mix should also not be stored for very long
or the elevated levels will precipitate out
which is why this particular salt mix
is uniquely suited to those who prefer
to do same day manual water changes
versus mixing large vats of saltwater for use later on
or for automated water changes.
For example, in our testing
the alkalinity dropped significantly after 48 hours
from 11 dKH down to 8.8 dKH
which is still a more than usable level of alkalinity
for most reefers,
but certainly going to leave some precipitate buildup
inside of your mixing container,
on the pumps and the heater,
and if you're aiming for those raised levels
you'll end up falling short.
However, if used as intended,
you will absolutely achieve
those elevated levels you're looking for,
plus you'll avoid any of the precipitant buildup
inside of your mixing container
or on your gear in that container
which does make this a low maintenance salt mix.
If you're not quite sure what levels
of the major three elements you'd like to maintain
in your reef aquarium
and whether or not you should choose Red Sea Coral Pro
or their original blue bucket
they've got you covered with their My Recipe Wizard.
Hop on their website, scroll down
and click on get my tank's recipe
and answer a few simple questions about your tank
and Red Sea will recommend not only what salt to use
but also what other products you can dose along with it
to create their recommended environment
for your style of reefing.
If Red Sea Coral Pro matches your reefing mantra
you can go ahead and pick some up for yourself
by clicking right here.
(upbeat music)