Salt & Maintenance Videos

Learn how to keep your "ducks in a row" when it comes to reef tank gear with these clever tips from Thomas!

Our hosts deliver some useful tips to help you be successful using Frank's F-Aiptasia to rid your tank of these pesky anemones.

Out hosts cover the top 10 mistakes hobbyists make when using the BRS Bulk Citric Acid Equipment Cleaner.

Thomas shows off one of Tunze's best-kept secrets, Tunze Care Panes Aquarium Glass Cleaner!

Stop floods before they happen with the XP Aqua Flood Guardian! In the BRStv Spotlight, Thomas finds out exactly how this simple device from XP Aqua is saving hobbyists from a ton of headaches and one of the most common RO/DI mistakes.

How about a little Live demonstration from Ryan and Randy?! Today we mix up a batch of ESV B-Ionic, which is about as close as you can get to DIY-ing your own that comes with all the parts you need.   #AskBRStv Live Streams are available in Podcast form! Check them out on iTunes and Google Play below! Check out BRStv on Itunes - https://brs.li/AskBRStv_iTunes_Podcast   Ches out BRStv on Google - https://brs.li/AskBRStv_Google_Podcast

Mixing reef salt mix CORRECTLY will result in less precipitate and brown crust in your mixing and storage containers, more stable initial water parameters and presumably avoid any negative health benefits associated with dosing undissolved salts into your saltwater aquarium. It is safe to assume exposing fish gills and coral tissue to undissolved salt crystals is not healthy, even if it isn't immediately toxic. We are not talking about the bare minimum process to mix salt and keep the tank alive. Instead, we want to provide all of you with the absolute best practices for mixing saltwater yourself for optimal parameters and reduce build up in your mixing and storage bins Over the last few months, we have been performing all kinds of salt mixing experiments. This is essentially the combined results from many of those experiments and in typical BRS fashion, there will likely be more coming so keep an eye out as this story progresses. Follow the

All marine salt mixes are not created equal and we have uncovered some very interesting facts about mixing saltwater at home in our recent series of BRStv Investigates videos about testing salt mix. Abruptly switching salt mix brands for use in your saltwater tank often comes with setbacks. So we set out to answer the looming questions on this subject and provide you with the best approach to switching salt mix without putting your tank through the ringer. Why does switching salt mix cause problems? The presumption that switching from a lower to higher grade salt mix will only benefit your tank is not always exactly true. We can confidently assume this has to do with the different chemical make-up of the various brands and the way corals respond to their environment. The ratios of major, minor and trace elements are different in each salt mix brand, some more desirable than others. Abruptly switching the mix will surely throw off the balance

Salt mixes start out by being mined from the earth, evaporated from seawater or refined from synthetic salts. They all can potentially contain impurities such as chelators, clays and clarifiers that will produce precipitate and brown organic crud on the storage tanks walls. Some aquarium salts can even create a brown foam on the surface, not exactly ideal considering the saltwater is supposed to be clean and ready for use in your precious saltwater tank!   So lets confront the crud and learn about the top three ways to stop brown, crusty build-up that accumulates inside your mixing container when mixing salt for your saltwater aquarium.     Filter it out - One of the easiest ways to deal with this sludge is a technique that should be all too familiar to aquarists, simply filter it out! Use something like the BRS GFO & Carbon Media Reactor but instead of chemical filter media, stuff it with a 5 micron Rosave.z Depth Sediment Filter.    

Adjusting your saltwater mix to match your desired reef tank parameters has likely never crossed your mind. The solution for maintaining more stable water chemistry and taking your coral growth and coloration to the next level, could very well lie in this process.   For example, if you strive to maintain 450 ppm of calcium in your display tank but the salt mix you are using mixes at 410 ppm, than you are working against yourself. Each time you perform a water exchange using that salt mix, you are inching further and further from this target number. The same case applies for alkalinity and magnesium.     Is it right for you? The decision to adjust your salt mix should be weighed carefully and in order to decide, consider three factors.   • The type of corals you are keeping. • How far apart are the salt mix and your desired parameters? • How much and how often are you exchanging water?     The type of reef tank and