Hello all,

As usual, I have some questions and am seeking advice.

I am upgrading my 24g nano to a 55g+20g tank and sump. I was previously using NSW for the nano, but have decided to start mixing my own for the new tank (see - I'm all grow'd up now ).

I have a 44g Brute container for RODI and will obtain several 5g buckets for mixing.

Here are my questions:

1) What brands/makes of Synthetic Salt mix do you recommend and why? Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals seem like safe bets, but what about any others?

2) Steven Pro has recommended using an entire bag/container of salt each time you mix, since using a portion may have inconsistent results due to settling of the bag or bucket's contents. Is this a reasonable concern? I do not think it is practical for me to mix 50g at a time.

3) Fenner suggests that NSW is particularly "fragile" for use in reef tanks ("dies" biologically much faster). Other studies suggest that the synthetic mixes contain much higher concentrations of some heavy metals (Aluminum, Copper, Chromium, etc) and other compounds not found in NSW. Several studies use NSW as a benchmark for the salt mixes to emulate or compare to. It seems to me that "Old Tank Syndrome" could be the result of the accumulation of these elements in our systems, no? Should I be worrying about all of this?

4) Wouldn't it be more accurate to weigh the salt to be mixed rather than use a cup measure? I would assume that weighing the salt could get me to the desired salinity more quickly...

Thanks for any advice,

-Scott