2022 salt poll

[Midrats]

How about Marine Environment? MDP says it's the best. His study proves it! The secret is in the little blue bottle.

 

[boacvh]

I used to use that stuff regularly back in the Nineties. Call me weird, but I love the way it smelled . What's it mixing up to these days?

haha funny you mention it. I LOVE the smell... my wife makes fun of me for saying so. Mine mixes to 8.5dkh. That's why I picked it in the beginning, no other reason other than being readily available to me.

 

[Midrats]

haha funny you mention it. I LOVE the smell... my wife makes fun of me for saying so. Mine mixes to 8.5dkh. That's why I picked it in the beginning, no other reason other than being readily available to me.

8.5 sounds great. I'm looking for a something with a lower alk, thanks!

 

[ReefRondo]

Salinity was a salt I used in the past and really like and didn’t have any issues, it just got to be a pain finding it locally

It’s what most aquatic shops here in Scotland use as bulk salt for their systems with no issues. I used it for the first 2 years in this hobby with no issues but also not amazing results either. I put most of that down to my learning curve however and not the salt.

 

[Mical]

I use -> https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/hw-marinemix-reefer-salt-mix.html

 

[Spare time]

Ok folks with Covid, issues with certain brands of salt being available and now some quality control issues thrown in what are we all using now and what were we using before? Reasons for change would be great if you can be bothered commenting.

I historically used red sea coral pro because its a good bang for the buck and I like high alk salts. Their salt mixes in 15 minutes or so which is fantastic because I don't have a mixing bin and only ever need to make small batches of salt water at a time. However, I have recently used instant ocean because I got some for cheap. I really don't care about salt brand anymore so long as it mixes quickly. I don't store it so I don't care about precipitation brown crud that people have gotten with every salt to some degree.

Then again, no stores near me carry much else besides aquaforest, IO/RC, Fritz, and red sea. I could have another brand ordered in, but I just don't care enough since practically no one is failing in this hobby due to their salt (unless you use a 13KH alk salt on an ULNS lol).

 

[Spare time]

I believe it - either have a long way to ship to get to the other. If TM was available cheap, I would use it and never look back - great salt, but inconsistent to get in the US and very expensive at nearly $100 a bucket around me (if you can find it). I just got 4 200g boxes of IO and they were about $42 each shipped to my door.

I could never spend $100 on a bucket of salt lol

 

[chipchipbro]

I could never spend $100 on a bucket of salt lol

almost nothing below 100bucks in my country lol

 

[Spare time]

almost nothing below 100bucks in my country lol

True but you get pretty mountains so it all works out

 

[chipchipbro]

True but you get pretty mountains so it all works out

fair enough man

 

[jda]

I can get the cheap salt and have the mountains here in Colorado (and great tap water with like 20 TDS that makes RODI filters last for many years). That $42 is for 200 gallon box and not the 160g bucket. Just wait for a few sales and then Petco and/or Chewy often have 10-20% off coupons.

 

[jda]

BTW - if you love a salt and just want lower carbonate, you can add acid to bring it down. I add Muriatic Acid to my IO to lower the alk to about 7.0. It is safe and easy, but you do need to aerate for another day or two to drive off the co2 that you made when you added the acid.

 

[Water Dog]

I use IO. Consistent, cheap and readily available.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

Your poll is missing HW Weigandt marine mix which BRS carries. It’s a close 2nd to TM. I use HW or TM as they are closest to my Alkalinity of 7-8 dkh. I’d love to use IO but their alk is too high. Like 11+ dkh.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

BTW - if you love a salt and just want lower carbonate, you can add acid to bring it down. I add Muriatic Acid to my IO to lower the alk to about 7.0. It is safe and easy, but you do need to aerate for another day or two to drive off the co2 that you made when you added the acid.

How much do you add to get to 7? Where do you buy your acid from?

 

[Kfactor]

i use tmpr right now but will be changing to blue bucket after this pail

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I use Live Aquaria salt and love it.
but sadly, it wasn't in the poll.

I'll add it! My apologies I knew I would miss some. Wait... how do I edit it?

Added it!

 

[RedReefer]

Red Sea Blue Bucket, for the past 1.5 years. Before that I always used instant ocean or reef crystals, but the alkalinity is just too hot for me.

 

[jda]

About 20mls in the 44g brute. You can get Muriatic at Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[Nano New]

I recently switched to NSW as I'm lucky enough to live near the ocean. So far my small reef is loving it but there is the problem of NSW collection in the winter. Water is bloody cold! (great fun in the summer though).