Best Aquarium Salt Poll

[The_ReefB0y_FOX24]

The poll to "The best Aquarium Salt of all Time"

 

[Spare time]

Why is brs listed? They don't make salt

 

[The_ReefB0y_FOX24]

I don't know.

 

[jimk60]

I don't know.

Good answer!

 

[Dav2996]

Best salt doesn’t matter it’s what is cloest to the parameters you currently keep is the best salt

 

[DivingTheWorld]

IMO there is a big difference between Instant Ocean purple and Instant Ocean Reef Crystals orange. I’d split those two up.

 

[Coral Your World]

Best salt doesn’t matter it’s what is cloest to the parameters you currently keep is the best salt

Literally on every forum I have ever seen, this is the answer to any salt related question and though a fair answer, I’ve never found it helpful…

So let me rephrase, if I am starting a new mixed reef tank, what salt should I run my tank with?

 

[MaxTremors]

Literally on every forum I have ever seen, this is the answer to any salt related question and though a fair answer, I’ve never found it helpful…

So let me rephrase, if I am starting a new mixed reef tank, what salt should I run my tank with?

Where do you plan to keep your parameters?

 

[Hydrored]

Literally on every forum I have ever seen, this is the answer to any salt related question and though a fair answer, I’ve never found it helpful…

So let me rephrase, if I am starting a new mixed reef tank, what salt should I run my tank with?

Back to the question, what parameters do you want to keep?

I personally use Aquaforest reef salt after switching from Tropic Marin Pro because it meets my target parameters other than iron

Pick a salt that meets your target parameters and budget, that is the best one

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Literally on every forum I have ever seen, this is the answer to any salt related question and though a fair answer, I’ve never found it helpful…

So let me rephrase, if I am starting a new mixed reef tank, what salt should I run my tank with?

Yeah, the point is any salt can work - it just depends on personal preference and what you think is best/what you want to get out of your salt (i.e. is cost most important to you? Parameters? How clean it mixes? Etc. - these are the deciding factors) - but I see where you’re coming from.

Personally, I’d answer the following way (and people are free to disagree with me):
-Tropic Marin Pro Reef - best for “natural” parameters.
-Instant Ocean - best for cost effectiveness.
-Red Sea Coral Pro - best for coral growth by intermediate to advanced aquarists.
-LiveAquaria Professional Reef Salt - best for predator tanks (slightly elevated magnesium helps with digestion - also, according to the research I’ve done on this salt, this is not Fritz salt like some people say, LA does make this themselves [from what I’ve heard] and it has slightly different parameters than Fritz).
-Red Sea - close to natural parameters, but with slightly higher alk, might be better than TMP if you just want to see slightly faster coral growth without going too crazy on the parameters.
-Instant Ocean Reef Crystals - best for coral growth for the intermediate aquarist on a budget.

The list above is based entirely on the main three parameters (Cal, Alk, and Mag) at 35ppt, it doesn’t cover how cleanly the salt mixes (which is a big deal for some aquarists), and it doesn’t cover all of the salts on the market (either because I haven’t looked at them closely, or because their parameters don’t make them stand out as much to me for the above categories).

The point is, people give these vague answers because the truth is that all or almost all salt mixes on the market work. What one is “the best” depends on your goal with the tank/salt.

 

[Coral Your World]

Bruh lol … thanks for the answers folks

 

[Dav2996]

Literally on every forum I have ever seen, this is the answer to any salt related question and though a fair answer, I’ve never found it helpful…

So let me rephrase, if I am starting a new mixed reef tank, what salt should I run my tank with?

I like reef crystals due to high calcium level and higher magnesium level. My tank uses a ton of calcium

 

[Dav2996]

Literally on every forum I have ever seen, this is the answer to any salt related question and though a fair answer, I’ve never found it helpful…

So let me rephrase, if I am starting a new mixed reef tank, what salt should I run my tank with?

Like I keep my dosers to keep my calcium at 460 and reef crystals keeps it at 460 in the bag. I match it all to the bag so that there is no swing when you do a water change. Swings can kill coral.

 

[rtparty]

The best salt is whatever salt the person answering is currently using. End of thread.

I personally don't understand the whole "pick whatever parameters you want to run and go with that salt" argument. There is no proof that any set of parameters is better than the next (so long as they're all in range.)

Jda who has an amazing tank runs IO Purple. Hydro above runs Aquaforest. Jason Fox runs IO Purple. Tidal Gardens runs IO Reef Crystals. I think WWC runs Brightwell (I could be completely wrong here.) But my point is you can find successful tanks with EVERY SINGLE salt on the market. They all claim to be the best.

So we have to define what does "best" mean and there is no chance the community as a whole will every agree on something like that. Especially not on the old salt debate. So pick YOUR best and go with it. Is it price? Availability? Parameters? Cleanliness? Company you like? Prettiest bucket/box? You pick.

Because the question was asked, the best salt to me is ESV. Why? It has actual, tangible differences that separate it (pun intended) from everyone else. You won't find a cleaner, more consistent salt on the market all from a company with standup owners who have stood the test of time in our hobby. Price is of zero concern to me with it because I don't routinely change water. A 200g box will last me 3-4 years.

So pick your best and roll with it.

 

[Roatan Reef]

If I had a larger Tank, I might switch it up, but for my 40GB tank...2 Little Fishies Accurasea1 is totally awesome.

No mixing, no calibration etc...just dump and stir/shake let sit and it's perfect.

I have steady 1.25 Salinity always when doing water changes and in between. It's soooo easy to make and do.

I have a $75.00 Refractomer that I calibrate and measure with.

 

[Derrick0580]

I mean technically shouldn’t the question be the salt to use without adding two part or anything else to achieve your goals? You can use just about any salt and adjust your dosing or two part, kalk, or other additives to get to where you want to be…at one point a long time ago all of these fancy additives didn’t exist

 

[codenfx]

I went with instant ocean purple because it’s widely available, cheap and it works as well as any brand. I dose what’s needed to match my parameter.

 

[Spare time]

I don't know.

In that case, change my vote to brs salt!

 

[MaxTremors]

I like reef crystals due to high calcium level and higher magnesium level. My tank uses a ton of calcium

And I dislike it because it as high dkh and IME mixes somewhat dirty. I don’t say that to criticize the salt or that you use it, I say this to emphasize to the OP that it depends on where you want to keep your parameters and what your goals are. The parameters of all salt mixes can be adjusted, but for beginners it makes sense to use a salt that mixes to where you keep your parameters. Everyone has a personal preference, there are pros and cons, based on what your goals are, to every salt mix. Personally I use Fritz RPM because it’s got a DKH around 8-8.5, it mixes clean and fast, and is fairly inexpensive.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, it’s a bad poll design to combine normal IO and Reef Crystals. I used the former for 20 years and would not use the latter since I do not want the vitamins and metal chelators they add.