Best Salt to Use

[fishscale1]

This will be a varied answer based on user preference, needs and availability.
I have used most every salt on the market especially having owned an LFS and received many sample boxes to try.
Instant Ocean is the most universal and used by most public aquariums such as georgia, shedds, Miami and New York.

My all time favorite was Salinity by Seachem but became hard to fin and when found was pricey
I also liked Aquaforest salt but for a time , it too was hard to find
I currently use Tropic Marin and it has done Very well for me.

In the past, I have used, corallife, Kent, Hawaiian marine and Reef crystal in addition to Red sea reg and pro plus Fritz blue. None I can say have let me down and its a matter of if you are focusing on fish, coral or both

 

[fishscale1]

I appreciate the feedback!! I didn’t know those aquariums used Instant Ocean. I guess I should have asked which salt was better for SPS. I have a nano tank jam packed with SPS and they’re all doing well but I wanted to “boost” the color. In your experience what salt or additives work best for bringing out the best colors for your coral??

 

[fishscale1]

I like Tropic Marin Pro Reef myself. It mixes clean, stores indefinitely and I've never had any issues with the German manufacture. Since I don't do water changes I can afford to spend a bit more on salt.

Stores indefinitely? That’s good to know! Appreciate that info. Might give them a try.

 

[fishscale1]

I don't know, I personally think that money can be allocated elsewhere.

I landed on Instant Ocean and stopped playing the game of which salt is better.

Unless your tank is new, most people have to dose to achieve the proper levels of calcium carbonate for their tank. Whether it's 2 part, kalkwasser, calcium reactor, all for reef, and the list can go on, you adjust the amount based on your coral demand.

The main difference in salts are the levels of elements (major and trace). But the big ones we all concern ourselves with are the major elements (alkalinity, calcium and magnesium). Those vary from brand to brand, but none of that matters because youre making up for it via supplemental dosing. In essence, you're basing your supplemental dosing on the brand of salt you use. In the end, the results are all the same. So the question becomes, how do you want to pay for that calcium carbonate? In the salt or in the dosing? Do the math and see which one is much much cheaper.

The only way salt brand makes sense is if you're solely relying on waterchanges to keep up with your tanks demand. Otherwise save that money!

Makes 100% sense! Thanks for that info. Couldn’t agree more because I’m already dosing All for Reef daily. I have a nano tank packed with SPS and was asking simply to help my colors “pop” a little more. Figured ppl would have opinions based on the major and trace elements in specific salt brands, combined with dosing on the color outcome.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Here we go…..lol

 

[Uncle99]

I use the salt which is widely available in my area.
I don’t want to have any issues getting salt.
Changing salt changes my chemistry and doser requirements.
For me that’s Red Sea Black as I run elevated parameters.
I’ve been able to get this salt easily for 10 years.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I use AF Reef. Happy w results and levels.

 

[fishscale1]

I think you have the general consensus that there is no best. The real answer is what do you want to keep your water chemistry at as it relates to Alk, Ca, and Mg. With that in mind scour the salts, see who puts that information on the bucket or box, and go from there.

This is important because the first thing we are doing is keeping water. Yes, you heard that. Water. If you can't maintain that everything else will struggle. So get a salt that matches your parameters this way if something goes South you can make a batch of water and not have to worry about shocking your animals (mostly corals) because the parameters are higher, or lower and you don't have to adjust them manually.

Also factor in a budget. How much does the salt coast. How many water changes will you be doing a month, then year. Do some math, and see if that helps you.

Thanks so much for the tips! I agree with you all we’re doing is keeping water haha. I’ll definitely consider the major and trace elements combined with my dosing of All for Reef to come up with the proper solution here. I only asked because I’m currently getting premade saltwater from my LFS and have no clue what brand they’re using!

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I use the salt which is widely available in my area.
I don’t want to have any issues getting salt.
Changing salt changes my chemistry and doser requirements.
For me that’s Red Sea Black as I run elevated parameters.
I’ve been able to get this salt easily for 10 years.

I was using the red see blue which is close AF reef less higher Mg.

 

[fishscale1]

I use the salt which is widely available in my area.
I don’t want to have any issues getting salt.
Changing salt changes my chemistry and doser requirements.
For me that’s Red Sea Black as I run elevated parameters.
I’ve been able to get this salt easily for 10 years.

Makes sense! Heard the black bucket keeps your alkalinity pretty high! No issues with that I’m guessing? Do you keep SPS??

 

[vetteguy53081]

I appreciate the feedback!! I didn’t know those aquariums used Instant Ocean. I guess I should have asked which salt was better for SPS. I have a nano tank jam packed with SPS and they’re all doing well but I wanted to “boost” the color. In your experience what salt or additives work best for bringing out the best colors for your coral??

For SPS- focus on salt content for alk-CA-Mag

Reef crystal
Kent pro
Tropic marin Pro or Actif
Red Sea Pro

 

[Uncle99]

Makes sense! Heard the black bucket keeps your alkalinity pretty high! No issues with that I’m guessing? Do you keep SPS??

Yup, I run right in the middle at 10 for 5 years now.
SPS, yup.

 

[fishscale1]

Yup, I run right in the middle at 10 for 5 years now.
SPS, yup.

Wow! Tank is nice man! Yea…I’ll be giving that black bucket a try lol

 

[Salty_Northerner]

use the salt that you want your alk/cal/mg to be

Best answer I've read so far

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Imho and what makes sense to me is lfs and public aquariums will use the cheapest salt that they can. (Instant ocean) It's cost effective and even like some farms use it because of the turn over. It doesn't make sense for them to use a top end salt and bag it up all day.. now here we go! Lol

Personally used RS black bucket and that was a quick no go. Left to much white film in the sump area and the alk was way way to high. If your set on RS I'd recommend the blue bucket tbh. It's cheaper and has parameters you can work with, Tropic Marin pro is another good one and very clean salt mixing and able to store forever basically.

Enjoy the hunt and sifting through all the advice man

 

[apb03]

Actual salt aside, I do have to say, Red Sea has the best bucket in the business. Seriously, that screw on lid is really nice if you want to use those buckets for stuff.

 

[fishscale1]

Imho and what makes sense to me is lfs and public aquariums will use the cheapest salt that they can. (Instant ocean) It's cost effective and even like some farms use it because of the turn over. It doesn't make sense for them to use a top end salt and bag it up all day.. now here we go! Lol

Personally used RS black bucket and that was a quick no go. Left to much white film in the sump area and the alk was way way to high. If your set on RS I'd recommend the blue bucket tbh. It's cheaper and has parameters you can work with, Tropic Marin pro is another good one and very clean salt mixing and able to store forever basically.

Enjoy the hunt and sifting through all the advice man

Makes 100% sense! Yea I heard things about the black bucket raining alkalinity pretty high. Also heard great things about the Tropin Marin Pro. Im going to try that one because a lot of ppl talk about their success with it.

 

[blaxsun]

Stores indefinitely? That’s good to know! Appreciate that info. Might give them a try.

I've held freshly-mixed saltwater in sealed 5-gallon pails for months on end (and longer). Never even a hint of any residue.

 

[Nano_Man]

If you live next to the sea then natural sea water you won’t look back and the bonus of no salt bill . I use nsw and it’s perfect no problems

 

[KTTX]

Yup, I run right in the middle at 10 for 5 years now.
SPS, yup.

Wow, you run Alk at 10?