Best starter salt

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Gavin1274

Gavin1274

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Hello everyone, I'm getting ready to have everything needed for my very first salt water tank(65 gallons). I was wondering what salt you all preferred before having anything in the tank and just starting out?
 
For a reef tank I have always been happy with reef crystals. Tropic Marin has also treated me well. A lot of people have success with instant ocean and Fritz. Can't go wrong with any of these. Biggest difference is concentration of major and minor elements.
 
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Gavin1274 said:
Thank you! Is reef Crystal's good even before you have anything added to the tank? I heard that it's best to start with regular salt and when you add coral and fish to start using that. But that's just one persons opinion!
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I'm not sure what that person meant by "regular salt", but I strongly recommend some type of reef or saltwater salt intended for saltwater aquariums all of the way through the process. There are various opinions whether Reef Crystals, Red Sea, Aquaforest, or many others are preferred, but IMO it needs to be aquarium salt. Good luck!
 
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Gavin1274 said:
Thank you! Is reef Crystal's good even before you have anything added to the tank? I heard that it's best to start with regular salt and when you add coral and fish to start using that. But that's just one persons opinion!
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The "high end" salts are sold with enhanced amounts of various elements that are supposed to improve the growth and health of corals in the system. For a starter aquarium, I am assuming you will not be trying to house any ultra sensitive fish species that might notice these extra elements? Most fish don't seem to notice these differences in salts as long as your salinity is stable when you add the fish to the tank, and when you do water changes you want to add new water at the same salinity (and temperature) as is present in the tank.
 
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Watch the brs videos they just did about all the salts and how they mix. Also the cost comparison between them all, it isn’t much when you break it down. IO wasn’t completely mixed over a day after they had started mixing it and it leaves a nasty residue on everything over time. With that information alone I would recommend a salt that mixes quicker and cleaner especially for a beginner. I highly recommend tropic marin. I personally use tropic marin pro. Started with IO(hated how bad it mixed), payed a bunch for NSW, Red Sea CP(to much precipitation), finally tropic marin pro(love it).
 
Jonathan Troutt said:
I finally got away from instant ocean. Glad i did to be honest i currently am using fritz RPM
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Hey was wondering if u have a problem with ur ALK being on the low end with this salt (fritz RPM). I got a box at frag swap. And my ALK stays at 7 witch I knows not bad but would like little high So i been doseing the 8.4. but don't think I had the problem with the IO think the alk was high
 
jordan10 said:
Hey was wondering if u have a problem with ur ALK being on the low end with this salt (fritz RPM). I got a box at frag swap. And my ALK stays at 7 witch I knows not bad but would like little high So i been doseing the 8.4. but don't think I had the problem with the IO think the alk was high
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No sir my alk has been fine. Tested at 8.6 with the water change i just did. Using salifert test kit. I wouldnt be happy with 7 though for sure. I like mine around 9.

Im on my 3rd box of it. Really been enjoying the stuff.
 
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There are alot of good mixes available and you can succeed with many of them. My advice would be to write down your desired parameters and then look at the parameters the mixes you are considering yield and choose the one that yields the closest parameters to those you are wanting. If there are several good quality mixes that yield your desired parameters I would look at the reviews for each and choose the one that most consistently gets good reviews. Alk will be the biggest one you want to look at imo as calcium and magnesium are more universally accepted optimal levels where alk levels people want are all over the place. I personally am running all at 8.5 and the mix that yields that for me and also has great reviews and is brs recommended is HW reefer mix and that's what I have been using for a few years with great results. It's very consistent and leaves very little residue and mixes much quicker than most other brands I've used. I have been mixing saltwater for 40 years and have used alot of brands over the years. I try to stick with the same brand as long as possible pretty much until it is no longer available or gives me issues. I have used for 1-5 years the following brands and where some were better than others none were bad: instant ocean and reef crystals, coralife/energy savers, original red sea(their first mix), red sea pro, tropic Marin original and newer tropic Marin pro reef and tropic Marin bioactif, Kent, fritz, aquaforest, hw, and probably some I dont remember. In the end alot is personal preference but I believe my preference for hw is based mostly on real results. I definitely dont profess to be an expert or that my opinion is any better than anyone else's tho.
 
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IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

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