Instant Ocean Salt at Georgia Aquarium

[Steve H]

All of these corals were grown in IO salt. I used Tropic Marin as a hobbyist many years ago, most salts are capable of growing corals just fine. The pacific barrier reef is roughly 50’x50’ and 18’ at its deepest. There are plenty of large acropora in there but nothing that most advanced hobbyist would consider rare. Tank is lit by 40x 1000w halides and 22x 500w LEDs and has a skylight. If it is sunny out you are essentially looking at a 5500k lit tank, and looking 10’ up towards the corals/clams (not down where corals are the most colorful).

 

[Dragonreef202]

I started with instant ocean ten years ago and still use it today.

 

[ZoWhat]

This picture of their instant ocean area always impresses me

They're fully testing every 20th 200g box.... just like Fritz.... for full consistency, RIIIIGHT?


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[redfishbluefish]

They're fully testing every 20th 200g box.... just like Fritz.... for full consistency, RIIIIGHT?

I am not familiar with Instant Ocean's quality control methods, but having come from the chemical/pharmaceutical industry, I can assure you that a very robust system is in place to assure the highest of quality. Simply look at their history. It speaks for itself.

 

[AiKkz]

They're fully testing every 20th 200g box.... just like Fritz.... for full consistency, RIIIIGHT?


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lol skim ur just looking to argue. Everyone here is saying IO is a quality salt, but you’re trying to bash it and say by switching to ANY other brand you’ll see better improvements of growth and coloration. Any of the popular growers or hobbyist could literally use any salt and be successful simply because salt is such a small part of a successful reef.

 

[CheckeredPants]

A lot of plate montipora. Whippy-do.

A good section of Acros, but their color looks bland.

I'm impressed by its size, unimpressed by the coral diversity and color.

Maybe I should start charging ppl $40 at my front door to come look at my 180. Lol. Just sayin......



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You do realize that their Barrier Reef exhibit is lit with natural sunlight, don't you? You know, the kind of light that makes "their colors look bland."

 

[AiKkz]

You do realize that their Barrier Reef exhibit is lit with natural sunlight, don't you? You know, the kind of light that makes "their colors look bland."

Amen lol that’s exactly was I was trying to verify!!! I figured like most public aquariums they are lit naturally.

 

[jda]

Go buy yourself a BMW 7Series Sedan, then buy your motor oil from the DollarTree. Oil is oil, right?

I have had a trio 7 series sedans e65 and a pair of f01... used the SuperTech oil from WalMart on all of them... engines outlasted the electronics, suspension, bearings, axles and rest of the car. Oil is oil if you match the group rating... group 4 is group 4.

I also use IO salt... for no other reason that it has mixed up exactly the same for more than 20 years and I always know what I am going to get. Seen all the fads come and go with Kent, Coralife, Oceanic, SeaChem, etc... Fritz is just the new fad and IO will still being used when people are using Fritz as a punchline like they did the others.

 

[AiKkz]

Go buy yourself a BMW 7Series Sedan, then buy your motor oil from the DollarTree. Oil is oil, right?


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Lol I didn’t even see this little quote. When you say dollar tree oil I’m assuming you mean cheap conventional oil and not fully synthetic. The only difference is “dollar tree oil would need to be changed more frequent (every 5,000 miles) and fully synthetic can be changed ever 15,000 miles. Other then that they are basically the same.

@jda please correct me if I’m wrong as I’m not super knowledgeable in this area.

 

[Sm51498]

Trying to judge the quality of color or vibrance of corals from a photo is pretty dubious. What we can say is that they are large and healthy looking which takes time. I'd say based on that alone IO is sufficient to the task of making synthetic seawater that will allow these animals to thrive. Your salt is easily the smallest part of a successful tank, just pick one and stick with it for the sake of stability.

 

[shred5]

I also use IO salt... for no other reason that it has mixed up exactly the same for more than 20 years and I always know what I am going to get.

And this is the key especially when you dose or use a reactor.
If a salt isn't consistent from batch to batch you have to constantly tinker with your doser or calcium reactor....

 

[ZoWhat]

..... and how BORING of a forum would it be if everyone just perfectly agreed with everyone else?

Btw. I used IO for 6mos, years ago. Made 50g batches ahead of time. Kept getting light brown sludge forming on the bottom of the drum. Discovered it was mainly calcium carbonate precipitating-out along with some anti-caking concoction. They lost me forever after that. Just sayin

A users pic of IO's residue

 

[KrustyKrab305]

I too have been using IO for the past 2 years with no issues on a 90 gallon softies and a few LPS. Can't beat the price.

 

[jda]

I have never had any residue from using a whole bag of IO. Reef Crystals is another story...

With any salt, you can get precipitation if you do not dry mix it and it settled. It is best to mix salt before heating the water since it mixes better.