Need guidance
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Jay Hemdal
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No - it's not advised. 50 years ago, when I was trying to fund my marine aquarium through my paper route, I used a 4 part sea salt formula called the Gosse formula (from the 1850's). It failed, so I know that NaCl will not work.
Your best bet is to buy on sale locally, or when online vendors have free shipping. You don't need to buy any exotic imported brand, Instant Ocean is your best bet.
Here is an article I wrote on the history of sea salt and how to evaluate it:
Evaluating Synthetic Sea Salts
By C. M. Schwim Seawater is the lifeblood of our marine aquariums. Some aquarists near the coast can obtain natural seawater (NSW) for their aquariums, but m
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Jay
jgirardnrg
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How big is the tank? You can buy a bucket of Instant Ocean mentioned above for $40 that will make 160 gallons of saltwater. Works out to 25 cents per gallon.
Tim McLellan
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That most definitely would not turn out well.
tharbin
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No. It has been tried, and failed, many times. Just use Instant Ocean. It works fine and is a proven, and inexpensive, formula. For a FOWLR tank, IO would be my first choice and has been many times.
sivakc89
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One of the best articles online for hobbyists community, thanks a lot sirNo - it's not advised. 50 years ago, when I was trying to fund my marine aquarium through my paper route, I used a 4 part sea salt formula called the Gosse formula (from the 1850's). It failed, so I know that NaCl will not work.
Your best bet is to buy on sale locally, or when online vendors have free shipping. You don't need to buy any exotic imported brand, Instant Ocean is your best bet.
Here is an article I wrote on the history of sea salt and how to evaluate it:
Evaluating Synthetic Sea Salts
By C. M. Schwim Seawater is the lifeblood of our marine aquariums. Some aquarists near the coast can obtain natural seawater (NSW) for their aquariums, but m
Jay
Paul B
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When the hobby started, the Father of Salt water fish keeping, "Robert Straughn" suggested that if you didn't have enough ASW you could possibly stretch it by using table salt. I personally never tried it and am sure the proportion of table salt you used was directly proportional to how fast your fish would croak. ;Wideyed
Jay, do you remember "Lampert Kays Marine Magic" salt? That was the first one I used as there didn't seem to be anything else except my go to salt water which I collected near the Brooklyn Bridge in the East River. ;Drool
Jay, do you remember "Lampert Kays Marine Magic" salt? That was the first one I used as there didn't seem to be anything else except my go to salt water which I collected near the Brooklyn Bridge in the East River. ;Drool
Jay Hemdal
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I remember magic marine mix - that said you could use it to keep FW and SW fish in the same tank. It was apparently salt mixed with sugar to boost the osmotic pressure of it - but the history of this seems to be lost in time….When the hobby started, the Father of Salt water fish keeping, "Robert Straughn" suggested that if you didn't have enough ASW you could possibly stretch it by using table salt. I personally never tried it and am sure the proportion of table salt you used was directly proportional to how fast your fish would croak. ;Wideyed
Jay, do you remember "Lampert Kays Marine Magic" salt? That was the first one I used as there didn't seem to be anything else except my go to salt water which I collected near the Brooklyn Bridge in the East River. ;Drool
Jay
Paul B
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Oh OK. I didn't know it was mixed with sugar. Maybe thats why my fish kept getting diabetes.
I think it came in a green box. (much of my history also seems to be lost in time) ;Wideyed
I also think that "Instant Ocean" was developed by the same guy that invented "STP" the oil additive. But my old brain may not be remembering correctly.
Jay Hemdal
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IDK about STP - I looked it up, none of the founder's names match anyone I know who was connected with Instant Ocean (Tom Frakes, Ed Mowka, Bill Kelly). One interesting thing is that STP is currently owned by Spectrum Brands, who also owns Aquarium Systems / Instant Ocean.Oh OK. I didn't know it was mixed with sugar. Maybe thats why my fish kept getting diabetes.
I think it came in a green box. (much of my history also seems to be lost in time) ;Wideyed
I also think that "Instant Ocean" was developed by the same guy that invented "STP" the oil additive. But my old brain may not be remembering correctly.
jay
Paul B
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I knew there was a connection there somewhere. I think the original guy who invented STP was a chemist (obviously) and I think he had fish so it is plausible he invented Instant Ocean. 
Thomas Frakes
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Hey Jay, it has been a while but I finally re-registered and saw this post on sea salt.
To set the record straight, the origin of Instant Ocean was from the work at the Cleveland Aquarium and published by Segedi and Kelley (1964). Shortly after this Kelley, the aquarium director, set up Aquarium Systems with the financial support of Kelvin Smith, one of the founders of Lubrizol Chemical (Cleveland). There was no connection with STP additives, which was another lubricant company. Aquarium Systems made aquatic research systems for universities and then began supplying salt to their customers that started to be marketed as Instant Ocean around 1970(?). I was using it at the Fla. DNR lab in St. Pete, FL in 1970 for aquaculture.
Aquarium Systems Inc. (ASI) split into the non-profit Sea Research Foundation with two public aquariums ( Niagara Aqu. and Mystic Marinelife, which Steve Spotte built), around 1978 (?) and the commercial ASI which made products and Instant Ocean salt. I was at Instant Ocean Hatcheries (1974-1984) and joined ASI in 1984.
Regarding the early question about using sodium chloride, that absolutely can't be done, as many major and minor salts are required for sea life beyond NaCl.
Jay Hemdal
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Hi Tom!
Welcome back to Reef2Reef!
How have you been? I retired from the Aquarium back in October, but I'm still working for the Zoo half time as their "General Curator of Compliance and Accreditation". I can do that mostly from home, so I only need to go to the Zoo once a week or so.
Jay
Paul B
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I knew it was some kind of oil. I heard STP but I guess I heard wrong. I couldn't get Instant Ocean in 1970 in New York but maybe I just didn't look hard enough. Anyway, natural seawater was cheaper which is probably why I used it.
Paul
Thomas Frakes
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Sounds like a good way to wind down from your aquarium career. I am still looking at relocating south but who knows if we ever will make the jump, especially with this current housing bubble. Are you involved with any of the marine aquarium clubs in your area? I am looking to give away most of my marine aquarium library. Rob Mougey at MASNA to two big boxes. I would like to find people who have an interest rather than drop off at a charity that will probably trash them, It seems that many of the old clubs have dissolved. Also, I have some Metal Halide ballasts, fixtures and bulbs sets.
Personally, we are reaching the final stage of raising our triplets who are now 19 and have been keeping me "young". I've been making some Western trips in recent years ( heading to Montana next month) but would like to get back in the water for an occasional dive trip after a 20 year hiatus.
Well, enjoy your retirement.
Tom
Jay Hemdal
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Hi Tom,
Sorry - no, I'm not really active with any local clubs.... One I recall is called the Buckeye Reef Club. I spoke at some of their meetings 10 years or so ago. Looks like they are still around in some form: https://www.buckeyereef.com/forums/index.php
Do you remember these? Either you or Ed gave me one of these 25+ years ago. It sat in my office until the wine partially evaporated. I still have the bottle in my home office. As I recall, they were made as some sort of a promotion for the European office of Aquarium Systems. Cool AS logo was blown into the bottom glass.
Thomas Frakes
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Hi Tom,
Sorry - no, I'm not really active with any local clubs.... One I recall is called the Buckeye Reef Club. I spoke at some of their meetings 10 years or so ago. Looks like they are still around in some form: https://www.buckeyereef.com/forums/index.php
Do you remember these? Either you or Ed gave me one of these 25+ years ago. It sat in my office until the wine partially evaporated. I still have the bottle in my home office. As I recall, they were made as some sort of a promotion for the European office of Aquarium Systems. Cool AS logo was blown into the bottom glass.
Hi Tom,
Sorry - no, I'm not really active with any local clubs.... One I recall is called the Buckeye Reef Club. I spoke at some of their meetings 10 years or so ago. Looks like they are still around in some form: https://www.buckeyereef.com/forums/index.php
Do you remember these? Either you or Ed gave me one of these 25+ years ago. It sat in my office until the wine partially evaporated. I still have the bottle in my home office. As I recall, they were made as some sort of a promotion for the European office of Aquarium Systems. Cool AS logo was blown into the bottom glass.
Yes I do. I've had mine stashed away, unopened in box all these years. Ed brought them back al; those years ago. Speaking of Ed, we were getting together occasionally for dinner a few years ago, but haven't seen him since Covid. Hoping to get together sometime this year but he spends most of his time in California for Kordon.Hi Tom,
Sorry - no, I'm not really active with any local clubs.... One I recall is called the Buckeye Reef Club. I spoke at some of their meetings 10 years or so ago. Looks like they are still around in some form: https://www.buckeyereef.com/forums/index.php
Do you remember these? Either you or Ed gave me one of these 25+ years ago. It sat in my office until the wine partially evaporated. I still have the bottle in my home office. As I recall, they were made as some sort of a promotion for the European office of Aquarium Systems. Cool AS logo was blown into the bottom glass.
