Poll: What is Your Preferred Salt Brand?

[Potatohead]

Dd h20cean

Same. Although if I had easier access to it I would probably use Red Sea blue bucket. D-D is made in the same facility and parameters fall between Red Sea Blue and Coral Pro.

 

[Tom Blevins]

Fritz for me.

 

[Whyteboy]

I use fritz.. but is it my preferred? I don't think so. If I do too many water changes my Mag will get up to 1600 maybe it is just this batch. I'm not sure. When this box is finished I may just go to the OG Instant ocean reef crystals it seems like many people have success with it.

 

[Checkitout]

Just made the switch from Fritz, I was fine with it until I started getting really high mag levels, to mixing Red Sea Pro and Red Sea blue bucket together.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

I use regular Instant Ocean, but i'm lazy on water changes [now doing Triton] and still have around 60 gallons worth of the original box I bought. After that runs out i'll likely buy Triton's recommended salt for water changes just to have around "in case"

 

[SDReefer]

I use Coralife Marine Salt since it was on sale at my LFS. So far I've had good results. I still have enough to make around 100 gallons of water, so I'll be sticking with it for some time.

 

[Tigweldpro]

Salt is spendy in Canada. I'm using Coralife marine mix 200G box @ $45ea. Vs Reef crystals 160G pail @ $79.

 

[Tucker64]

HW Reef, use to use Red Sea pro but the alk spikes made me change

 

[brandon429]

inserting a shout out to all the nano and pico reefers who are salt parameter independents. Doesn't matter what salt we use, since we do weekly water changes they all work out, literally all of them. My own 12 yr pico just went from 7+yrs straight Kent, to Oceanic with a 100% water change, then to Fritz the next week with 100% water change, and back to Kent now. I don't mix my own water, and the LFS I used closed and the other startups around town were sustaining me.

We wont see much salt preference issues in the smaller tanks, cuz it doesn't matter. same sps loading too as the large tanks.

the smaller the system, the less the salt mix matters.

 

[DeepBlueSomething]

For those that use fresh ocean water -- how (if?) do you collect, transport / process?

 

[Whyteboy]

inserting a shout out to all the nano and pico reefers who are salt parameter independents. Doesn't matter what salt we use, since we do weekly water changes they all work out, literally all of them. My own 12 yr pico just went from 7+yrs straight Kent, to Oceanic with a 100% water change, then to Fritz the next week with 100% water change, and back to Kent now. I don't mix my own water, and the LFS I used closed and the other startups around town were sustaining me.

We wont see much salt preference issues in the smaller tanks, cuz it doesn't matter. same sps loading too as the large tanks.

the smaller the system, the less the salt mix matters.

You would think that salt would be very important in a Pico/Nano. If you are mixing up salts that vary in dkh causing big swings

 

[cmcoker]

Red sea blue bucket. For most of the past 5 years
Alk level works well for my tank, and the small buckets are easy for me to store and move.
The lfs near my work always has it in stock, and I get a discount there for my local club membership.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

I've used virtually every brand over the years and most have worked fine. Currently using Instant Ocean. Once SPS growth takes off, I will use Reef Crystals for the KH boost. I like IO and RC for their price and I can get them locally conveniently. If money was no object I would use Tropic Marin Bio-Actif. With Bio-Actif, I've observed greatly improved water clarity along with intense coral coloration and polyp extension.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I've been using Instant ocean since my first Fish only system 20 years ago. My current system is my first SPS system and I've noticed issues when doing 15-25% waterchange - so I barely did them.. After a waterchange alk would rise anywhere from .3-.7DkH and I'd spend a day or so bringing it down - which would stunt growth and perhaps killed a few early frags. I had an issue where I suspected a chemical issue in the tank and couldn't even do a few 30% waterchange which really was annoying. Reading only problems of people who switch salts I reluctantly got some FRITZ and tested the water prior to waterchange and was happy with the values.
with Fritz and my ALK only increased by .1 DKH - MG and CA remained the same. I feel confident I can do few 30% waterchange and only improve the overall health of the tank without shocking them. Select a salt dependent on your tank sensitivity to ALK and size of water changes - once you find it you'll be very happy!

 

[iemsparticus]

Started with HW Reefer, and moved to Red Sea Blue Bucket for lower dkh as well.

 

[brandon429]

WB

Agreed

That it is neutral makes that parameter fact among ten ironies that one wouldn't expect from small systems. Another is salinity stability from a one gallon beating any tank on this whole board. Several more

-such a claim should at least provide references. best ref for it is the pico reef forum at nano-reef.com

Sps in IO salt, or any other, all weekly easy changes. As nanos get larger and no one wants to do weekly large changes, we do see branching off into mixes that support what they're using.

For pico reefs we literally do not care what any param is beyond temp and salt. It's feeding that matters. Mines packed.

We fear only elbows and nerf balls

Large tankers are required to chase params. Agreed some specialty sps might not like changes but the typical strains don't mind and are well featured in those picos. Maritza, Natalia are the standouts online see their YouTube

 

[kyleinpdx]

Im a Aquavitro Salinity user for the past year or so, outside of it being a little low on alk for me (8.5 when I run closer to 10) its been great.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

RS Coral Pro following Red Sea's "Mixed Reef Recipe" the last 4 months, corals are growing quickly and more colorful that ever.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Tried out Reef Crystals & Aquavitro Salinity before and after many research and discussions, I've made the choice to stick to regular Instant Ocean which is just as good as any other supposedly pricey and magic hocus pocus better salt out there. If a reputable lfs uses Instant Ocean and it works so why won't it work on our system right?

 

[Charles4400]

I/O Reef crystals. Has always been consisent with me. 1 bag in a 44g brute mixes perfect each time.