Poll: What is Your Preferred Salt Brand?

[October Sky]

Curious if anyone else regularly mixes their salts with percentages of separate brands.

As in 1/3 IO and 2/3 Seachem? I don't, but when a switch is necessary, I definitely mix the old with the new (as in, 1/16 bucket left, add in 1/4 bucket....use) until I'm using totally new. Try not to make any major changes.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Agree with that. Always make changes slowly with salt and anything else frankly.

 

[IronChefItaly]

I started with Instant Ocean but I found the parameters varied too much between batches. Switched to H2Ocean for a bit afterwards but ultimately the parameters were too elevated and far off from my own. Finally settled with Red Sea blue bucket and couldn’t be happier. The parameters are nearly identical to how I run my system and highly value MyBatch. For anyone who isn’t aware, Red Sea lab tests every batch of salt they produce and those results are available online. You simply key in the code printed on your bucket and receive an email with the full lab analysis. Red Sea claims their tests are accurate enough to be used as a standard solution which is quite impressive when compared with the competition.

 

[ca1ore]

Experimented with a bunch of different salts about 10 years ago, concluded that they made very little difference if one was going to have to dose/CaRx. So I returned to IO because it works fine and is the most economical.

 

[Piranhapat]

I try about every salt. Basically it comes down to what works best for your system. Also the price your willing to pay. I like Aquaforest sea salt. Mixes fast and clear. Loved it when Doctor Forster had it $29 22k. Even regular price at $40 is not bad. I find it a little better than IO. Which is a great salt. IO dissolve longer and is a little cloudy. ESV was a favorite but gotten expensive and hard to get. Aqua Vitro by sea chem was good. Left resin in bucket and price went high. Still waiting on two little fishes salt to come out. Julian I'm waiting. Jason Fox uses IO. What does that tell you? They no magic salt that will work better. But some might help you dose less or mix better. Bottom results are basically same if you keep salinity stable.

 

[Daltrey]

I voted other because I buy whatever is on sale or the cheapest when I need it. It's usually Instant Ocean at $45 shipped for the box that makes 200 gallons.

 

[Syed123]

Only tried 2 salts. Aquavtro Salinity and ReefCrystals. Been using RC for 6 out of the 7 years of reefing. Works well. No complaints. Aquavitro was a bit annoying in that it was a bit too harsh. Had to be mixed a day before cause it was extremely cloudy. And burned a bit if you got some on your hands.

 

[dball711]

I was using Salinity but recently switched to Seachem's vibrant Sea...seems more stable.

 

[Tristren]

Aquaforest Reef Salt. Very happy with it.

I've been using it ever since I started my first tank. Back in the summer of 2017 that was.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was using Salinity but recently switched to Seachem's vibrant Sea...seems more stable.

What does stable mean?

This salt is unusual in that it targets a potassium value way higher than NSW. It claims 574 to 631 ppm potassium while NSW has 400 ppm at 35 ppt salinity. I think it is not clear what the effects of that may be, but I wouldn't use it in my reef unless my goal was to experiment to find out what the effects are.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Rumour has it that our local Big Als stores who for many years has been a major distributor in Instant Ocean & Reef Crystal salt supplies during the annual Boxing Week Sale, have lost their distributing license for Instant Ocean salts. That's kinda worrying as that's when most local reefers would converge, purchase and stock up for their whole year's supply of salt! There's Rebates offer on top of the Sale price too but that may all end now ... ;Nailbiting;Sorry

 

[BigRedSpecial]

I used Seachem Reef before they discontinued it. I liked it because it mixed easily and didn't leave residue in the bucket. I'm mostly using NSW now but I'll order another bucket soon. Not sure what, possibly RS Blue bucket.

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

I go out on a wharf at high tide and start scooping. I have nine 5g buckets (mixture of old salt buckets and home depot) and three 5g water jugs, so I can collect 60g at a time. It all gets dumped into a 44g Brute can.

The only "processing" I do is to bring the water up to tank parameters; biggest issue is salinity; seawater here is around 31 ppt. I'll let evaporation bring it to 35 then match mag/alk/cal.

Then I'll sit there for days with a flashlight watching all the life that has come in with it! Everything from copopods to bioluminescent cnidarians.

 

[BigJohnny]

Hw-Marinemix Reefer, matches my tanks params very closely, mixes super clean very quickly with no residue, and contains some aminos/vitamins etc that my corals seem to appreciate after each water change.

 

[reefwiser]

I have used every salt made over the years. My favorite is ESV pure materials no extras like like clay to prevent clogging which premixed salts use.

 

[csb123]

I liked HW marine which until recently was $54 / box, until I found out why I couldn’t keep Sps and many LPS. The potassium was half of what it should’ve been.

I test my system enough, without having to test my salt mix.

I’m not sure what I’m going to transition to tho...

 

[twreefer]

Always used water from LFS. Recently purchased Aquaforest for price, but haven't mixed it yet.

 

[uclaray]

Used IO for ever, but got tired of the residue built up left behind and cleaning the Brute mixing container. Using Aquaforest Reef now, mixes fast and clean.

 

[BigJohnny]

I liked HW marine which until recently was $54 / box, until I found out why I couldn’t keep Sps and many LPS. The potassium was half of what it should’ve been.

I test my system enough, without having to test my salt mix.

I’m not sure what I’m going to transition to tho...

It was just a bad batch (most were from last year). I had same issue and it tests 380ppm on last few boxes. Almost made me switch salt mixes but I like it too much more than others I've tried and I test potassium anyway.

 

[jason7570]

I’ve used probably 70% of them Fritz without a question. I used Red Sea coral pro for years and I had trouble with keeping alk steady after a water change. If you want steady alk 8.0 I would advise this salt mix...

 

[Carlos Danger]

Tried and true Tropic Marin Pro Reef.Very happy customer! If I ever build an in-ground backyard pool I'm going to make it saltwater and fill it up with Tropic Marin Pro Reef. I bet I'd love it as much as my reef does!!!