Salt brands

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What is the salt brand you are using?
Why are you using this specific brand?
Have you dropped any other brands for the current one and if yes then why did you do it?
Why in your opinion the brand you're using is better than others?

I use Instant Ocean for my Predator tanks, been using it for years and it is just fine.
I am now using Fritz Blue Box for my reef tanks. A little more expensive than Reef Crystals which is what I started with in the 80’s. But Fritz doesn’t leave the brownish residue in my mixing barrels. Also I found it doesn’t take as much Fritz to get to 1.026 or 35 as instant ocean. So I think the price is pretty close.
Instant ocean 60 gallon (5 gallon bucket) only $37.99 online from Petsmart. I get it at the store and they match their internet price. I also get both on Amazon and it comes rather quickly.
I have over 1000 gallons on active salt tanks and price is a motivator, but not at the expense of my animals comfort. I have had good luck with all three of these salts. Just wouldn’t use instant ocean in a reef as I wouldn’t be replacing a lot of trace elements.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Without reading this.
I use instant ocean purple lid buckets for large batches and do wcs with red sea black buckets to restore alk cal mag and s.g.
Hths
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Dosing alk helps. Lol
D

 

[Jeffcb]

I did use Red Sea Black. Switched to Blue bucket to lower alk for sps.

Haven't done a water change in six moths on reef tank. Doing one soon. I keep saying that.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Is mine the high alk 1? Like 11... dang. Now I need one of the tiny buckets of blue. Lol.
D

 

[maxwell]

Whats the best salt for a sps tank with KH at 8 and what salt do dealers use in frag grow on tanks . SBB

 

[BlackGoldReefs]

I have used Red Sea from the beginning. I used it by in the early 90’s then left the hobby for 25 years, and have been back for 5 years now. I don’t know if that’s smart or not, but I like how it mixes quick for quick water changes. I am sure reef crystal are just fine, but I find it hard to mix and leaves weird crude on the bottom of my buckets.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

ESV
Love that I get the same results with every mix. Water is mixed and ready in an hour mix is always clear no residue in my bucket.

 

[ReefRondo]

I currently use TMPR but have been having major sps issues recently. I know all about the Turkey issue and all of my buckets have been from Germany. My question is I have been told I cannot have RSCP sitting in a salt mixing station because of precipitation so which salt can I use to sit at 25 degreees premixed for my DOS to carry out AWC every night? I aim for 8.4 Alk, 450 Cal and 1250 Mag.
Thank you in advance for any advice.

 

[Dolphis]

Been using Tropic Marin since the beginning; have used just about all their variations.
However, for my qt set up, I use IO, primarily because using TTM uses a lot of salt and IO is dirt cheap and readily available. But unlike TM, it doesn’t mix as quickly and it leaves all that grudge behind.

I’ve been contemplating switching over to IO/Reef Crystals full time and adding whatever is lacking, at least on my FOWLR/ Seahorse tanks… not ready to do the same jump for my reef tank.

My main concern is that gunk left behind in the mixing barrels!
Not sure if any of that gunk would transfer over into the tank after a water change… and if it did, what would the effects be.

For those that use IO or RC, have ya’ll noticed any ill effects? Perhaps a more “dirty” tank as a result?

 

[Brucealmighty]

I have and always will use tropic marin, because I have been sold on the advertising on the box saying that its used in public aquariums and is pharmaceutical grade salt with all the elements at the right levels, but saying that, I have to admit that I have noticed that nearly all of the tropic marin products have similar write ups on the side of the container saying contains all of the elements needed too so maybe that's all just sales talk? I don't know which public aquariums use it for it to say that on the side of it don't know if any of the people on here do?

 

[Dolphis]

I have and always will use tropic marin, because I have been sold on the advertising on the box saying that its used in public aquariums and is pharmaceutical grade salt with all the elements at the right levels, but saying that, I have to admit that I have noticed that nearly all of the tropic marin products have similar write ups on the side of the container saying contains all of the elements needed too so maybe that's all just sales talk? I don't know which public aquariums use it for it to say that on the side of it don't know if any of the people on here do?

I recently watched a behind the scenes video on YouTube (Coral12g) about a large public aquarium (can’t remember which atm), but in one of the scenes, you could see rows and rows of stacked buckets of IO salt… I was a bit surprised, but it makes sense that if you’re going to use a lot of salt, may as well use the cheapest one around… not to mention availability.
Not saying all aquariums use IO, but that’s one example.

I really like TM, but of course they’re going to push their own products, it’s all marketing, everyone does it.

 

[MiniCoco]

I liked Tropic Marin because in my humble opinion the salt gave a value of great consistency, mixability, and always mixed without any crud or precipitation. Then the Turkey plant and subsequent quality inconsistencies let me down. The subsequent search for a new supplier led me to go with HW Marinemix Reefer due to being pharmaceutical grade and having parameters that match my parameter goals.

 

[StewL6]

I use Reef crystals usually you can find either the Box, bucket or 50 gal box (bag) on sale at significant savings. Also I think what your dosing for Ca, Alk, Mag should work (complement) the salt that you are using to maintain your parameters. I use AFR for a mixed reef with lots of SPS including Acros growing really well. This is because I still do small water changes. But if I didn’t do water changes who cares what salt you used to set up tank you are dosing the Major and trace elements you need to grow your tank and keep your desired parameters.

 

[cvicente]

Reef Crystals, good and cheap.

 

[LeftyReefer]

I've been using Fritz RPM or Live Aquaria salt for 2 years. Never had an issue and it mixes up fast and clear and right to the parameters that I need.

 

[bstodds15]

You can buy a 55 gallon drum for $30 ???

5 gallon! I accidentally typed 55, and it was to late to edit when I noticed ‍

 

[trsmith18]

I use IO Reef Crystals. You cannot beat the price on Amazon ($33.99 S&S), the buckets are super useful when empty. Get a good GPH mixing pump and little to none sediment. Plus a lot of the levels are higher than other more expensive brands

 

[speedfreek1210]

I started with reef crystals and had zero issues with it. I switched to TM pro at the beginning of the year because I got 6 boxes gifted to me by BRS. It’s fine, but I think I’ll go back to reef crystals when it runs out. The cost difference alone matters to me even though I only run one tank now and it’s only 26 gallons. The prices of everything now I have to save when I can.

 

[SlugSnorter]

What is the salt brand you are using?
Why are you using this specific brand?
Have you dropped any other brands for the current one and if yes then why did you do it?
Why in your opinion the brand you're using is better than others?

redsea coral pro. good salk, makes my alk way too high. Switching off to redsea blue or tropic marine