Salt mix

[auditech17]

Hello I’m new just got my tank Saturday and I’m getting an rodi filter and I’m trying to figure out what salt will fit for me. I’m not sure what I need. I will have fish and corals it’s a 40 gallon tank.

 

[Dbichler]

Any salt brand works. If you’re new to the hobby just start with instant ocean. It’s cheap and works. Figure out how to control nutrients then work onto other parameters and adjust from there by dosing and finding a new salt that matches your parameters that everything is happy with as best as possible. There’s really no salt that doesn’t work. I use both instant ocean and Red Sea blue bucket. Every other waterchange but only do water changes every couple months but my tank has been stable for years.

 

[KStatefan]

You can find examples of great tanks use every salt. Pick one that is readily available in your area.

 

[auditech17]

Any salt brand works. If you’re new to the hobby just start with instant ocean. It’s cheap and works. Figure out how to control nutrients then work onto other parameters and adjust from there by dosing and finding a new salt that matches your parameters that everything is happy with as best as possible. There’s really no salt that doesn’t work. I use both instant ocean and Red Sea blue bucket. Every other waterchange but only do water changes every couple months but my tank has been stable for years.

I saw aqua forest was in stock on brs but people were saying it was messing things up cause they switched. I also looked at Red Sea coral pro but out of stock on brs. I’m almost out of my last 5 gallon bucket of rodi when I bought from fish store. The store is 35 mins away so I don’t really want to do that drive all the time for water. So I’m buying 4 stage rodi and now trying to figure salt out.

 

[apb03]

I have nothing further to add to the above post, any salt will work.

Totally unrelated to performance, I found with Red Sea, those threaded buckets with the sealed lids I ended up with are handy to have around.

 

[Ironwill723]

Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. Available pretty much everywhere. Cheap and easy.

 

[auditech17]

You can find examples of great tanks use every salt. Pick one that is readily available

Any salt brand works. If you’re new to the hobby just start with instant ocean. It’s cheap and works. Figure out how to control nutrients then work onto other parameters and adjust from there by dosing and finding a new salt that matches your parameters that everything is happy with as best as possible. There’s really no salt that doesn’t work. I use both instant ocean and Red Sea blue bucket. Every other waterchange but only do water changes every couple months but my tank has been stable for years.

Amazon doesn’t have instant ocean only can really find Red Sea

 

[KStatefan]

Amazon doesn’t have instant ocean only can really find Red Sea

I do not know what stores your have in the UK but Petco, Petsmart, Chewy in the USA have instant ocean on sale often and free shipping.

 

[auditech17]

I have nothing further to add to the above post, any salt will work.

Totally unrelated to performance, I found with Red Sea, those threaded buckets with the sealed lids I ended up with are handy to have around.

Even tho I don’t have corals in the tank yet fish aren’t affected by any of the trace elements?

 

[twentyleagues]

I've always used reef crystals. Cheap works well and has good base values.

 

[apb03]

Even tho I don’t have corals in the tank yet fish aren’t affected by any of the trace elements?

Nah the elements you are concerned with only come into play down the road.

I don't think you should even bother with Coral pro or Reef crystals for a good 3-6 months either. They contain elevated levels for corals which will come in handy when standard water changes aren't able to keep up with what the corals consume and will allow you to avoid dosing maybe altogether.

 

[auditech17]

Nah the elements you are concerned with only come into play down the road.

I don't think you should even bother with Coral pro or Reef crystals for a good 3-6 months either. They contain elevated levels for corals which will come in handy when standard water changes aren't able to keep up with what the corals consume and will allow you to avoid dosing maybe altogether.

So what should I get?

 

[Seansea]

I do not know what stores your have in the UK but Petco, Petsmart, Chewy in the USA have instant ocean on sale often and free shipping.

This. Get reef crystals for as low as 29 bucks for the big bucket. Check online sales. Imo if you are gonna have reef tank go with reef crystals out the gate or youbwill be fighting low parameters for a while when you start adding corals. If this is a fowlr then def just straight io will work.

 

[apb03]

So what should I get?

I started with Red Sea blue bucket myself, so I think it's a solid place to start. You can also get Instant Ocean Purple Box and save a bit if cash too.

Once you pack your tank with corals then maybe consider moving to Red Sea Coral pro (black bucket) Instant Ocean Reef Crystals or any other similar brand.

Those products are geared towards folks that have smaller setups that need higher than normal levels to avoid using supplementation.

As others have said any salt will work, but given you have no corals and it will be a long time before you add enough coral that consume a meaningful amount of elements, just get whatever is cheapest and available.

Blue Bucket FROM Red Sea mixes clean and quickly, has a nice bucket you can use for other chores so I'd go with that.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

So what should I get?

which ever one you want, many have been suggested, you are overthinking it.

 

[auditech17]

which ever one you want, many have been suggested, you are overthinking it.

I I’m 100% over thinking it. I know I am.

 

[auditech17]

I started with Red Sea blue bucket myself, so I think it's a solid place to start. You can also get Instant Ocean Purple Box and save a bit if cash too.

Once you pack your tank with corals then maybe consider moving to Red Sea Coral pro (black bucket) Instant Ocean Reef Crystals or any other similar brand.

Those products are geared towards folks that have smaller setups that need higher than normal levels to avoid using supplementation.

As others have said any salt will work, but given you have no corals and it will be a long time before you add enough coral that consume a meaningful amount of elements, just get whatever is cheapest and available.

Blue Bucket FROM Red Sea mixes clean and quickly, has a nice bucket you can use for other chores so I'd go with that.

Ok thank you for that info.