Salty Loyality! How often do you switch?

[ReefRondo]

Only used 3 brands of salt over the years. Started using Seachem Salinity and loved it apart from the rubbish it left in my brute bins, moved to RSCP and preferred it although thought Salinity worked better for my tank. Last year move to TMPR and have to say it’s the best salt I’ve ever used with zero crap left after mixing. Tank is happy!

 

[Randy Shapiro]

For anyone using Redsea Salt, why do you choose the blue bucket over coral pro and visa-versa?

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

I use Red Sea Coral Pro. I haven't had any issues. Thus, I'm staying loyal.

 

[Javamahn]

I settled on Aquaforest Reef Salt for cost, parameters and 30 minute mix (with no sludge) to use time. I am not sure what other products I have used satisfy all 3 of those for me. I just wish it had a bigger local presence. But for now I order online.

 

[Gary Ellis]

I've only ever used Fritz.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I've switched plenty over the years, but settled on using IO as it's cheap. I can handle the little bit of maintenance from using it as opposed to paying nearly double for a little "cleaner" salt.

I would switch if there was a better, or same quality alternative at the same price point.

I agree have always used IO unless there is something better, priced very close no reason to change.

 

[Birdbrains?]

I have used three different brands of salts in the hobby.

The first salt was made by a local firm but I could not get myself to trust the quality. (I had no factual reason to distrust it, other than it just seemed like a really small firm for something that complex.)

Since I distrusted the first salt, I tried a bigger established brand name. I didn't find anything to be wrong with the salt but I had a hard time getting it.

I then tried the Probiotic reef salt from aquaforest & it helps enormously with keeping phos and nitrates down in the simplistic Nano-setup that I am keeping.

I sometimes supplement with the other salts from aquaforest because it is cheaper. It just makes the Nano gain algae growth, so I mostly use it as a backup salt storage in-between ordering bigger portions of the Probiotic salt, in case the order gets delayed, which makes me concerned about running out of salt at a bad time.

I would only change to another brand of salts, if it had equal bacterial activity as the Probiotics from aquaforest, since anything else leads to unwanted nutrients in the tank.

 

[Javamahn]

For anyone using Redsea Salt, why do you choose the blue bucket over coral pro and visa-versa?

Usually that is for the lower alkalinity parameters of the blue bucket for SPS dominant tanks

 

[watdachuck]

I have used IO and IORC for two decades.

I just changed to Red Sea after watching the BRS review. Two reasons were parameters match my reef much more closely and it mixes cleaner.

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

Again, always TEST YOUR SALT WATER BEFORE WATER CHANGES.

Lots of reefers have had "issues" with water changes. And most I know DO NOT TESt before adding new water, they only check SG.

Salts all are way different. One I bought was like 11 dKh, another like 530 Ca!!! Yikes.

As long as water change mix water parameters match your tank, they all should be pretty close to the same.

 

[jcolliii]

I have never used anything but IO in more than 30 years of marine fish keeping and over a decade of reef keeping, and never will. It's consistent, I know exactly what it will mix to, and I have never had a bad experience with it.

 

[WallyB]

I used to use Reef Crystals Reef Salt for over a decade. No issues on a LPS/Soft mixed Tank (no SPS).

When I started a SPS only tank couple of years ago, I wanted lower and stable ALK mixup, so I went with Tropic Maurin Pro.

The TMP Salt price was Too High so I changed (recently) to a slightly lower priced salt....so last two buckets I changed to Red Sea Blue Bucket.
It mixes to ALK 8.0 at Salinity of 35ppt.

The reason I like a Salt that Matches the Alkalinity of my SPS tank is Two Part dosing is easier to Tune and keep stable, and should I need to do a very large water change, there is no concern on a Alk Spike.

 

[lapin]

Salt is like a great pizza place . Once you have a fav its hard to change. Sure you can try others in a pinch but you will usually go back.

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For anyone using Redsea Salt, why do you choose the blue bucket over coral pro and visa-versa?

I use red sea salt. I mix the black and blue buckets 50/50 for the perfect alk.

 

[andrewkw]

1. How many times have you switched salts over your aquarium career?

2. What would it take to get you to switch from one brand to another? (cost, purity, availability etc?)

Off the top of my head I've used Reef Crystals, Instant Ocean, Kent, ATI (remember you had to add the magnesium separate), Red Sea the old formula, Red Sea Blue Bucket, Coralife (probably most used but haven't in some time), Aquaforest reef, and probably 1 or 2 more. I have been using regular Instant Ocean for the past few years since I stopped getting cheap coralife salt.

Price would have me switch. Right now I am actually considering it. I live close to the US border and have been getting boxes of IO shipped to me for free on amazon.com That probably isn't going to happen again until 2021 at this rate. Now IO is still the cheapest salt in Canada but since there are no free shipping on heavy items. The cost is significantly more then in the US. So I might go back to say Red Sea blue bucket because I do like the salt more just not 3x more then IO.

I've never had a problem switching salt because I won't do anything drastic like a 50% water change with new salt, hell I wouldn't do a 50% water change with out of the box instant ocean because the parameters are not the same as my reef. 10% and the difference is negligible. I also wouldn't use a crazy high alkalinity salt on a new tank. I would start with red sea blue bucket even if I intended on doing water changes with reef crystals for example.

 

[madweazl]

I cant think of a good reason to change but I did about eight months ago (from Instant Ocean to Tropic Marin Pro) just to see if there was any difference between was is typically the most economical to what is the most expensive. The only difference noted is a much lighter wallet and skipping the need to add muriatic acid to lower its alkalinity to my desired levels (~7dKh). At less than half the cost to produce equal amounts of saltwater, there isn't a really compelling reason to continue using it but I still am.

 

[AquAttila]

I have switched from red sea pro to Tropic Marin Reef Pro. I am much more happier with tropic marin and seems that parameters are more stable and you can see the difference in the reef. it is more expensive but worth it. I think Red Sea pro levels are elevated and be careful when doing larger water changes with red sea as Kh will spike up. Even though I no longer use red sea, I have now switched to auto water changes and see an improvement in stability.

 

[Arabyps]

I have never used anything but IO in more than 30 years of marine fish keeping and over a decade of reef keeping, and never will. It's consistent, I know exactly what it will mix to, and I have never had a bad experience with it.

Totally agree.

 

[KenO]

You need a vote button that says I’m done switching salts.

 

[Oberst Oswald]

When I started I did my research and decided on Tropic Marin Pro. Four years later and I'm still using Tropic Marin Pro along with the Triton Method. More than satisfied with both and hopefully no need to change either as long as they are available. If not than I'll try something from Red Sea.

 

[sullyman]

Been using Reg tropic marin but now use classic tropic marin seems the same,