The best SALT you have used...

Alberto Magalhaes · Oct 25, 2015

Hi,
For me:
Tropic Marin Pro Reef Sea Salt

ReefBum · Oct 25, 2015

I have been using ESV salt for my SPS dominated tanks for years. Yes, it is more work and on the expensive side but it mixes very clean and the levels are very consistent batch to batch. You can also use it soon after you mix it if you need it in a pinch. Yes, there are many options out there but over the years this one has worked best for me.

d2mini · Oct 25, 2015

ali.farzinrad said:
I mean a faster cycle for reef keeping, I have too many LPS in my current tank, I want to transfer them to my new tank but I afraid of no3, no4, po4 at the beginning and losing control of them.

I know what you mean but salt is salt. There is no cycling magic in any of it.
Best thing you can do is transfer your rock, some sand rinsed in tank water, and anything else that would have bacteria clinging to it.

Nomadic1 · Oct 25, 2015

ESV works best for me.

Newb73 · Oct 25, 2015

This looks like it could be a tank personality thing.

Example: If you have a very large stocked tank and you are doing frequent small or continuous water changes the higher levels of alk, mg, ca etc in Red Sea Pro might be an advantage while using that in a small tanks where you are doing a large % water change it could result in disasterous swings.

ali.farzinrad · Oct 25, 2015

I think I have to buy some bacteria for faster start up too, have to transform all I could, a dosing pomp and [emoji52] [emoji52] [emoji52]
I don't know what else???

Coralfornialiving · Oct 26, 2015

im currently using esv bionic saltwater misx. i like the fact your putting the batch together everytime so its always consistent.

kattz · Oct 27, 2015

I just wanted to chime in that I've had some "meh" salt (RC) and some really horrible stuff (RSCP, and the German salt in a bucket, can't remember the name, they make balling supplies, hate both for inconsistency and junk in the mix). The best salt that I've found (and I do mean the best in my opinion based on my personal experience) is the German reef salt that BRS sells and it comes in a box. Sorry, but it is flat out the most stable, well mixing, non-precipitating, "no junk in the water salt mix" I've found in 9 years of having a tank. Does not slime the mixing container, nothing in the bottom of the mixing container, and I can mix it for two hours or 24 hours and nothing precipitates out, unlike RSCP. It is the shizzle, dizzle.

Kev

Martin H. Lawton · Oct 27, 2015

I use red sea for now ..

saltysilverado · Oct 27, 2015

Red Sea pro is what we use to make synthetic

saltyhog · Oct 27, 2015

oceanparadise1 said:
MARINEMIX REEFER SALT MIX

This is my choice too. It mixes far faster than RC or Red Sea Coral Pro and with less residue. It also is closer to the parameters I like to keep.

dnyceli · Oct 28, 2015

kattz said:
I just wanted to chime in that I've had some "meh" salt (RC) and some really horrible stuff (RSCP, and the German salt in a bucket, can't remember the name, they make balling supplies, hate both for inconsistency and junk in the mix). The best salt that I've found (and I do mean the best in my opinion based on my personal experience) is the German reef salt that BRS sells and it comes in a box. Sorry, but it is flat out the most stable, well mixing, non-precipitating, "no junk in the water salt mix" I've found in 9 years of having a tank. Does not slime the mixing container, nothing in the bottom of the mixing container, and I can mix it for two hours or 24 hours and nothing precipitates out, unlike RSCP. It is the shizzle, dizzle.

Kev

The salt is called HW sold by BRS. It was an amazing salt the first time I tried it. Mixes instantly crystal clear and don't have silicates that can cause diatoms. Used by public aquariums and labs. Really like it. A bit expensive though, but so stable and consistent. Ran out and bought Reef Crystals due to being in a pinch and there was a sale on it at the LFS. I recommend everyone to try the HW Salt. I used the reef version.

ali.farzinrad · Oct 28, 2015

dnyceli said:
The salt is called HW sold by BRS. It was an amazing salt the first time I tried it. Mixes instantly crystal clear and don't have silicates that can cause diatoms. Used by public aquariums and labs. Really like it. A bit expensive though, but so stable and consistent. Ran out and bought Reef Crystals due to being in a pinch and there was a sale on it at the LFS. I recommend everyone to try the HW Salt. I used the reef version.

Unfortunately I think it's just for America, we didn't have it in middle East

kattz · Oct 28, 2015

ali.farzinrad said:
Unfortunately I think it's just for America, we didn't have it in middle East

It's a European salt. You can probably get it, yes?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 28, 2015

Salt mixes with higher calcium and, especially, alkalinity are the ones that generally have more calcium carbonate deposits in the mixing barrel.

In fact, someone reported not long ago that if he took normal Instant Ocean (which I use and has a fair amount of calcium carbonate deposit in the mixing barrel) and add muriatic acid to lower the alkalinity to closer 7.5 dKH, that there's no deposits, even after 10 months of using it for many regular water changes. Of course, the pH is quite low until it has a chance to blow off the excess CO2 present after the acid is added, but it shows that such deposits are fairly easily modulated, and folks how are bothered by either them or the high alkalinity in some salt mixes have less expensive alternatives than buying an expensive salt mix.

kattz · Oct 28, 2015

Hi, Dr. Holmes-Farley,

The HW Marine that I was referring to comes in at an average of 420 ca, 1240 mg, and about 9.6 DkH. No NO3, no PO4, and maybe a tiny spot (less than a thimbleful) of precipitate in every 40g batch I make. Mixes almost instantly and after dumping 18 cups of mix in the water while the Mag 9.5 is doing it's thing, water is absolutely clear after about 3 minutes. It really seems to be quite good. Pricy, but blew RSCP and Brightwell out of the water (no pun intended). I'm really fastidious about stability and this salt is really good. It mixes hotter than any batch of RSCP I could ever test out (RSCP parameters never have matched the hype in my personal experience) and no PO3 or NO4. RSCP is an algae grower in my experience. I must've used 20 buckets of RSCP before calling "knock it off".

Best,

Kevin

erk · Oct 28, 2015

I use Brightwell. It mixes to natural seawater levels and that works for me. You need to mix the powder to ensure it's fully blended together. Also, you have to mix the saltwater for 24 hrs before use. I used RSCP and it's alk, Ca, and Mg levels are too high for me. Also, I had to use it within so many hours of mixing it. I prefer the mix and forget method. Requiring me to use the salt soon after mixing doesn't work so well when you have a million other things to do. I've used IO and I don't like the film that forms in buckets. And I used Fritz salt mix. The Fritz salt seemed pretty good, but finding a source was difficult. I only used it because I got a free bag at a frag swap.

Newb73 · Oct 28, 2015

Interesting those of you plugging the synthetic HW marine that BRS sells.

It comes in two flavors, "pro" and "reefer".

It's free shipping because it's 76.99 (or so). For an extra 4.99 you get the expedited 3 day shipping. So it's about 80 bucks.

The local fish store sells reef crystals for 54.00 and with taxes it's about 60 or so.

Okay so we are talking 20 dollars or so per bucket for what's being advertised as a zero additive, zero contaminate, fast mixing fully synthetic salt which has been selected by some of the large aquariums as well as the EPA.

Seems reasonable if the claims are true.

I just ordered a box and my biggest concern is the 50/50 roulette wheel about whether or not UPS can reliably ship without busting the box.

I'm thinking the answer to that will prove to be no.

Supposedly this is a German Salt