The great salt debate

[patrickreef]

Had the producer of Royal nature salt speak at our reef club last meeting. He had convincing arguments (analysis of top brand vs his) that the salt was superior to most. Pricer than the reef crystals I use but maybe a brand to research if you don't mind the cost. Anyone using this brand of salt?

 

[nelson.jdautobody]

i have used red sea salt mix in the blue bucket and in the coral pro black bucket. i decided to stick with the blue bucket because the alk is pretty high in the pro (above 12) and with the blue its around 7+-8. i like the mag., calc., ph content in the pro salt better though (but like most established tanks i have to supplement my reef anyways so i would rather use a doser to keep levels bumped up rather than never ending water changes to reduce a bad condition. for me KH seemed to be the hardest thing to keep stabalized in my tank for some reason, but not since i switched to the blue bucket

i have a 40 gallon breeder mixed reef
5 gallon water change every friday night (8 scoops salt with scooper provided in the bucket)
1ml KH, 2ml calcium, 1ml mag (dosed every day by bubble magus auto doser)
conditions
SALT .024
PH 8.1
KH 8.5-9
MAG. 1400
CALC. 400
NITRATES 1ppm
PHOSPHATES 0ppm

everything in my tank is thriving

good luck choosing a new salt (like most things i have found in this hobby....inexpensive usually means "cheap", but just because its more expensive doesnt neccessarily make it better, and everyone has an opinion why one or the other will work better for you but like the human body....everyones reef is different and what may work for 1 may not work for another. seems like a lot of people on here concurr that the red sea salt is a quality salt in both the black and blue buckets...but its $$$ also)

 

[guicho]

I use bi-distilled water,Been using Seachem reef " garbage", very low parameters, change to Kent reef, Low parameters, by now I'm using RSCP and are great, seen to much better!!!!!
1.024
Kh:8
Ph:8.2
Ca:380
Mg:1320

You need to mix it in room temp NOT WARM water with lots of current and dissolve great in no time, with no more of 4 hours mixing time. Cristal clear in less than 30 minutes

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Whatever salt you use, make sure you're mixing the salt prior to adding to water. Components settle out during shipping. In a bucket this is as easy as shaking/rolling the bucket around vigorously before use. Same goes for a bag and proves a bit easier than bucket

 

[jerms01]

I have been using Brightwell NeoMarine for the past year. I don't have much to compare it too but my params stay pretty stable @1.025, PH 8.1, Calc 400, MG 1300, dKh 9.

 

[SpsJunkie]

I just started using Kent Marine, reef crystals before that.

 

[marinelife]

I use Instant Ocean and do not have any issues with its levels.

 

[duke4130]

I just switched over to ESV B-ionic Salt Mix.... I was a hardcore TM Pro user for years but I like this stuff way better. You can't beat the time or perfect parameters that you get each and every time you mix it. I saw an immediate difference with the corals. You don't have to dose as much using this mix either

 

[Countrybob]

Red sea pro

I use Red Sea Pro and I am very happy with it. I have never had an issue with mixing the salt. If you follow the instructions and use R.O. water at approx. 77 degrees it will mix up with no problems. Red sea recommends not mixing for more than 2 hours. So for people who keep a batch mixed up for several days with a power head that could be where the problem is. I know someone who likes to use Red Sea pro however the alk is to high for him so he leaves it in his mixing barrel for a day and the alk drops.

 

[xthunderx]

Instant ocean for me. Never had any problems. I use it in all my tanks including my sps grow out tank. Colonies are colored up and happy.

 

[xthunderx]

If I ever switched I would try red sea pro, but for the past 3 years I've been happy with IO
.

 

[joekool]

Coral pro for me. I buy it in a 200 gal commercial bag and get a cash deal of 65 at a lfs.
I love the salt dkh seems a little hi but my tank is using it up. I tried the blue because 5 hey didn't have a bag last time I bought it. I don't like it because I have to dose my water before I add it to tank.

I change 25 gallons a week and win with water from 6 stage ro/Di from BRS made for city water with chloramine in it.

 

[TJ's Reef]

Of the nearly 35 years of keeping Marine Aquaria I have used I/O for around 25 years without any issues. This includes around 30 of 32 years of Reefkeeping with it. Since I know what it lacks or is low in I can for pennies adjust it to the levels needed or to match much more expensive brands. That being said I tried out a bucket of SeaChem Reef when setting up my current 125g just to see if I would notice any changes. I was impressed with its overall makeup and just recently ordered another 200g box. In between or for past 18 months have been using I/O Reef Crystals (got 2 buckets in trade) and feel that if you can get it for a reasonable price is a good consistent mix to use if running an SPS or Mixed Reef.
In conclusion, I may or may not stick with SeaChem Reef, but as long as I can have delivered to my door for under $55 / 200g box will more than likely continue. As for I/O or RC's will always be a fan and will buy with confidence when price is to good to pass on.

My $0.06 as usual
Cheers, Todd

 

[joekool]

Must be feeling better todd. Email me the link to the.seachem salt.where.you get it. Might give it a try.

 

[Zacco]

Thanks for all your thoughts. Im going to try either Red Sea Coral Pro or Tropic Marin after I do some research on both salts. Gonna check out ESV too. I know Instant Ocean isn't the ideal salt for Reef Tanks and that's why im switching. Taking into consideration that I do dose alk and calcium buffer on a daily basis, Im just tired of having to add all these additives to my mix water just to bring it up to my tank water parameters before I do a water change. To the guys that say Red Sea brand mixes up cloudy, I assume you are heating , properly aerating, and using a power head in your mix buckets or tubs.

 

[Zacco]

Gonna check out SeaChem Reef also. I will narrow my choices down to 2 by the end of the week.

 

[duke4130]

I have really been liking my Aquacraft brand salts.

I was getting ready to get the Marine Environment but it seems difficult to mix in smaller proportions for smaller systems

 

[redfishbluefish]

I originally was a Reef Crystal user but didn't like the high calc numbers I was getting.


I am a two part user and am really only interested in doing water changes with clean ocean water. Therefore, I've switched to using Instant Ocean. As the title claims, it is ocean water....made up instantly. I take care of my alk and calc needs by dosing three times a day, everyday, with dosing pumps. My alk and calc are now as stable as ever....and everything is growing like a weed. Tank hasn't looked better.

 

[Zacco]

To answer mcarroll's questions about my method's of mixing salt water. I've been buying the 18 pound bags (60 gallons) of Instant Ocean Mix. I buy these bags because my LFS gives me a great deal on it. The first thing I do is empty the bag of salt into a 5 gallon bucket and agitate the crap out of the dry mix by shaking and rolling the bucket around. Using RO Water ( 10 gallons EXATCLY) I add a 1/2 cup of salt for each gallon of water as per directions. I know this is gonna give me low salinity every time. 1.022 to 1.023 The water is heated , aerated and mixed using a power head. After the water comes to temp. I will take a salinity reading using a Vertex Refractometer with Automatic Temperature Compensation (calibrated with 1.025 solution every month). The mix water is then brought up to 1.025 or 35ppt. by adding more salt. Time to take the readings.. Guess what. All low readings across the scale every time. Not using junk test kits either. I use Salifert, Red Sea Pro test kits and use a Milwaukee digital Ph meter that is also calibrated using 7.0 solution. If im doing something wrong in your eyes do please pray tell.

 

[redfishbluefish]

........and use a Milwaukee digital Ph meter that is also calibrated using 7.0 solution. If im doing something wrong in your eyes do please pray tell.

I am not familiar with this particular pH meter, but when I was a practicing chemist (now retired), pH meters needed two standards for proper pH calibration. In our case of wanting to measure around pH 8, you would use both a pH 7 and pH 10 standard calibration solution. Am I missing something?