2022 salt poll

[chipchipbro]

I believe it - either have a long way to ship to get to the other. If TM was available cheap, I would use it and never look back - great salt, but inconsistent to get in the US and very expensive at nearly $100 a bucket around me (if you can find it). I just got 4 200g boxes of IO and they were about $42 each shipped to my door.

wait what? 42 bucks??
theres no salt available that cheap in my country... Here in Switzerland every 25kg bucket cost more than 100 bucks for sure.. its crazy..

 

[Uncle99]

Red Sea, widely available and mid point price.
Mine mixes clean, every single time (not heated) through 24 buckets.
But in the end, salt is salt, more of this, less of that, bio additives, elevated, NSW.
Some of the most amazing tanks I have ever seen use the most inexpensive salts.
It’s the reefer that makes this possible, not the salt.

 

[Om84]

I've been using Reef Crystals since 2009. I have not had any major issues. Mixes higher parameters than other salts. One down side is the brown residue it leaves in the mixing container. However, this does not affect the display. I just wash out the mixing container every few months. It is cheaper and has been available everywhere despite the ongoing issues with other salt brands.

 

[X-37B]

I used ESV for over 4 years. Efore that IO.
I tried ordering ESV during covid and it was out of stock.
I went back to IO regular as I only need to lower alk to 8 and the other numbers are right on for my system.
Also 100g's of ESV cost the same as 320g's of IO.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

i use reef crystals. they dont have any problems for me because i maintain my trace elements with dosing as opposed to water changes. i am curious though, why dosent anyone put saltwater through a crazy fine filter mesh then just take the water & evaporate it, would have exact ocean peramaters

 

[boacvh]

None of the above. HW marine for me

 

[unchaotic]

I've been using Reef Crystals, and I'll be switching to plain IO now that I've seen how high the Alk is in RC. I had to use muriatic acid to bring my Alk down when I filled my last tank. I might even use something like Red Sea to start the tank and just switch to IO after.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I use IO. Cheap, consistent and cheap lol. I have a ton of water to take care of, so this allows me to not spend a fortune on salt. I change out almost 350 gallons a month. Do not want to even imagine what that would cost with anything else lol.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I've been using Reef Crystals, and I'll be switching to plain IO now that I've seen how high the Alk is in RC. I had to use muriatic acid to bring my Alk down when I filled my last tank. I might even use something like Red Sea to start the tank and just switch to IO after.

Same, in terms of the high alk...12 dkh last reading?!? I like the consistent high mag number I get out of RC, but considering a switch as well. Been using RC for about 5 years, after two of my LFS stopped selling TM Pro....

 

[paintman]

I hear theres a really good salt comming out of Turkey these days.

 

[thamnasteroid]

I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef but add a little bit of All For Reef to raise the alkalinity a little bit

 

[Dburr1014]

Normally io but bought rc this time around. Alk had been low lately I'll see if it helps.

 

[FREAKINRICAN69]

Been using REEF CRYSTALS since the beginning and about to switch to IO as i dose anyhow and also have thoughts of possible using RC.
Only thing i hate about REEF CRYSTAL IMO is the residue after making a NSW for WC after the 2-3rd tie around i have to clean the mixing station brute drum. Other than that we're good to go.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

Been using RC and IO for years, never an issue. Sure I get brown stains on my mixing bucket of I don’t wipe it down between batches.

 

[design.maddie]

I've been through a few brands, Red Sea blue/purple, IO and settle in on Reef Crystals. It had a really good base line of where I wanted it to be. I dose heavily of All-for-Reef, so I really don't think the salt mix has really anything to do with the tank after a few weeks of dosing. Reef Crystals is the only local salt which is a plus. I don't shiver at the cost which is another plus.

 

[wmb0003]

Cant beat the price, ~27$ per box. Can't remember what promotion was going on but I snagged 3 boxes.

 

[Yevoc]

In my many years.
IO= The Alpo of salt.
RC= Alpo with higher numbers.
Oceanic= Preferred salt of the early years.

Red Sea= 2nd best personally. Probably most used by volume. Still would use it.
TMPR= Currently best liked. Mixes better than the Red Sea. Kind of a toss up but the LFS started carrying it and I consider that a plus for emergencies.



EDIT: I forgot SeaChem's Salinity. Worst salt ever. Smelled like pee when mixed and against my better judgement I attempted to use it. Crashed one of my earlier tanks. I used 3/4 of that bucket as driveway snow melt. I believe it was around the same time one of the Atlanta's group bought it and had the same results.

 

[rtparty]

ESV. I've strayed from it a few times over the last 12 years of using it and I won't make that mistake again. No salt is more consistent or cleaner. Yes, it has a high cost but I don't do routine water changes and go through very little salt anyway

 

[Unitylover]

Instant ocean all the way!

 

[thamnasteroid]

In my many years.
IO= The Alpo of salt.
RC= Alpo with higher numbers.
Oceanic= Preferred salt of the early years.

Red Sea= 2nd best personally. Probably most used by volume. Still would use it.
TMPR= Currently best liked. Mixes better than the Red Sea. Kind of a toss up but the LFS started carrying it and I consider that a plus for emergencies.



EDIT: I forgot SeaChem's Salinity. Worst salt ever. Smelled like pee when mixed and against my better judgement I attempted to use it. Crashed one of my earlier tanks. I used 3/4 of that bucket as driveway snow melt. I believe it was around the same time one of the Atlanta's group bought it and had the same results.

What's an Alpo?